Re: Longest shot you've made with an AR-15
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SgtMojo67</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is the longest shot you've made with an AR-15 sporting the 16" barrel and chambered in .223</div></div>
At this year's Rifles Only course in Colorado, we shot my Wilson Combat (1/9 twist) with Leupy 1.5x-5x and another student's Christensen Arms (1/7 twist) with 4x ACOG out to 750 yards, prone with bipod, at density altitudes of 6400 to 6800 feet.
The Christensen was shot late in the day, with light left to right breezes, at a 24"x40" steel plate, using PMC 55 grain FMJ-BT. Once we adjusted for the wind, I hit 5 for 5 on the plate, using the 800 yard setting on the ACOG. Given the light, my spotter couldn't see the impacts on the steel, but the sound was solid ring -- although faint at that distance. We assumed they were fairly centered hits, due to the clear ring of the steel.
The Wilson was shot late the next day, with fishtailing breezes. We assumed a required wind hold off to the right, and I didn't hit anything but air and pasture. So Jacob Bynum jumped behind the gun and rang steel on his second round. OK, that's why he's the instructor and I'm just a hack student.
Anyway, the 800 yard pre-dial on my Leupold resulted in slightly high hits on steel with HSM 55 grain V-Max ammo. I produced a 10-to-12ish inch group with 10 rounds at 1 o'clock on the steel, using a center-of-steel hold.
All of the RO students and one of the instructors was surprised at how well the 16" barrel M4 knock-offs worked at 750 yards, using OK (but not match quality) ammo. Jacob took it in stride, stating that many of us under-estimate the capabilities of both ARs and shorter barrels.