Rock River Fred Eichler Predator

birdog

New member
Got a chance to pick up a very lightly used Fred Eichler Predator upper on a trade. Looking for feedback from anyone familiar with this rifle/barrel before I commit. It will be going on a Bushmaster lower for now.
 
The RRA has a 16" SS barrel and a fancy coyote track handguard with Fred's endorsement. I've never owned a RRA upper but several friends own RRA AR15's and almost every one needed several hundred shots down the barrel before they started shooting good. If they're using Wilson barrels I'm not impressed. IMO the Eichler upper is overpriced and nothing special.

The WOA on the other hand uses Shilen SS Match barrels. I've yet to see one that didn't shoot great right out of the box.

No contest, WOA would be my choice.
 
The RRA has a .75" MOA guarantee. It's the same accuracy standard my RRA Coyote Carbine has and I have no trouble finding loads that shoot within that standard. My guess is the Fred Eichler version will shoot very well and be reliable. To me the downsides are that I don't care for the fat hand guard and it's no lightweight to pack around. I'll agree with the other poster about the RRA two stage triggers, excellent value triggers that perform very well.
 
Several years ago before I started biulding my own ARs I owned a RRA Coyote rifle. It shot very well and produced tiny little groups with 52 grain Black hills Blue box. It was a very nice rifle and I'm sure the Fred series will do fine if you feel like you're getting a good deal. Good luck!
 
Originally Posted By: GCThe RRA has a .75" MOA guarantee.

Not trying to be argumentative but I cant find that in writing on RRA's site and even if that is true 3/4" isn't all that for a $1500+ AR. I've owned factory Stags model 6's and Windhams that shot 1/2" and cost a lot less.
 
Originally Posted By: GhostmanOriginally Posted By: GCThe RRA has a .75" MOA guarantee.

Not trying to be argumentative but I cant find that in writing on RRA's site and even if that is true 3/4" isn't all that for a $1500+ AR. I've owned factory Stags model 6's and Windhams that shot 1/2" and cost a lot less.



You're not looking hard enough, the accuracy guarantee is listed for each model. You're right, there are plenty of economy rifles that shoot very very well. I've seen some Ruger American bolt guns that shoot as well as rifles costing four or five times their cost. I don't have any $3K AR's to compare, but I'm sure your factory Stag or whatever would rival them in accuracy and performance.
 
Well since you can buy rifles for less than the Rock River that shoot good enough for you , than go buy them and let’s move on! We all buy what we like, kind of the Chevy versus ford thin. Good luck on whatever you decide to buy.
 
RRAs shoot great but I don't like that handguard. It would have to go ASAP and that's a significant portion of the price tag and work compared to just building your own.
 
Originally Posted By: GhostmanThe RRA has a 16" SS barrel and a fancy coyote track handguard with Fred's endorsement. I've never owned a RRA upper but several friends own RRA AR15's and almost every one needed several hundred shots down the barrel before they started shooting good. If they're using Wilson barrels I'm not impressed. IMO the Eichler upper is overpriced and nothing special.

The WOA on the other hand uses Shilen SS Match barrels. I've yet to see one that didn't shoot great right out of the box.

No contest, WOA would be my choice.



I've owned several AR barrels and uppers from different sources, and to date the least picky, best shooting one was a factory RRA 20" predator pursuit .223 wylde. And I've seen enough good reports on these to know I'm not the only one with good results.

I wouldn't argue that WOA makes great barrels and uppers, just a little research makes that clear. I owned a WOA SPR contour 18" 223 barrel that shot great, and I'm considering buying another.

I've read numerous times that WOA Standard grade barrels use Wilson blanks, just like RRA. So are you sure about Wilson being nothing special?

Back to the OP's question: As stated above, many of the RRA handguards are heavy and really kind of outdated compared to other current options IMO. I personally would want a lighter, more skeletonized type handguard on a carry rifle. If you don't like the handguard and will want to swap it may not make sense to trade for that upper when so many other options out there are so inexpensive right now. But if you think you like the look and feel, I imagine it'll shoot and function well.

All that said, I think I'd also go WOA over RRA in most instances..

Good luck
 
Thanks everyone. So if I pass on the RRA upper and go with a WOA barrel only what upper would you all recommend? Can I save weight and money going this route? Or just buy a complete WOA upper for my BM lower?
 
For my first AR I picked up a RRA 20" Coyote Rifle upper. It shot great from the get go with cheapo factory ammo. Even better with reloads. Smallest groups I've shot. Absolutely love that upper on performance alone. That is my only experience with RRA, so take that for what it's worth.
 
Originally Posted By: GhostmanThe RRA has a 16" SS barrel and a fancy coyote track handguard with Fred's endorsement. I've never owned a RRA upper but several friends own RRA AR15's and almost every one needed several hundred shots down the barrel before they started shooting good. If they're using Wilson barrels I'm not impressed. IMO the Eichler upper is overpriced and nothing special.

The WOA on the other hand uses Shilen SS Match barrels. I've yet to see one that didn't shoot great right out of the box.

No contest, WOA would be my choice.



that is not what I have seen. played with 3 different RRA barrels all shot great on the very very first range outing when they were brand new. a buddy who posts on here also reports similar on his first outing.

The best thing I can say about RRA barrels is they seem to shoot a lot of stuff decently. They aren't a finicky barrel, further I have owned, criterion, lilja, black hole, ar stoner, and probably another I am forgetting. all those barrels have been sold or traded off, they shot decent with the loads they liked. the 16" plain jane 5.56 nato barrel that came on my very first upper, which is an RRA barrel. That barrel is not going anywhere until its wore out. It simply digests everything and puts it fairly close POI and chugs out MOA groups all day.
 
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Originally Posted By: steve garrettOriginally Posted By: GhostmanThe RRA has a 16" SS barrel and a fancy coyote track handguard with Fred's endorsement. I've never owned a RRA upper but several friends own RRA AR15's and almost every one needed several hundred shots down the barrel before they started shooting good. If they're using Wilson barrels I'm not impressed. IMO the Eichler upper is overpriced and nothing special.

The WOA on the other hand uses Shilen SS Match barrels. I've yet to see one that didn't shoot great right out of the box.

No contest, WOA would be my choice.



that is not what I have seen. played with 3 different RRA barrels all shot great on the very very first range outing when they were brand new. a buddy who posts on here also reports similar on his first outing.

The best thing I can say about RRA barrels is they seem to shoot a lot of stuff decently. They aren't a finicky barrel, further I have owned, criterion, lilja, black hole, ar stoner, and probably another I am forgetting. all those barrels have been sold or traded off, they shot decent with the loads they liked. the 16" plain jane 5.56 nato barrel that came on my very first upper, which is an RRA barrel. That barrel is not going anywhere until its wore out. It simply digests everything and puts it fairly close POI and chugs out MOA groups all day.




My experience as well Steve.
 
My brand new RRA, which is a much less expensive model than the FEP, but does also have the 3/4 MOA guarantee, is meeting it's accuracy guarantee right out of the gate. Barrel isn't collecting any copper to speak of, cleans up easy and feels pretty smooth on a tight dry patch. All indications are, to me, that it's a better barrel than the majority of factory bolt rifle barrels I have ever messed with.

Out of the gate, ran a bunch of different bullets with two different powders through it, just looking for an MOA-ish load to burn up components which I already have a lot of on hand. Using armory prepped once fired LC cases. It's shooting almost everything, from 40 gr. to 60 gr., right around MOA or better, for five shot groups. With two different bullets it's shooting five shot groups in the 6's and I fired one ten shot group with what appears to be the rifles favorite bullet so far, ten shots that went just under MOA.

Brand new out of the gate. And I'm still trying to let the rifle tell me how it likes to be driven off a bench. It's my first AR and the first time I've ever shot groups with one. Sure ain't anything like shooting groups with a bolt gun! I do believe the flat bottom of the hand guard is an asset with my front rest though.

OP never said how much this thing was going to cost him. But I got a smoking deal on my new ATH and even though I'm not an "AR guy" and don't know a whole lot about them, I feel pretty confident that I got a lot of AR for my money.

I do not like the trigger on it though. But it seems like an AR trigger I would like, is going to cost more than 1/3 of what this whole rifle cost.

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: crazyyoteDave,
Welcome to the BRD!!! Now you're hooked.

I'm already having a lot of fun with it
smile.gif
. Can't wait to unleash on jackrabbits!

- DAA
 
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