eplrs:
Depending on how much you are willing to spend on this rifle, I think I may be able to help you out. When I went to work to create my first rifle, I had much the same expectations you do. I wanted a very accurate rifle for as cheap as I could get. Like you I chose to make my first rifle a semi-auto. I chose the AR setup because of its wide versatility and cost. Reloading/ammunition should also be taken into account. .223 costs less compared to the .308 you may shoot using an M1A . Plus the M1A offers no real advantages at ranges inside 200 yrds. Taking the cost and range into consideration, I stuck with the standard .223. The DPMS .308 might be great, however as Jeff_850 pointed out might not be as accurate, at least at closer ranges. Of course that all depends. If you are going for longer ranges, I would go bolt action (actually, my second gun is a Rem. 700 mil. spec.).
My final decision was the brand of AR. There are several, but when it came down to it, there were only two for me, Bushmaster and Rock River Arms. I was actually going to buy the Bushmaster until someone introduced me to the RRA. And thank god they did. I love it!! The two are similar, but I the RRA is a much better bang for you buck. Definately worth your time to research. I bought the 24" Varmiter with the EOP (Elevated Optics Platform). It has the best standard features and I would take it over a Bushmaster anyday.
Hope that wasnt too long of a description but I wanted to give you the best advice I could. Good luck, and never forget!!!
P.S- here are a couple of pics of my RRA and a description. And don't forget to buy the best optics you can afford (Leupold *cough *cough*).
Run down on my gun-
-RRA 24" Varmiter
-National Match chamber and 2-stage trigger
-EOP optics platform
-Leupold VX II 6-18X40, target dot reticle
-Leupold 4" sunshade, matte finish
-Leupold QRW 1" rings (Med.)
-Bushmaster Titanium firing pin
-Badger ord. tactical latch
-Harris Bi-pod
-Stoney Point adjustable target knobs
-Butler Creek scope caps
-Uncle Mike's carry strap
Grand Total- $1780
Heres the pics of my AR
[/quote]"Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty." -Army rangers