AR-15, heavy barrel, quick sight recovery

not sure what your expectations are for the amount of jump. a bull barrel won't jump as much as a lighter barrel, but it is still going to jump off the target. for shooting only to 300 yards i'd suggest you get into a tight sling position. that will really suck up the movement, and if you are in position well as soon as you come out of recoil you will be ready to fire again. a good sling will make it faster to adjust than a bipod, and just as steady from seated or prone as a bipod.

Yeah, heavier barrels jump less than lighter barrels, but it's also a matter of using your equipment right. Since you're talking RRA, I'll assume that we're talking about a .223.

It's more a matter of how you setup your equipment than just making the rig heavy to keep it from jumping. Seeing your hits is also a matter of the quality of your scope. Less expensive scopes will show more distortion under recoil than better scopes will.

First the bipod. I use a little trick that I learned from guys that know. When I'm setting up, I dig the legs into the ground whenever I can and when I shoot I lean into it. In other words, I press my shoulder into the butt rather than pulling the butt into my shoulder.

With the rifle, you want to build it to shoot as smoothly as possible. I've found that what shoots the smoothest are certain combinations. 16" barrels with mid length gas systems, 18" with rifle length gas systems. Of course, the longer barrel setups shoot smooth as well, but it's more by virtue of weight. I build a short range (300 yards or so) precision rig. I used a standard profile 16" barrel with a mid length gas system and a Nightforce scope. Seeing my hits isn't a problem. I can see the holes at 100 yards and I can see the soda can or gallon jugs or whatever explode in the scope at longer distances.

My point is that you don't NEED to go heavy, especially if you're going to be carrying the rifle around. If you aren't going to be carrying it around, get a heavy barrel with an appropriate gas system.

You might consider a compensator too...a good one will cut your recoil in half or more and really limit muzzle rise to a minimum.

Might want to consider a 20" HB too. I have a 20" Varmit but my 20 HB is my favorite. My most accurate is a 16" Varmit. However even the 20 inchers can shoot sub 3/4 MOA.

I also lean into the butt firmly. I also hang on to the left bipod leg and pull down and back on it.

Or a lighter barrel with a good compensator.

They can be clocked to cancel out almost all movement, as used on three-gun competition rifles.

I guess heavy barrels are O.K., but I'm getting too darn old to carry them around while coyote hunting.

Give me a pencil-barrel carbine every time!

rc

For $150 BCE will sell you a compensator that works well and isn't any louder than an A2 flash suppressor

http://www.battlecomp.com/

* effective muzzle brake

* lightened bolt carrier group

* stock setup for proper rifle fit

* a bipod that does not "hop" during recoil

* scope with a larger "eye box" (ie exit pupil size x eye relief range)

According to reports, shooters can see bullet strikes in their scopes using the 204 Ruger

A muzzle brake will be your friend. As noted, some of them effectively eliminate recoil now, at least in a light caliber like .223. I would look at the JP Enterprises or Armalite brakes for greatest effectiveness, or the PWS FSC for very good effectiveness along with considerable flash reduction.

Oh, if you're still considering that RRA 18", I do believe that RRA's 18" has a midlength has system. If you want to go midlength and want it to shoot smooth, go with a 16" barrel. For an 18" look for a rifle length gas system.

For an 18" look for a rifle length gas system.

Click to expand...

An 18" with a rifle length gas system is less reliable in cold weather. The OP is in NW Wisconsin so I assume he gets plenty of cold weather. I would definitely NOT go with a midlength gas on an 18" in that climate.

I regularly shoot carbine, midlength, and rifle length gas systems, and I can't tell a significant difference in recoil between midlength and rifle, and only a tiny bit with carbine (I do run "H" buffers). The muzzle brake will make 20 times more difference than the gas system length.

An 18" with a rifle length gas system is less reliable in cold weather. The OP is in NW Wisconsin so I assume he gets plenty of cold weather. I would definitely NOT go with a midlength gas on an 18" in that climate.

Click to expand...

Don't believe the hype.

A properly built 18" with RLGS will run great.

My 3Gun rifle is a 17" with RLGS, which by the dwell time theory should have even more problems in cold weather.

I have tested it with relatively weak commercial ammo at less than 0 degree F. It ran fine.

There are some relevant details in this article


article | Evolution of the 3-Gun Practical Rifle

barrel length gas systems?

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the difference between a mid length and a rifle length gas system and what are the advantages of either? I assume you would get greater velocity from a rifle length system.

It is the length of the gas tube, which determines how far down the barrel the gas port is drilled.

A shorter gas system gets higher pressure gas, and starts to unlock the bolt sooner in time after ignition.

There are five lengths I know of, from shortest to longest: pistol, carbine, midlength, intermediate, and rifle.

Pistol is common on uppers shorter than 11", and .300 Whisper barrels

Carbine is what's on the M4, and 16" rifles prior to about 2003 (not sure on date off the top of my head)

ArmaLite spearheaded the midlength, which split the difference between carbine and rifle. It produces less bolt stress and is more reliable on 16"'s than carbine.

Rifle is what's on standard 20" rifles.

Intermediate is still very new and I don't know that anyone makes them other than Noveske/Vltor. It is between mid and rifle.

Gas port location does not really affect muzzle velocity.

Thanks for the info Zak.

KAC uses a gas tube on their SR15 carbine with 16" barrel that falls between the Mid & Rifle lengths.

Some of the guys are finding the combination of mid-length gas tube and the 14.5" barrel to be excellent.

nerfsrule2, I have the 308 version of that muzzle device on order for a Para Fal they call the BABC. I can't wait. If it works as well as adverstised- and so far all those who've tried the BC on their ARs give it rave reviews- I'll be getting one for my AR rifle I'm assembling

Here's a 14.5" with MLGS (with permanently mounted muzzle device to bring it to 16")