• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Is it possible to build an AR that will do this?

savagedasher said:
I don't know if AR 223 could do 10 shots at 300 yd with half min. With any normal conditions.
Marry Christmas Larry
Its my Daughters Birthday bet you can guess her name. Merry Christmas Larry
 
You'll be hard pressed to shoot 1/2 MOA at 600 with any semi auto. The rifles are capable, but the other variables such as the shooter, wind, etc tend to get in the way. Not saying it won't happen at times, but I have never had an AR that would do it consistently, every day. That being said, an AR is certainly capable of being a very accurate rifle at that distance and offer a high rate of fire. Under MOA is very attainable, but under 1/2 MOA is a lofty goal. All of the service rifles I've owned/built over the years would hold half MOA at 300 when I did my part, but at 600 you really have to be on your game to do it. Build the rifle, enjoy it and if it doesn't do what you want, sell it. Half the fun if this game is trying out new things.
 
If interested I have a custom AR made to look factory. The upper has a Shilen select match barrel, with the the new bolt and carrier. This is a White Oak Armament chambered and assembled unit. The lower is a Stiller machined from the billet with the mag well cut with a wire EDM. It has a Gisselle trigger. I have a Zeiss 3X9 scope mounted on it. I have 700 rounds custom loaded by Rusty Stud(Nat Lambeth). It will come with 2 mags 30 rounders.
$1500+shipping. Rifle has 200 rounds through it. Send PM.
 
I would very much agree with many of the above comments - CONSISTENT 1/2 MOA accuracy as a goal would likely be a disappointment. Just out of curiosity - how many under 10 lb bolt guns in 223 would be able to achieve this? You would be fighting the cartridge as much as the rifle.

I personally have a AR that would meet most of your criteria - 18" 1/8 twist SPR-profile barrel by Nordic, Midwest Industries G2-FF rail, MOE carbine stock, etc - it is actually fairly light but still weighs 9.25 lbs with a VX6 in 1-6 power on top. It consistently averages in the 0.75-1 MOA range, with the rare 0.5 MOA group. I have not shot it for groups past 200 yds but have engaged steel much further. Truthfully, I am very happy with its accuracy, even though it could be improved with a higher-mag scope.

With a premium barrel, good optics, and a light handguard, you would be close to achieving your goals, but I do not think it would happen, and if so, not frequently. If you really want to push the limits, why not build an AR-10 in 6/6.5 Creed or 6 XC? Then you would have a cartridge capable of bucking the wind enough to generate consistent long-range accuracy.

For your own personal reading, check out the Sniper's Hide 100 yd semi auto shootout. Some are achieving excellent accuracy out of AR's, albeit only at 100 yds.
 
I tried to do this but that small of a group at 600 is to lofty of a standard to reach. I did manage to get the occasional 5 round group at 300 under 1.5 inch but the average is closer to 1.5-2.5 inches at 300. However it's a very handy package at 14.5 inch barrel pinned and welded and weighs in at 9.5 pounds with my nightforce 2.5-10 on it.

Keep in mind there are a number of shaped carbon fiber free float tubes just hitting the market over the last 6 months so you can def make weight between those and a light weight stock.
 
1/2 moa will be hard to attain--consistently. you may be able to get there but expect 1 moa. thing to remember with this chambering, it has a small boiler room, so any inconsistencies, even small variances such as brass weight or internal volume, will show up on target. I saw a target online last week of an AMU built service rifle that was machine tested--solid rest and clamped--shooting the V-8 load at 600 yards. I think it came close to a perfect score or maybe even shot perfect--I will have to find those pics--maybe it was 200-19x, can't remember. these rifles are capable, but the shooter and load consistency is crucial.
 
I believe this is the picture from the AMU you're referring to.

2nusu50.jpg


-- Scott
 
I think that picture says it all... X ring is 6" on that target - rifle seems to be capable of just under 1 MOA.

Like I said before, I doubted that it was possible, but had to ask.

Thanks!
 
The 6.5 Grendel will come as close to half MOA as any rifle in AR-15 platform at 600yd. The 223 round is borderline at that distance. If long range shooting is what you are after look at another caliber. Ask me how I know.
 
The 223 round from an AR can do it, but you will have to have a finely tuned AR and load to meet the 1/2 MOA expectation at 600y with a sub 20" barrel and sub 10lb weight.

I agree that the 6.5 Grendel might be your better choice, but that said in my experience with 223Rem the key to keeping sub MOA at long range from mag-length feeding comes down to the velocity nodes. A 20" barrel is in my recommendation the min length for the 77gr to be shot at a velocity node where it will have a true ballistic advantage over the 68-70gr bullets. In order to maintain velocity, I'd recommend a rifle length or longer gas port, which immediately goes back to your dead reliable rifle.

Ultimately, yes it can be done, but unless you have a lot of experience with ARs expect a little trial and error getting it right (if sticking with 223/5.56) or change cartridges.

-Mac
 
Not sure if your interested in a wildcat, but we shoot steel out to 850 yds pretty consistently with a 6mm fat rat based on a Grendel case. Check out http://www.accurateandreliablerifle.com/products.html or http://www.6mmar.com/6mmAR_Turbo_40_Improved.php

They aren't light but they are shooters...single load it's not uncommon to shoot 1/2 - 5/8. Mag fed seems to add another 1/4 minute, but pretty reliably stays under 1 minute for many rounds with absolutely no feed issues for us.
 
I have a factory stock Bushmaster Varmint (24" fluted barrel) and through some pretty extensive load testing, and shooting in ideal conditions with 69 gr match projectiles I have my rifle down to .5 MOA at 200 meters. I took my B/M out to 600 yards and was shooting at about 2.5 MOA . I was struggling early on until a fellow HP shooter suggested "accurizing wedges"

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/698479/dpms-accurizing-wedge-ar-15

A big help in removing unwanted receiver slop when shooting off a bipod or a rest. Good luck with the project ! Here's an older pic of my Varmint (I have since replaced the Vltor imod adjustable stock with a fixed A2 for better accuracy rigidity)

 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,269
Messages
2,215,543
Members
79,513
Latest member
Pip1987
Back
Top