Hi all. I just started to work up a good load for a AR that I just got. The second load I tested gave me a 1/2" group. The first two gave me about an inch. I had been shooting cheap factory stuff to get the brass and a starting point. I was getting like 1 1/2 to 2 inch groups with it. The load consisted of 77gr Sierra HPBT over 22.9gr of IMR 4895 with Remington 7 1/2 bench rest primers. That is much better than I thought I would get out of an AR. I am liking this rifle more and more.
1/2" groups at 100 yards from a decent ar is do-able. My friend just built an ar and was getting 3-4 inch groups with bargain ammo and even some expensive stuff. He thought there was something wrong with his gun. I loaded up the some sierra matchking 69's with the sierra "accuracy load" from the manual just to see and he shot 1/2-3/4 inch groups pretty consistantly whitch I think is good for a new shooter from a bipod and a 3-9x scope.
Now I am trying to get him to start reloading.
AR's are just as capable of shooting small groups as most any other style of gun. The problem is that most people feed them garbage ammo (mil surplus, cheap russian crap, bargain bin Winchester/Federal bulk or seconds, etc). Feed them some good ammo and they'll surprise ya. The other problem with getting an AR to shoot accurately is getting the nut behind the trigger to slow down. For some reason they always seem to have a run-a-way trigger finger that sends rounds down range at an ever increasing rate. If it wasn't for the limited magazine capacity I think a lot of them would eventually find their trigger finger trying to exceed the factory full-auto rate of 700-950 rounds-per-minute.
Jim B. - Site Administrator
I run a forum - someone please shoot me and put me out of my misery already
I wasn't talking being lucky with getting a AR that would shoot a 1/2". I was talking about getting lucky with the second load I worked up that would shoot a 1/2 inch. I don't know about you but I generally have to go through at least six or so loads before I get a good one. I have a 243 turn bolt that I am hunting for a load for and that is going slowly. Last night I worked up six loads ten rounds each. I hope to shoot them in the next day or so. Then with the best of them I will go up and down a tenth of a gr to try to end up with the best load I can work up. That may give me fifty or sixty rounds to shoot to try and find the best. With the load for the AR I didn't have to do any of that. Then I will try a tenth of a grain up and down to see if it will help to make it even smaller. I just thought I was very lucky to find a good load that quick. You all have a great day.
Yes, you could have just gotten lucky...or, you could have a really great barrel that shoots alot of different loads/bullet combos into 1/2" at 100yds.
Luck may have something to do with it, or maybe just the laws of probability. Sooner or later you are just going to get it the 1st or 2nd time rather than the 6th or 7th. My 12FV 308 has always shot best with the first load I ever shot through it. Same for my 12FV 22-250. Tried a few others in both, but the 1st were by far the best. Now on the other hand, my 30-06 is still taking some time to get it perfect. Its doing sub MOA but just can't seem to consistantly get below 1/2MOA. I guess for its intended chore its doing better than required.
Sometimes I guess it's best not to look agift horse in the mouth.
204, 22 K-Hornet, 222, 223, 22-250, 22-250AI, 6BR, 243, 243AI, 6-06, 6-WSM, 250-3000AI, 270, 7-08, 7RM, 30BR, 308, 30-06, 375 H&H, 444 Marlin, 450BM, 458WM
I don't get it..You say you worked up a load and the second was the best......But yet the first two weren't......Something don't sound right just how many loads did you really try....Originally Posted by Ishooter
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