Originally Posted by tom2112

Let me add a little to what the others have posted - which is great info, by the way.

The first thing you have to decide is what you want to do with the rifle. If you want a rifle for target and competition shooting (serious or just back yard fun), the AR series rifles are a good choice. You can customize them as far as you want to. There is every part imaginable for these rifles. However: be prepared to spend money! A plain-jane just off the shelf AR is not going to win you any target competitions. Sure they're a bit more accurate than the AK-47 series rifles, but you won't be driving tacks with them right out of the box.

Another down side to the AR series rifles is the jamming. As Brent and apkano mentioned, they jam more than most other rifles in the same price range. If you're looking for a ****-has-just-hit-the-fan kind of rifle, I would not recommend the AR rifles.

I have a Colt M7200, which is very similar to my service rifle (the M16-A2). That was a primary consideration when I bought it. I can tear it down and put it back together in the dark (yes, I have done that). And there's a lot to be said for that level of familiarity with a weapon.

There are a lot of other rifles to choose from out there. If I hadn't been so familiar with the AR, I wouldn't have bought one. I'm not saying don't get one - just saying you should know its weaknesses before buying and accept them or don't buy.

As for choice of caliber: go with the .223 not the .22LR. The recoil of the .223 is wimpy at its worst. If a 100 lb - 5 foot nuthin little girl can handle it, just about anyone can. A .22LR in a pistol is so minor as to be almost negligible, in a full size rifle it would be negligible. Now, if you jump up to a 7.62mm or .308 caliber, then you've got a little recoil to deal with.