Sorry
Missed the 1k budget
You can build a nice one for that or a bit more

Don't buy an 800.onr and then do a bunch of upgrades..
Paying for it all twice..

Receiver set doesn't really matter
Freefloat handguard, barrel and trigger are the most important thing for accuracy.


For general use a 16" with a midlength gas system is a good setup.

If you want to buy a complete name brand rifle in your budget the Colt 6920 is probably a good purchase for you. But definite upgrades will be needed to that Colt especially the trigger.

But if you really want to stretch that $1000 then you would be better off building your own rifle. And I would also think about not getting a 556 if this is going to be a hunting rifle. Dont be like a lot of us who made that mistake and ended up spending more time and money to sell the 556 and get a hunting like caliber like a 6.8 or 6.5. Start looking in to those calibers. Both of them are great hunting rounds for your AR!

If you are starting from scratch then I would pick either the 6.8SPC or the 6.5 Grendel and build that AR. Or buy an upper from the classifieds and build your lower.

Unless you are a coyote hunter the 556 is just not an adequate round for hunting in Texas especially when those 2 other rounds are easily acquired.

Anybody spent much time with a Ruger AR? The MPR has had my attention since it came out. Specs look pretty nice but you don't hear much about them.

Ruger AR-556 MPR 5.56mm Semi-Automatic Multi-Purpose Rifle with SIG Romeo5 Red Dot. Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore has the combo for $699.99.