A scoped service rifle on the left, good old fashioned iron sights on the right.

It took a lot of words below to say:
Get a lower, build it up with a decent trigger and stock, get a flat top upper and a decent scope.

Another option is is "build" the rifle from the ground up.

Start on the https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/ website. They often have a sale in January!

You will need:

• Stripped Lower receiver purchased locally*
• Lower parts kit, LPK *
• Trigger *
• buttstock, tube, spring and buffer. *
• extended bolt release.
• Upper
• scope mount
• scope
• you might get the weights installed in the upper and buttstock.
  
• and also: a sling, magazines, case to carry the rifle, cleaning stuff, ammo.... etc etc etc...

* WOA no longer lists the assembled lower, shipped to your FFL.


You can get the stripped lower locally  for $50 to $120 (at a licensed dealer/store, this is the "firearm" you do the paperwork and the background check for) It doesn't matter the brand, but it must be true mil-spec, none of the funny modifications like checkering, ribs or skulls on the front of the magwell, expanded mag well, integral trigger guard etc. Those lowers possibly would not qualify for Service Rifle. Marking variations are OK, so if its marked "pew" and "shhhh" instead of "fire" and "safe", its still OK for Service Rifle.

Get a $45 LPK (locally or from WOA), you will throw away the trigger parts and put in a proper trigger. The other springs, pins and the grip are just fine.

Do NOT get an ambi safety.

You can use an extended bolt release such as the clamp-on Magpul "B.A.D." lever. https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/shop/lower-parts/lower-receiver-parts/magpul-bad-lever-battery-assist-device.html
If you are shooting scope you probably will prefer it, but it can cause failures to hold open.



You can get either an A2 buttstock, tube, spring and buffer, https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/a2-buttstock-assembly-mil-spec.html OR the Magpul UBR stock https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/magpul-ar-15-ubr-gen-2-stock.html  from WOA with the required tube, spring and buffer (carbine length I think confirm with WOA when you buy it).

Trigger. Decisions. I'll make it easy: Get the Geissele National Match 2-stage.
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/shop/lower-parts/trigger-parts/geissele-automatics-national-match-2-stage-trigger.html There are other choices, make certain the one you choose makes the 4.5 lb Service Rifle limit. The National Match trigger that RRA installs in their rifles is decent too. Most of us prefer 2-stage triggers.

If you have the skill to read this webpage, you probably have the skill to put a lower together.

search Youtube, Bill Geissele himself has a video on installing his trigger. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rCa3pUsPvw

The upper:

You can build it, but the custom, service-rifle dedicated vendors can do build it for you.


Another (the one I will make more references to) is:
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/shop/complete-uppers/white-oak-standard-service-rifle-uppers.html
Now you have decisions to make. Get a pre-ban (with flashhider) not a post ban unless you live in a ban state.
Ignore the Match Rifle uppers (unless that is what you are building). A "match rifle" is not a Service Rifle. Start with Service Rifle, after you go distinguished you can consider trying match rifle category. Ignore the A2 with the handle and the flat-top with A2 front sight tower, unless that is what you are building.

Mk7 rail or A2 style handguard, honestly either is just fine. The rail looks cooler, it grips (and sometimes damages) your glove better. The cheap rubber rail covers make the rail FE a bit more comfortable.

Barrel: There are numerous options and twist rates. WOA won't sell you a service rifle in a twist slower than 1 in 8, good. Get a 1 in 7 or 1 in 7.7, something like that.

For a beginner, get the least expensive one, after you wear it out, you will be shooting Master Class scores and can decide for your self if you want to spend the extra money on a Krieger or other premium maker.

Now, scopes and mounts. Whether you are putting it on a RRA NMA4 or the WOA upper and home-assembled lower.

The problem with scopes is, in this daytime sport, we don't need hubble telescope optics, you're not counting antler tines hidden in the shade at dusk... the target market for nearly all affordable scopes... so we don't need really good glass... we turn the know maybe 50 times a day, literally! We need Mack Truck mechanics! the part that fails on a cheap, or not so cheap, scope is the adjustment mechanics.

The easy answer is hardest on the wallet:
Geissele Mount  https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/shop/highpower-competition/service-rifle-optics/geissele-super-precision-30mm-high-power-scope-mount.html
Nightforce 4.5X service rifle scope.  https://www.nightforceoptics.com/riflescopes/competition-and-benchrest/competition-sr-fixed-45x24
WOA reducer & cap

But what if $2500 worth of glass and tax is overwhelming:

The white oak branded scope is more affordable:

https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/white-oak-distinguished-rifleman-scope.html

most of us use a lens reducer to keep out eye centered.
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/clear-lens-reducer-for-white-oak-arms-service-rifle-scope.html

The "freedom reaper" mount is less expensive.
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/freedom-reaper-picantinny-rail-30mm-matte-black-20-moa.html

The scope mount must mount to the receiver (per rules), not the rail, so we need some type of cantelever mount to hold the scope far enough forward you can shoot prone with the proper field of view.

WOA makes an extended Picatinny rail for use with standard rings.
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/shop/highpower-competition/service-rifle-optics/extended-scope-rail-10-min-elev-1827.html.
But you may need to experiment with the rings you buy to get ones high enough for the scope bells, but not too high for head position.

some other info from my older page on this topic:

Sling: Most of us use a good leather one. The standard M1907 is not long enough for most humans to use with an AR. Eric Hollis, Ron Brown, Turner https://www.creedmoorsports.com/rifle-slings and others make good extra long slings. 50" to 54". I find the "all weather" slings to not be as good as the leather slings. The CANVAS web slings from the M1 days are actually quite usable and can be found for $10. The "nylon" web slings from the M14 days are just about worthless DO NOT BUY ONE! Creedmoor usually has an assortment of good slings. 

shoot good!

This was written in Dec 2019, check club calendars and my main website to confirm everything is still up to date!

Some of the photos were shamelessly borrowed from the internet. Linked to their source where possible.

http://arizona-rifleshooting.com/Service-Rifle-Scopes.html

From the CMP 2025 rule book: which can be found at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-competitions-rulebooks/ 5.1.1 M16/AR15-Type Service Rifle. The rifle must be an M16 U. S. Service Rifle or a similar AR15-type commercial rifle that is derived from the M16 service rifle design. Rifles must exhibit the general overall external appearance of the M-16 rifle or carbine (see Rule 5.1.1 j). Visible barrel profiles, handguards or quad rails, receivers, pistol grips, carry handles or rails and fixed or collapsible stocks must appear essentially the same as the M16 service rifle and must incorporate the following features; functional forward assist, integral case deflector, functional ejection port cover, and a Picatinny rail located at standard MIL-SPEC height. The following specific rules apply to this rifle: a) Cartridge. Must be chambered for the 5.56 x 45 mm NATO (.223) cartridge. b) Action. Must be designed or modified so that only semi-automatic fire is possible. The gas operating system must be fully operable and adhere to the original M16 rifle design (i. e. Stoner design, gas impingement system) or have a piston-operated gas system. Adjustable gas blocks are not permitted. A gas block without a front sight is permitted. Left-handed receivers that reverse the operational design features of M16/AR-type rifles and with the ejection port opening upwards are permitted. An extended bolt release is permitted on both right and left-handed receivers, provided there are no permanent alterations to upper or lower receivers. i) Relieved (Milled/Cut) lowers are allowed, but the use of an extended bolt release that requires a relief in the receiver is not permitted. Extended bolt releases must be attached on the original manufactured side of the lower receiver. ii) Billeted uppers and/or lower receivers are permitted. iii) Ambidextrous safeties, ambidextrous magazine releases and ambidextrous charging handles are permitted, provided no permanent alteration to the receiver was made to install them. Extended levers on M16/AR15 charging handles are permitted. c) Barrel. Barrel length may not exceed the standard A2 barrel length of 20 inches, as measured from the bolt face to the end of the barrel. Flash suppressors are not required, but if the barrel has a flash suppressor the length of the barrel measured from the bolt face to the end of the flash suppressor shall not exceed 21 ¼ inches. No full-length heavy barrels are permitted. No portion of the barrel forward of the rearward location of the gas block or front sight tenon shall have a diameter exceeding .750”. Upper receivers and/or barrels may not be changed during the firing of any event. Standard rifle length gas systems must be used for 20-inch barrels; carbine length gas systems may be used for barrels less than 20 inches. Barrels may not have compensators, muzzle brakes or sound suppressors. d) Trigger. Triggers may be either two-stage or single-stage. Triggers may be adjustable, provided all adjustments are internal. Triggers must be of standard curved design; trigger shoes are not permitted. The trigger pull must be at least 4.5 pounds. e) Handguard. The receiver and handguard must be machined as separate parts. Standard M16-type service handguards (which may conceal a float tube) may be used or military design or aftermarket free floating rail systems may be used. The rail may be of one- or multiple-piece design and be attached to the receiver by means of the rail itself or with a standard or special barrel nut. Key-Mod, M-Lok or similar mounting systems are permitted. Handguards may be of any length and the front sling swivel may be attached to the hand guard, but any front sling swivel location must be fixed 13 in. (+/- 0.5 in.) from the forward edge of the magazine well on M16 configured rifles or 8.0 in. (+/- 0.5 in.) on M4 configured rifles. Handguards or float tubes may not have any additional features that could be used as a hand stop. f) Butt-Stocks. Butt-stocks may vary in length and be either fixed or adjustable. Adjustable length butt-stocks may be changed during an event, but butt-stocks that allow other adjustments such as the cheek-piece height or butt-plate location are not permitted. Permitted pistol grips include A1, A2 or similarly shaped, symmetrical pistol grips with no orthopedic features such as thumb rests or palm shelves. g) Magazines. Metal or synthetic (polymer) magazines, standard issue, or commercial equivalent, straight or curved, must be attached during the firing of all courses and in all positions. Allowable magazines and single round loading devices may vary in length and curvature, provided that they do not exceed 7 3/4 inches from top to bottom as measured along the back of the spine. Reduced capacity magazines which are shorter than standard 20-round magazines are permitted, provided that they must have a florescent orange, yellow or similar bright color magazine identifying strip on the lower portion of the magazine which is visible when fully inserted into the receiver. Magazines must not have any additional pads, extensions, or other support features. Alterations to the magazine to allow the use of cartridges exceeding SAAMI OAL specifications are permitted. h) Optical Sights. The rifle may have an optical sight (reflective sights are considered optical sights) with a maximum power of 4.5X installed on the receiver. Variable scopes with a maximum of 4.5X are permitted. Only commercially manufactured scopes that were produced with a maximum magnification of 4.5X and have a maximum objective lens diameter of 34 mm may be used. If an optical sight is used, the same optical sight configuration must be used in all stages of a course of fire (changing sights or sight mount configurations is not permitted). The centerline of an optical sight shall be no higher than 3.5 inches above the centerline of the bore.

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