S4Lee
Member
Went to the range today to shoot my relatively new M&P15FT (16" bull barrel, single stage trigger). Now, I know this is not an accurized benchrest rifle, but from what I've read and by the recommendation at the gunshop, I thought this is a fairly good and accurate example of the AR15 platform. My first time out, I put about 200 rounds through it, but I wasn't going for pinpoint accuracy, just trying to get the sights close to zero'd, put a few rounds through it to losen the action up a bit, trying a few different ammos, and so I wasn't too concerned with my groupings.
This time, I wanted to see a bit more of what this rifle would do. Using a 4x ACOG, my first 5 shots were a 2" group at 100yds with Lake City M192 shot off a bench using a CAA grip/bipod. Not bad, considering the bipod and what I heard about this ammo, and the tarnished look of the brass, I thought. It went downhill from there... Groups opened up a bit to ~3" with the occasional 'flyer' (is that the shooting equivalent of a Mulligan?) every 5-8 rds. Went through ~100 rounds of similar results, though I did tighten up a bit when I closed the bipod and just rested the grip on the bench (yeah, I know...I got to get some sandbags or a proper rest to really tell).
What I was really disappointed with was the 2 boxes of Federal Gold Match 69gr BTHP I also went through. I wasn't expecting miracles, but I didn't see much difference, either, for 3 (almost 4?) times the price of the LC. Now, I'm relatively new (again, used to plink a bit when I was younger) to shooting, but I did fairly well in my NRA Basic Course, putting 22LR through a single hole at ~20 yds using peep sights, so I think I got the basics down.
So, before I invest in some better rests and maybe more of the expensive ammo, my question is this: Should I be expecting much more from myself and this rifle, or is ~2MAO about the best I can expect from this type and particular rifle? Ive also read that some rifles 'settle down' after a few hundred rounds - do you think I could still expect that to happen? I'm not really looking to modify the rifle itself to try and make it more accurate, I just want to know what it's capable of. I will be going back and experimenting with some other ammo as well...
Any thoughts / comments? Thx!
This time, I wanted to see a bit more of what this rifle would do. Using a 4x ACOG, my first 5 shots were a 2" group at 100yds with Lake City M192 shot off a bench using a CAA grip/bipod. Not bad, considering the bipod and what I heard about this ammo, and the tarnished look of the brass, I thought. It went downhill from there... Groups opened up a bit to ~3" with the occasional 'flyer' (is that the shooting equivalent of a Mulligan?) every 5-8 rds. Went through ~100 rounds of similar results, though I did tighten up a bit when I closed the bipod and just rested the grip on the bench (yeah, I know...I got to get some sandbags or a proper rest to really tell).
What I was really disappointed with was the 2 boxes of Federal Gold Match 69gr BTHP I also went through. I wasn't expecting miracles, but I didn't see much difference, either, for 3 (almost 4?) times the price of the LC. Now, I'm relatively new (again, used to plink a bit when I was younger) to shooting, but I did fairly well in my NRA Basic Course, putting 22LR through a single hole at ~20 yds using peep sights, so I think I got the basics down.
So, before I invest in some better rests and maybe more of the expensive ammo, my question is this: Should I be expecting much more from myself and this rifle, or is ~2MAO about the best I can expect from this type and particular rifle? Ive also read that some rifles 'settle down' after a few hundred rounds - do you think I could still expect that to happen? I'm not really looking to modify the rifle itself to try and make it more accurate, I just want to know what it's capable of. I will be going back and experimenting with some other ammo as well...
Any thoughts / comments? Thx!