What kind of accuracy can you really get with a 55 gr in a stock AR15??
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Update FWIW.
Went to the range ready to throw the whole rifle and scope in the lake! Give it to the Gators! I brought factory ammo from Winchester White Box, PMC Armscor and DRS remanufactured (but they use the Hornady bullet)
It turns out it is those crummy Winchester bullets. I loaded some of those and some Hornadys with the same brass (LC) and the same Powder AA 2230
Shot 5 rounds each, several times. Collected brass in between. It started getting hot, feels like summer here so I packed it in after 2 hours.
The Hornadys grouped at1 to 1-1/2. The Winchesters 2" with some fliers. Tested some factory ammo Win White Box was all over 2+ inches, PMC the same. Armscor did well at 1to 1-1/2.
The DRS re manufactured ammo which used the Hornady bullet was right in there with 1 to 1- 1/2 groups
The moral of the story is never change two things at the same time (bullets and powder) I saved enough ammo to test again in another rifle to verify.
I did not adjust the scope at all and just let them group were they would. Shooting at the Caldwell Orange Peel 4" targets 4 targets to a sheet. Just trying to keep them in that 4" circle.
I repeated the Hornady VS Winchester bullets several times and with several powder charges. The Hornady did better every time.
Next trip I am bring the longer barrel bolt action any maybe I can better results from that rifle to use up the Winchesters.
Went to the range ready to throw the whole rifle and scope in the lake! Give it to the Gators! I brought factory ammo from Winchester White Box, PMC Armscor and DRS remanufactured (but they use the Hornady bullet)
It turns out it is those crummy Winchester bullets. I loaded some of those and some Hornadys with the same brass (LC) and the same Powder AA 2230
Shot 5 rounds each, several times. Collected brass in between. It started getting hot, feels like summer here so I packed it in after 2 hours.
The Hornadys grouped at1 to 1-1/2. The Winchesters 2" with some fliers. Tested some factory ammo Win White Box was all over 2+ inches, PMC the same. Armscor did well at 1to 1-1/2.
The DRS re manufactured ammo which used the Hornady bullet was right in there with 1 to 1- 1/2 groups
The moral of the story is never change two things at the same time (bullets and powder) I saved enough ammo to test again in another rifle to verify.
I did not adjust the scope at all and just let them group were they would. Shooting at the Caldwell Orange Peel 4" targets 4 targets to a sheet. Just trying to keep them in that 4" circle.
I repeated the Hornady VS Winchester bullets several times and with several powder charges. The Hornady did better every time.
Next trip I am bring the longer barrel bolt action any maybe I can better results from that rifle to use up the Winchesters.
osteodoc08
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1.5-2" at 100yds is about what you should expect out of that rifle.
Glad you were able to sort things out
Glad you were able to sort things out
Thanks. It was much better today. but I am not sure it's totally "sorted" out
I shot a few Federal Mill Soec 62 gr ammo and was not real happy with that but that may be just a scope adjustment as it was high and got mixed in with another group.
Guess this is why I prefer handguns
blarby
Member
Lemme rephrase that.
What kind of accuracy do you need with a 55 gr in a stock AR15??
4" is still all kinds of dead- but I know you can do better than that.
Have you checked the nut behind the grip, too ?
ITs alignment can really shape up your groups quite a bit.
Not all guns are born "shooters". But if thats all you had, a heavier bullet would probably shave an inch with the above advice, and a little lane time.
There is only so much dead. Not every rifle is a snipomatic 3000. A stock AR shooting 55 gr pills is not the first thing that comes to mind, either.
If you want better groups, buy better bullets. Period.
When these 2,000 are gone I will
If I was shooting a steel gong, these would be just fine. As I mentioned, these bullets shoot fine in my Savage M 12 VLP DPMI have match grade bullets for my 308 bolt action, but it also has a match trigger, match stock and optics that cost 3 times the rifle.
redclay
Member
Seems you are getting a lot of good advice. I don't shoot FMJ's it is a waste of good powder. I use Hornady's 55 SP for plinking and varmint control. Barnes TSX for killing bigger stuff. I can get 1"-1 1/2" groups out of my Mini 14 with the barnes 62 grain. Yes out of a mini. Nobody at my club could believe it , until they saw it for their selves.
Greg Mercurio
Member
YMMV. Scoped AR, built from components. 16" Heavy Barrel Del-Ton upper. Handloads. 10 rounds from sandbags, 100 yards. I have 3 of these homebuilts, and they all do this kind of work.
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