urbanrifleman
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Has anyone made the switch?
AR comp instead of Varget and R15
- Thread starter urbanrifleman
- Start date
I switched over from Varget to AR-COMP years ago for shooting NRA/CMP service rifle (20" A2, 1-7 twist). Although it's a very dirty powder, I have been pleased with the results.
I've had the best results when sticking to the heavier .223 projectiles: 75gr and up. Anything lighter than 69gr doesn't group well in my rifle with AR-COMP.
I shot an all-time best at the 600 yard line a couple years ago using Berger 82gr MT over 23.3gr AR-COMP: 197-12X with irons on an NRA MR target.
I've had the best results when sticking to the heavier .223 projectiles: 75gr and up. Anything lighter than 69gr doesn't group well in my rifle with AR-COMP.
I shot an all-time best at the 600 yard line a couple years ago using Berger 82gr MT over 23.3gr AR-COMP: 197-12X with irons on an NRA MR target.
First off, my eminent qualifications; I am without a doubt the last person you should take advice from, and you'd be better served by regarding anyone else chiming in here as a better source of information.
That out of the way, I started using it back when it was practically all you could get here locally, and it seems with respect to performance to be, basically, a Swedish Varget -- it seems that if loads for each would be very close to one another, if not identical.
I have so far used it only in .308 with 168SMKs, and it's been a very pleasing experience, so much so that I bought a lot more of it. I haven't noticed it as being unusually dirty, but some powders are like that with lighter loads (e.g., W231 is particularly dirty with light loads, but cleans up when heavier loads are used), so it could be I just haven't seen that characteristic yet, or I'm just used to dirtier powders. However, just having built some 55gr .223 test rounds this weekend, I should find that out shortly.
That out of the way, I started using it back when it was practically all you could get here locally, and it seems with respect to performance to be, basically, a Swedish Varget -- it seems that if loads for each would be very close to one another, if not identical.
I have so far used it only in .308 with 168SMKs, and it's been a very pleasing experience, so much so that I bought a lot more of it. I haven't noticed it as being unusually dirty, but some powders are like that with lighter loads (e.g., W231 is particularly dirty with light loads, but cleans up when heavier loads are used), so it could be I just haven't seen that characteristic yet, or I'm just used to dirtier powders. However, just having built some 55gr .223 test rounds this weekend, I should find that out shortly.
Depart123
Bullets.com has 8lb kegs of ARcomp on closeout for $147. That is enough to make me consider it.
It really shines in 308Win...
urbanrifleman
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R16 might be the most impressive powder I have ever tried and as far as I know they are the same chemistry.
When I shot 8208XBR my lands disappeared at a rate of .001"/100 rounds. When I switched to Varget it improved to .001"/200 rounds. When I switched to AR-Comp it it improved to .001"/500 rounds. And for my load(Sierra #2156 at 3000fps) it had the widest node.
42.6g in a Winchester case lit by a BR2 pushing a 168g Berger Hunting VLD shoots small in my Nephew's Savage 10-FCP.
Really like AR Comp in this rifle.
Really like AR Comp in this rifle.
Have been using it quite a bit here lately. Started out using it for 223 ar15 loads, but found that it works quite well in my 243 with the lighter bullets. Good results with 308 and 22-250 also. Seems just a little faster than varget in burn speed, but that’s just my opinion, and maybe my lot #’s are the result.
I'm experimenting with it now. Note: Its as fast are maybe a little faster than H4895. I will be able to comment more on it's temp stability after this weekend. Temps were in the 80's last match and will be in the mid 30's this weekend. I'm using it in a 223 with small case capacity which is definitely affected more by temp than larger cases.
Agree, This AR-Comp thread is less than 2 months old and has some great info in it.
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/why-is-ar-comp-the-red-headed-step-child.3986954/
Including an awesome Temperature Sensitivity chart from an Alliant Rep and my experiences with it as a Service Rifle shooter as well as a good amount of others experiences with it.
G-
urbanrifleman
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I have not found it has a burn rate faster than h4895, quite the contrary I find it's less peaky and maybe a tick slower.
In my case, it wasn't a switch to Ar Comp; it was an addition to the good powder choices.
Am extremely pleased with AR-Comp in my .308 RPR with a 26" Krieger barrel. It meter's very well and from my CM1500 I get consistent single digit SD's and ES's that range from around 15 to 25. Virtually no copper to be seen in the barrel and little if any black carbon. The barrel has 2170 rounds down it and it's been 180 rounds since I cleaned it (yes, it's still dirty
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urbanrifleman
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Am extremely pleased with AR-Comp in my .308 RPR with a 26" Krieger barrel. It meter's very well and from my CM1500 I get consistent single digit SD's and ES's that range from around 15 to 25. Virtually no copper to be seen in the barrel and little if any black carbon. The barrel has 2170 rounds down it and it's been 180 rounds since I cleaned it (yes, it's still dirty
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That's what you want to see from my experience. A nice even coating of the decoppering agent. And people will say that the barrel is "dirty" when in fact it is properly coated to prevent further fouling.
When you go to clean there will be several patches of "mud". It almost looks like clay. Again people will say it is "dirty" but once the mud is gone nothing is under it.
Usually after about three mud patches there will be one tiny dot of blue on the forth or fifth using Bore Tech Eliminator. Then it is basically clean of copper. Some barrels show a dot about the size of a pea, others more using higher velocities, some none at all.
I'm not sure it doesn't also help with carbon building up also. But I don't know that for a fact. All I know is that I can go ridiculous amounts of rounds and still shoot tight.
urbanrifleman
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I took out my space gun after a total barrel cleaning. Got it back to almost like new.
Shot 25.2 grains of AR COMP with 52 smk moly. Velocity set to mag length was 3275 with WWC brass and cci 450s. I was shooting from the Tubb bipod in horrible switching winds.
Not bad for a Kreiger 7.7 with 4000 rounds on it. This ammo was made on my progressive.
The AR COMP shot as good as anything I've shot so far.
Shot 25.2 grains of AR COMP with 52 smk moly. Velocity set to mag length was 3275 with WWC brass and cci 450s. I was shooting from the Tubb bipod in horrible switching winds.
Not bad for a Kreiger 7.7 with 4000 rounds on it. This ammo was made on my progressive.
The AR COMP shot as good as anything I've shot so far.
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