Do I need match ammo at 100 yards? Or is it a waste of money?

[mudholestomper]

Probably a rookie question, but I’m trying to learn whatever I can.

Let’s say I’m primarily focused on practicing my fundamentals and I’m not yet trying to match my rifle and which load is optimal. And I only have access to factory ammo.

I’m shooting a 20” ar chambered in 556, 1:8 twist, stainless bull barrel. I’m using 1” pasters as poa.

If I start at 50 yards, I don’t see any reason to be choosy about the ammo I bring. I mostly shot IMI 55gr fmj and 62gr m855.

I’m going to the range on Friday to continue practicing, but at 100 yards. Again, I’m primarily looking to practice fundamentals and get familiar with the new rifle, but hitting where I’m aiming is one of the primary ways to determine if I’m doing it right.

At a short range like 100 yards, do I need to start bringing higher quality ammo? Or should I expect close to the same results as at 50 yards with the basic stuff?

By “close to the same”, I mean consistency in being able to troubleshoot MY shooting, not extreme accuracy.

Thank you for any advice!!

 

[Jrb572]

I would say yes buy match grade. How else will you know when you are getting better. Unless you just want to go shot and punch paper. If you don’t want to spend anything on ammunition. Buy this there is no ammunition involved and you don’t even have to leave your house.

https://riflesonly.com/d-f-a-t-kit-dryfire-focus-adapter-training/

 

[Jrb572]

And no don’t worry about dry firing and if you are purchase some snap caps in the caliber you need.

 

[OREGUN]

Yes to match ammo. Hell, my range doesn’t even allow M855 because of the potential fire hazard. Also, dry fire is a great practice tool to work on fundamentals like breathing, sight picture, trigger press etc. It leaves out follow through though so don’t get complacent. As long as the upper is installed on the lower, you won’t hurt anything doing it.

 

[ironpony52]

IMO you will be fine. I would be sure to consistently use the same ammo, possibly 77 grain.
Right now I would concentrate on precision as accuracy and precision are different. If you group well you can adjust your scope, sights to be more accurate. It will all take a little time.

 

[mudholestomper]

Thank you for the replies so far. I have tons of ammo, and I prefer to get out of the house and get some fresh air. I do my best thinking at the rifle range.

I’ve got a case of 69gr SMK I’d like to try.

 

[Old Man with Gun]

Thank you for the replies so far. I have tons of ammo, and I prefer to get out of the house and get some fresh air. I do my best thinking at the rifle range.

I’ve got a case of 69gr SMK I’d like to try.

I don't save much when I shoot cheaper ammo. When I have a rifle and ammo that is capable of sub MOA, I slow down, focus and shoot 50-75rds per trip. When the ammo is inches and not consistent I tend to shoot way more and leave less satisfied.

Bulk ammo has its place, like speed shooting steel.

If you are not sure, bring some of both. If the match is noticeably better, the bulk is holding back your learning.

You may be throwing flyers and never know it because the cheap ammo throws flyers as well.

 

[308pirate]

Probably a rookie question, but I’m trying to learn whatever I can.

Let’s say I’m primarily focused on practicing my fundamentals and I’m not yet trying to match my rifle and which load is optimal. And I only have access to factory ammo.

I’m shooting a 20” ar chambered in 556, 1:8 twist, stainless bull barrel. I’m using 1” pasters as poa.

If I start at 50 yards, I don’t see any reason to be choosy about the ammo I bring. I mostly shot IMI 55gr fmj and 62gr m855.

I’m going to the range on Friday to continue practicing, but at 100 yards. Again, I’m primarily looking to practice fundamentals and get familiar with the new rifle, but hitting where I’m aiming is one of the primary ways to determine if I’m doing it right.

At a short range like 100 yards, do I need to start bringing higher quality ammo? Or should I expect close to the same results as at 50 yards with the basic stuff?

By “close to the same”, I mean consistency in being able to troubleshoot MY shooting, not extreme accuracy.

Thank you for any advice!!

A car analogy

You're taking your high performance car to track days and driving schools rolling on the cheapest Walmart all season tires.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Bulk 55/62gr ammo is in no way "precision." You can develop precision technique about as well by dry firing as shooting 193/262 rounds.

In my 16" Barnes Precision AR, 69 grain SMKs loaded to ~2650fps group to about an inch at 100 while 55gr FMJBT - factory and handload - do well to stay within two inches at 100 and are often closer to three.

In any of my centerfire bolt rifles, a one-inch group at 100 is an indicator of "this ain't right."

I don't load 69/77gr SMKs for the bolt guns anymore, preferring higher-BC bullets - but the SMKs easily stayed at or under 1/2" at 100 when I was just getting started. Bulk ammo sprayed 2-4" patterns out of the same rifles.

For me personally, the AR platform is at best too fussy for precision... no matter how much effort and $$ one puts into a perfect match of barrel, bolt, BCG, buffer, etc., the trigger still has a dog-slow lock time compared to bolt guns no matter who makes it. Yes, the platform can be coaxed into decent accuracy and that can be fun... but...

... consistent accuracy ain't gonna happen with 55/62gr bulk ammo. Period.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Here's an illustration from thisd afternoon's range trip.
Point is, 69 SMK is far more accurate than 55 FMJBT. This carries across different powders/primers/brass.

• Distance: 100 yards
• Rifle: Barnes Precision, 18" 1:8 stainless barrel, Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44 @18x, suppressed
• Brass: LC, trimmed to 1.750 +/- .002
• Goal: Compare CCI 450, CCI 400 primers with otherwise same load. Result:
  • 69 SMK, 25.3 Varget showed no difference between CCI 400 and -450
  • 55 FMJBT, 25.3 H335 --> 450 was 30fps faster

Targets: Center red circle is 7/8" edge to edge, outer red circle is 3 1/8" edge to edge. Targets shot in following order:

• Upper left: 69gr SMK, 25.3 Varget, CCI 450, 2705fps (5 shots)
• Upper right: 69gr SMK, 25.3 Varget, CCI 400, 2705fps (4 shots)
• Lower left: 55gr FMJBT, 25.3 H335, CCI 400, 2920fps (5 shots, one near edge of paper)
• Lower right: 69gr SMK, 25.3 Varget, CCI400, 2700fps (7 shots in ~20 seconds, leftmost two shots are last two fired)
• (NOT SHOWN: 55gr FMJBT, 25.3 H335, CCI 450, 2950fps - accuracy [or lack thereof] is the same)

 

[Aftermath]

Quite a few years ago I put together an AR with a heavy bull barrel from a very reputable barrel maker and other very expensive parts. This was my first AR to build and was looking for better grouping than I I was getting with a Colt SP1 (my first AR) and a Bushmaster A2.

Off to the range I go with an ammo can of surplus 55 gr. At first, it would not group under 3". No big deal....needs some rounds to break that nice barrel in. 200 rounds later, no improvement. Bah...clean that sucker. No improvement. I must be having a real bad day. Pack it up.

Next weekend and it's a repeat. I have about twice as much money into this rifle VS just purchasing another Bushmaster. I'm real disappointed, pissed that I had wasted so much money.

I had 50 rounds I had reloaded using a VMAX bullet and I figured I might as well shoot those. First round was a nice center bull. Stroke of luck. Second round just made that hole bigger. Third round left about 1/4" paper between the holes. After 20 rounds were gone, so was the bull.

I put a mag through the Bushmaster with similar results.

Even at 100 yards, quality ammo makes a difference. Whether it is "worth" the extra dollars or effort to create is your call.