I finally understand the accuracy of the AR-15

[MacTech]

I went to the rifle range this afternoon to try out some reduced recoil slugs in "Bruiser" my NEF single-shot 12-gauge that I had installed a homemade shock-reducer system in the stock, it actually made slugs a pleasure to shoot...

anyway, one of the other guys was shooting his ?DPMS? AR-15 with a nice Leupold scope with the hairline crosshairs, he offered to let me try a few rounds, I had never shot any .223 caliber rifle, let alone an AR-15

He was set up on the 100 yard range, I settled in behind the gun, pulled it in tight, adjusted the sandbags (he was bench shooting), centered the crosshairs on the center of the target, and fired

The AR-15 may be loud, but the recoil is practically nonexistent...

the first round struck basically dead center in the target, maybe a tad high and left, but basically centered
I lined up the second shot, fired, and *PUT IT THROUGH THE SAME HOLE!*, yes, I had shot a One-Holer with two rounds
Shot 3 was a flyer, sadly, about an inch up and left...

the AR's owner was quite impressed with my shooting, so he loaded up another three rounds, and told me to have another go...

these next three were *all* through the same hole, my second time shooting an AR-15, and I shoot the mythical One Holer!

the AR's owner was, needless to say, impressed, and admitted to being a "tad annoyed" that I had outshot him with (in his words) "my own damn gun" it was more of a joking annoyance, but he did seem a tad annoyed...

So, now I guess it's time for me to save up my pennies and get my own AR-15, as I absolutely love the accuracy of the platform

 

[rcmodel]

Of course, you know that if you had shot a third 3-shot group, the gas system would have completely fouled the inside of the rifle, and it would have been out of comission until you spent half a day cleaning it?

Just joking, but somebody is bound to tell you that pretty soon, so it might was well be me right up front!!

rc

 

[Zerodefect]

Yup, they can be made decently accurate. And their practical accuracy is about as good as it gets for a semi auto. I've love messing with the bolt action hunters before hunting season. Alot of them still laugh when I set a target up 200 yards away.

I may never build an expensive bolt action rifle now that the LMT .308 and Larue OBR are out!

 

[Al LaVodka]

Wow Mac, good for you! Sounds like you had a great day and a special one. The owner of the AR also owes you a debt of gratitude. He knows now what the gun and ammo are capable of and that the rest is "all him."
Al

 

[FMJMIKE]

Ar-15s are great target rifles............

 

[BADUNAME37]

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade. Forgive me if I am.

I agree, accurate rifles are great!
However, don't think that you can just go buy one, put a scope on it and start shooting 1" groups off the bench. Many times there needs to be experimentation with different cartridges to see which ones the particular gun happens to like, or if you reload, making up some loads that you find are accurate.

You may be fortunate to have a great new gun-scope-cartridge arrangement from the beginning that shoots one-hole groups.

However, from my experience, that is typically not the norm. Yes, accurate guns are great, fun to shoot, etc! When you are shooting a 6" group at 100 yards and you are out for woodchuck hunting to 300 yards, that 6" group will not cut it (being approximately 18" at 300 yards, or worse, depending on any wind).

I have spent literally days, even weeks, working up accurate loads for rifles. Some rifles will shoot everything you put through it with excellent results. The very rifle before that one and the very one after that one on the assembly line may not shoot worth beans, no matter what you put through it!

That's when a decision usually has to be made, like "am I satisfied deer hunting with this gun if 6" groups at 100 yards is the best it will shoot?" Well, if you won't be taking any shots over 25 yards, you should be just fine. If you happen to see one at 200 yards, you can "chance" a shot, however do you want to shoot a deer that you know you have hit, but it ran off and you now cannot find it? A shot that hits a deer in the gut and not hitting any vitals, spine, brain, bone, etc., is most likely going to die a painful agonizing death.

 

[jmr40]

Never shot an AR that would not shoot into 2" with a scope. Even with so so ammo.

 

[velocette]

Well folks, Your results may vary, but I bought my first black rifle without ever fireing an AR type rifle, save USAF qualifying (expert) before going to Vietnam in 1965.
I ordered a DPMS LR 308B in 2007 with 18" Cryo barrel, JP trigger and adjustable gas block. When I got it, I did a cursory break in and then tried to see how good it shot. I used Federal blue box, $12.95 per box of 20 from WalMart, 150 gr. SP ammo.
The rifle shot into 1" or less when I did my job. it still does today and even better. When fed Sierra 168 gr HPBT match bullets and 41 gr of IMR 4895 with Fed brass, it shoots consistently under 1" from a rest.
No accuracy work has been done on the rifle. It is now just like it came from the factory, except for about 2000 rds of wear.
When shot from prone, that is no bipod, no bags, no support, just a 1907 sling and my 66 year old worn body, it shoots under 2" at 100 yds.
the rifle has been totally reliable, with no failures of any kind when using US commercial ammo or my reloads.

IMnvHO this is about as good as one could ask for a production rifle.
Not only that, just seeing it makes the local GFW's (gun fearing wusses) wet their pants.

Roger

 

[GIJOEL]

Last time I had my dissipater A2 7.62x39 AR out i was able to keep a group on a 6 in paster all day at 200 yards with factory MHS 2000 ammo and NO OPTIC. When I set up my station prior to the first cease fire the RSO said something like "I hope you brought a barn door" After 2 trips down to change targets he had stopped talking crap about the AR and the 7.62x39 round. I love proving them wrong! That DI system is as close as it will ever get to a semiautomatic bolt acton.

 

[MacTech]

This was the gun I shot;
DPMS Panther Bull 20

 

[Dodger02WS6]

This was the gun I shot;
DPMS Panther Bull 20

I have the 16" version of this gun, and yes, with good ammo, it'll shoot .5" groups all day long

 

[Sport45]

Great shooting! IMHO, the one-hole groups were a fluke and the shot that hit 1" out was not a "flier". The gun is probably good for 1" at 100 yard accuracy and the wibbles and wobbles lined up just right for the three shots.

Unless, of course, you're saying the last three shots went into the same hole as the first two. In that case the owner should remember that load and never change it. Ever.

 

[Wesson Smith]

I've reached the point at which I can fully expect to stay at around an inch for my entire range session with a couple of pattern rifles I have. My go-to for consistency is my Colt LE6920 with 75 gr TAP FPD. That combo shoots like it's on auto-pilot for me, even after thousands of rounds mixed in with relatively infrequent field strip and cleaning. I guess you sometimes get a rifle/ammo marriage that was just meant to be. Needless to say, I'll never part with this one.

 

[68wj]

I traditionally believed the need to work up loads for specific guns if you wanted to shoot sub-moa. However my old A2 hbar will accurately eat any ammo all day. My loads tighten the group even more, but I don't NEED them. Now, if I could just find the recipe that my .270 likes and quit printing 1.5" groups I will be happy!!!

 

[jem375]

This was the gun I shot;
DPMS Panther Bull 20

I have the 20" left handed version of the Bull 20

 

[68wj]

I guess mine would be the "Classic." I thought about putting the free float tube on that comes with the Bull 20 but never got around to it or needed it.

 

[Onmilo]

I have this one upper that shoots disgustingly tiny groups, not only at 100 meters but at 300 meters and further, all day, with several different loads, both factory and handloads.
Doesn't matter which lower I attach it to either.

 

[68wj]

Nice stick. When done right, the wood stocks look great

 

[Onmilo]

Believe it or not, Shhhh, don't tell anyone,,,,that stock and grip came direct from DPMS.
Ya know the AR maker everyone loves to hate,,,,

 

[ol' scratch]

So when are you going to buy one? Great rifle and the only rifle my wife will shoot. She likes it because when she shoots things like expired baked beans and milk jugs, those items explode.

 

[TonyAngel]

I've had really good luck wih my ARs in terms of accuracy. Lately, I'm finding that just about any well built AR will run well and shoot well as long as the projectile has "Match King" as a part of its name and the powder is Reloader 15. No working up loads there. Threw the components together and started shooting.

My last trip out to the range, I shot a 20 round group over the course of about 1.5 to 2 minutes and the group measured 1.2". 15 of those rounds went into .7". Shooting a .5MOA for three shot group is relatively easy.

I really like the AR platform. It's a lot of fun. I just hate chasing brass and am going to have to do something about that.

 

[benEzra]

However, don't think that you can just go buy one, put a scope on it and start shooting 1" groups off the bench. Many times there needs to be experimentation with different cartridges to see which ones the particular gun happens to like, or if you reload, making up some loads that you find are accurate.

...

However, from my experience, that is typically not the norm. Yes, accurate guns are great, fun to shoot, etc! When you are shooting a 6" group at 100 yards and you are out for woodchuck hunting to 300 yards, that 6" group will not cut it (being approximately 18" at 300 yards, or worse, depending on any wind).

One of the nice things about the AR-15 platform is that it is typically very accurate right out of the box, with factory ammo.

Rock River Arms guarantees that its varmint-style rifles will shoot 3/4" at 100 yards out of the box with factory match ammo, and most of its tactical-style rifles (e.g., the Elite CAR A4) are guaranteed to shoot 1" at 100 yards. Most AR's will certainly shoot 2 MOA with match ammo, and many will do better than that.