What is your longest shot with a 5.56 rifle?

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i can hit a 10" plate with prvi m193, an ACOG and a regular 16" ar15 at 500 yards prob 8 of 10 times in modest wind using the magazine as a monopod with no other support.

I shot the 600 yrd NRA and CMP matches for years with iron sights. I have shot a couple 1000 yrd matches, but that is harder :)


I read somewhere the 5.56 was originally created to go through a Russian helmet at 500 meters, out of a 20 inch barrel.
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no, I think you're talking about the requirement for the steel penetrator m855 round, which would make the statement incorrect since m193 preceded it by at least a decade or two.

Really long shots are taken in places you wouldnt wanna go to verify them.
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:rolleyes:
 
joed said:
Yes, it is my opinion based on my experience, just as I'm sure you have an opinion. I have owned a few 5.56 rifles, how about you? Sure, you can kill paper and cardboard at 600 yards with a 5.56 but how about game? I've used the 5.56 for groundhog hunting and my experience is 300 yards. I probably should have been more specific.

Now, tell us about your longest shots with the 5.56 and then you'll have credibility, you never even admitted to firing a 5.56. Noticed you had nothing to offer but disagreement.
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I've used 5.56 on game of around 170-210 pounds out to ranges of 400 meters with a rifle and quite a bit farther with a SAW. Just like with any other kind of hunting a shot through the vitals will bring that sized game down.

Since the adoption of the SDMR variants and the Mk12, there have been many confirmed kills out past 300 yards.
 
920 yards on 18"w x 30"h steel with pretty boring consistency. Kinda neat being able to get 2 rounds in the air at one time.
 
taliv,

This was what I was recalling about punching a helmet. Just a NATO requirement it seems.
In 1977[6], NATO members signed an agreement to select a second, smaller caliber cartridge to replace the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge. Of the cartridges tendered, the 5.56x45mm was successful, but not the 55 gr M193 round used by the U.S. at that time. The wounds produced by the M193 round were so devastating that many[7] consider it to be inhumane.[8][9] Instead, the Belgian 62 gr SS109 round was chosen for standardization. The SS109 used a heavier bullet with a steel core and had a lower muzzle velocity for better long-range performance, specifically to meet a requirement that the bullet be able to penetrate through one side of a steel helmet at 600 meters. This requirement made the SS109 (M855) round less capable of fragmentation than the M193 and was considered more humane[10]
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Its from Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.56×45mm_NATO
 
C-grunt, I actually directed my post at Hunterdad who really added nothing to the topic other then to insult my opinion of the .223.
 
Every Marine who has served from the late 1960's onwards has scored hundreds of hits with iron sights and military issued ammo at 500 yards.

Thousands and thousands of people who shoot the NM course score at 600 yards, with iron sights and service grade weapons.

(I've done both!)
 
Nobody would believe me if I said how far some p-gogs have been shot with my Kreiger barrel AR's so I wont say. But I do know the .223 will suprise ya.
 
Just over 500 yds --- Was shooting woodchucks in a bean field.

Sako ( L461) Vixen .223 -- Off a portable shooting bench, shooting reloads.
 
Yes, it is my opinion based on my experience, just as I'm sure you have an opinion. I have owned a few 5.56 rifles, how about you? Sure, you can kill paper and cardboard at 600 yards with a 5.56 but how about game? I've used the 5.56 for groundhog hunting and my experience is 300 yards. I probably should have been more specific.

Now, tell us about your longest shots with the 5.56 and then you'll have credibility, you never even admitted to firing a 5.56. Noticed you had nothing to offer but disagreement.
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My contribution to the post was to point out that your post was purely opinion. Last time I checked, the OP didn't ask about what the longest shot was on game. He asked what the longest shot was....that's it.

But, since you've asked, I currently own 2 AR's, T/C Contender(super 14) and a 700 in .223. I've owned several other AR's and rifles in 223 as well. I can consistently hit a 8" plate with all my rifles at 500 yards. My longest KILLS are both on crows, one at 320 and another at 410. Happy now?
 
Hunterdad said:
My contribution to the post was to point out that your post was purely opinion. Last time I checked, the OP didn't ask about what the longest shot was on game. He asked what the longest shot was....that's it.

But, since you've asked, I currently own 2 AR's, T/C Contender(super 14) and a 700 in .223. I've owned several other AR's and rifles in 223 as well. I can consistently hit a 8" plate with all my rifles at 500 yards. My longest KILLS are both on crows, one at 320 and another at 410. Happy now?
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Yes, I'm happy now. All you did was disagree and insult in your first post. Nice to know that you actually have shot a .223 though the op actually asked about 5.56.

I'm not a fan of the cartridge. I've owned 3 and just don't like them. To be honest I still own an AR in 5.56 only because I feel it's the best choice in that gun. In a bolt action I'd prefer any other cartridge over .223 as I feel they just offer more.
 
Consistent hits on a 18" steel platebout 550 yards, according to the laser rangefinder. Rifle was a M4 with 3.5x ACOG shooting 64grain Speer ammo. I don't know how much wounding power it had at that range, but making hits, and quick follow ups, wasn't a problem.

Shot a SIG 556 with an EOTECH the same day. Had to line the target about half way between the dot and the lower edge of the ring to get hits. Quite a bit more difficult, but doable.

An M14 in a Troy chassis was just as easy to make initial hits, but the follow up shots took much longer.
 
joed said:
C-grunt, I actually directed my post at Hunterdad who really added nothing to the topic other then to insult my opinion of the .223.
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I know you did. I was just giving examples from my own personal experience to emphasize my opinion that the 5.56 is not a 300 yard cartridge. With a good load like M262 I would say its a solid 600 yard cartridge. Even then I only say 600 yards to account for wind drift. On a calm day a good rifle with good glass and M262 should have no problem at 800 yards and can even break 1000.

My old squad leader who I still keep in touch with is now a SF soldier. He has a few confirmed kills out past 300 meters with his Mk18 and that has a 10.3 inch barrel. It wont hit like a hammer of thor at thos ranges but a .224 caliber round tumbling through your chest at over mach 1 is really bad for your health.
 
With my 20" SS bull barrel AR-15 with a 6-24x50 Nikon scope I've consistently hit a steel popper at the range of 500 yards using 69 grn hpbt match from Sierra. I know if I could place the target a bit farther I could still hit it consistently as it is shooting 6" groups at that range. BTW the popper measures 36"X20".
 
joed said:
You're going to hear some amazing stories on this post. Might even hear how someone had to use a spotter because of the curvature of the earth they couldn't see the target. At best the 5.56 is a 300 yard cartridge, beyond that it's a crap shoot.
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That mouth is best used for chewing, cause it sure as heck doesn't know what its talking about.
I ring 12" steel at 425 yards all day long.
 
The only reason I limited myself to 300 yards on prairie dogs was that longer shots weren't necessary. I just moved the truck toward the next colony and started over. But if I could hit a little old prairie dog at 300, I figure I could hit larger targets farther out...
 
Caliber………………………………….5.56mm
System of Operation………………….gas operated, semi-automatic, 3 round burst
Length (w compensator)…………… 39 5/8 in
Weight (w/30 round magazine)……...8.79 pds.
Maximum effective range…………….550 meters point target/800 meters area target
Maximum range……………………….3600 meters
Magazine………………………………staggered, 30 round capacity"
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FM DOC thanks for posting I had forgotten the 3600 meter max range...or never knew?
 
Man target at 600.

This happened in Kuwait. Was supposed to be the Machine Gun Range but SOMEONE forgot the .50

So as we waited we shot some 5.56
 
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