Opinions on RRA LAR-8 20" standar 308 AR platform rifle?

[petrol]

My buddy is wanting to trade me his RRA LAR-8 for my PSA ar15 I recently built. my question is, How is the accuracy on the 20" variants? this is a "standard" model with the carbine buttstock from the factory. I believe the 20" standard model has a 2 stage trigger. I currently have a DPMS LR-308 16" which is not the most accurate. How would this RRA 308 setup compare in accuracy to my FNAR heavy barrel? Also he duracoated the entire thing in FDE color... How hard is duracoat that wasnt baked on to remove?

 

[MicLR]

RRA guarantees 1MOA... A friend has had good luck with his, reliable and it shoots 3/4MOA with 168gr FGMM.

 

[84bandit]

Cant speak to the duracoat personally, I am assuming this gun is wearing one of the wilson stainless barrels? I have the 26 inch wilson barreled LAR-8, it shoots .6 MOA with 150 Hornady factory loads. .5 with 150 grain cor-lokt Remington, and .5 with 168 grain American eagle loads. It should have the RRA 2 stage trigger, and the barrels are a nice piece. I am in love with mine, no complaints about the fit/function of the gun.

The 20 inch barrel shouldn't hurt you accuracy wise, assuming you are shooting relatively close range. Here is why

A short barrel will not have as much flex as a long barrel, and will therefore vibrate more consistently than a longer barrel of the same profile (because it is stiffer) Where you see accuracy fall off is at longer ranges, because of the loss of muzzle velocity with the shorter barrel. The 20" barrel will shoot the same size group as a 26" barrel at closer ranges (because the round hasnt had sufficient time to start slowing down significantly) Where you will start to see the group open up is a longer ranges as the round starts to bleed energy quicker. A longer barrel will increase MV and therefore keep a round supersonic longer, and give you a little more distance (and a little more accuracy at longer distances) but a 20" barrel will still be reasonably accurate to a certain range. If you arent trying to reach out super far you should be alright.

 

[garandman]

I have the DPMS LR308, and it shoots 0.50MoA with 168gr Horn Amax handloads.

 

[garandman]

I have the DPMS LR308, and it shoots 0.50MoA with 168gr Horn Amax handloads.

 

[petrol]

thanks guys. I dont know about the wilson barrel, I just know its the 20" "standard" lar-8. the rra site says "20" chrome moly, 1:10 twist, cryo treated...

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=256

 

[2ndamendfan]

I have a 16" RR LAR-8 and it has been great. I have a FAL Also so the magazine interchangeability was key in my decision to get one. At the time FAL mags were cheap and magpul didn't make a 308 mag. Now the fact that magpul does make a great mag and that it won't work in the lar-8 is what has kept the lar-8 from really gaining a lot of traction.

 

[84bandit]

Ok I got ya. Again the 20 will be better than a 16, with the thinner profile barrel you will have more shift in POI because of accumulated barrel heat. (A thicker barrel does a better job keeping the barrel temps constant, for less/no POI adjustment)

I agree with the magazine issue. I'm not gonna lie, I bought mine planning on using FAL mags, and keep reading about people having problems with them, and got a little worried. The RRA magazines work great, but I ended up purchasing korean made (new) FAL mags from CTD for about 20 bucks each. I have yet to have a failure with the magazines, so (for me at least) the magazine issue seems to be resolved.

I think that if you keep the gun clean and oiled, seat the mag properly and ride the bolt forward using the charging button forward of the trigger, you will enjoy the weapon

 

[Wes_Mantooth]

I love mine. I have the 20", "standard" profile barrel and free float tube. It shoots under MOA with hand loads (I've never shot factory through mine). Check the trigger to make sure it is 2 stage, the 2 stage is a much better trigger than the single stage.

The magazine issue is with DSA magazines not fitting in the first run of lowers.

DSA mags run a little thicker than standard FAL mags. They work fine in the FAL, which has a slightly larger mag well, but don't fit in the RRA. After the first run RRA changed their lowers to fit DSA mags. I've run surplus Steyr mags, inch patterns and a few other surplus in mine without issue, but DSA's don't fit.

Check the first letter of the serial number and it will tell whether the gun was a first batch or a later model.

 

[petrol]

what letter do I want to avoid as being first batches in the serial number?

I love mine. I have the 20", "standard" profile barrel and free float tube. It shoots under MOA with hand loads (I've never shot factory through mine). Check the trigger to make sure it is 2 stage, the 2 stage is a much better trigger than the single stage.

The magazine issue is with DSA magazines not fitting in the first run of lowers.

DSA mags run a little thicker than standard FAL mags. They work fine in the FAL, which has a slightly larger mag well, but don't fit in the RRA. After the first run RRA changed their lowers to fit DSA mags. I've run surplus Steyr mags, inch patterns and a few other surplus in mine without issue, but DSA's don't fit.

Check the first letter of the serial number and it will tell whether the gun was a first batch or a later model.

 

[Wes_Mantooth]

The first letter will be an "A". Don't neccessarily need to avoid it, just ber aware that one type of mag. won't fit.

 

[2ndamendfan]

I don't have mag issues every mag that works in my FAL, works in my LAR-8. I think the LAR-8 is great. If the cheap surplus FAL mags had not dried up and magpul had not decided to make their 308 pmag I think the LAR-8 would be much more popular. Rock river spent a lot of time and money getting the FAL mags to work. Purely because the previous AWB made it a good solution at the time. They where chastised for it. But they made it work. I would only sell mine if I was going to sell the FAL also.

 

[petrol]

how would I know its the 2 stage vs the single stage?

 

[Wes_Mantooth]

Try dry firing it. A 2 stage will have some take up, then catch and break clean. With a single stage there is no take up, it just breaks, and will have a much heavier pull than the two stage.

 

[M25BeastShooter]

The LAR-8 is an awesome rifle. I had one of the 20" standard barrels I ran a lapping kits through it. The gun now shoots around 1/2 MOA or less with 178 A-Max reloads. I gave it to my future son in law. It is his first big bore( I built him a 16" M4) he makes it shoot as good as I do. We went to a long range class he consistently cleaned the course out to 850 yards. He and the rifle shot as well the bolt guns and more experienced shooters.

Go for the LAR-8!!

 

[petrol]

ok so I think I made a pretty decent trade. i pulled the receivers apart and noticed the lower was filthy, the trigger parts were covered in carbon deposits and the hammer when dry fired hit with the force of a butterfly. i ripped the trigger parts out, soaked in hoppes no. 9 and cleaned the rifle meticulously. It appeared that my buddy kept the barrel and bolt clean but stopped his cleaning regimen there. anyways I found out he tried the same thing but put the hammer spring in backwards. after It was cleaned and put back together properly I slapped my quick detach bushnell elite 3-12 on top and zero'd in. Im not the best shot but managed a 10 shot group in a 1.25" group. And many sub moa groups at 100 yards using FGGM 168. I am planning to do a ultrasonic acetone bath for a few hours on rifle and use a hard bristly brush to get the duracoat off. it looks like a 5 year old did it. Anyways im very please... i traded my buddy a nib 16" carbine psa I built with an act trigger, vltor stock and a colt bolt.... I feel it was good trade for me but now I have my 24" stainless RGUNS upper coming to replace the 5.56 I just traded off.

 

[jwb47]

I have had a 20 inch lar-8 for 4 years now I have a dozen austrian 2 rra polymer mags and a rock river 10 shot mag . I picked the austrian mags up for 10.00 a piece at a gun show . I suppose a person could get antsy over mags but what I have works just fine and I doubt I would have more no matter what brand of rifle I own . I dont shoot precision ammo often but when I do I get groups around 1.5 moa , some times i get under moa but I really dont have the rifle set up for precision shooting but more for hunting and for that purpose it is great .

whats not to love about a face like this.

 

[petrol]

nice setup bud! Im looking for the lightest FF tube I can find for it now, maybe Midwest industries!? I know getting after market for the lar-8 is a bit stifled from what im reading. I also want to get a sturdy but lightweight bipod, any recommendations?

also does anyone know if a recirculating acetone bath will be sufficient for stripping off the duracoat? it looks horrible and Id like to strip it from the metal and plastic parts...

 

[jwb47]

midwest wont work but a daniels defense will and a j.p. will work. that bi-pod on the rifle I just stuck on so I could take a picture . I use harris on my bolt guns and have no complaints.

 

[Newtrick]

I have numerous LAR-8"s. All shoot MOA. Some shoot .5 ish. Match ammo, no coffee. Finding mags has not been a problem. Might become one, but hasn't been so far.

 

[Wes_Mantooth]

Be careful with acetone on plastic.

 

[petrol]

Wes thanks for the tip. Ive been reading multiple threads where some people claim its a no no and then other say it is ok. I would instinctively say its a no-no, but I may test it on something just to see if it damages the plastic.