My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun (Results Up.)

[shooterman_zero17]

Well, it LOOKS a little misleading seeing as how there isn't any glass up top yet...this weekend when I take it out, I have 50 rounds of SW Ammo 69 SMKs waiting, and will have a Bushy 3200 10x mil/mil on top before it finds it's way onto my Sig 522.

I intend to do this:
-Eventually run a 1-4x, 1-6/8x or a 2.5-10x of some flavor for optics.
-Replace the Magpul MBUS with some desirable flavor of folding Irons.
-Install a Geiselle SSA

The important parts:
-Daniel Defense 1:7 16" Barrel
-EXO/FailZero Bolt Carrier/Bolt
-A3 Upper of some brand w/ generic brand CH and Badger TacLatch
-Sun Devil Lower w/ Ambi Safety and stippled to shit MIAD
-Midwest Industries 15" SS Handguard

I liked the prospect of a bastardized SPR/Recce Rifle with some MK12 components and mulled over a PRI Free Float tube like what was being offered in a Group Buy, but Xmas Shopping/Money/time before school cut into that idea. The 15" allows me to run a bipod all the way out front and still lets me run my hand out where I prefer to. And the lack of rails all over it kept it relatively light.

After seeing what happens accuracy wise at 100, I intend to shoot it out to 300 or more (depending on what kind of space a buddy's property offers) on steel, and if it sucks, I'll put something like a BattleComp on this, and build for precision on an 18" White Oak or the like and one of the new Seekins Monolithic upper/rails.

 

[Elnino31]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

First off, nice. I'm a big fan of the sun devil lowers. Look a lot better with a can on it : )... but you can't in GA right?

Definitely would go with a Geissselle. They are the best option IMO. What's wrong with the MBUS though? I think that they are a damm good option that's nice and cheap. After all they are back up.

 

[BOL556]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

You can have suppressor in GA got 2 myself. My rifle as its sits is pretty much set up the same way but with a PWS break and a troy 11" rail. Dont really like the rail going all the way to the end but you did a good job on making it look good. Have fun shooting it you will like the DD barrel.

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Elnino31</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What's wrong with the MBUS though? I think that they are a damm good option that's nice and cheap. After all they are back up. </div></div>

I had these installed on my Sig 522 as well, and I think the more I shoot with them, I find myself disliking the huge polymer body the front sight has. If anything, I'll kick these back on the Sig and get something dedicated for this rifle.

(Per the Sun Devil lower, a local smith built a 3 gun styled AR on a Sun Devil set, and I saw it in the shop and later on the range. I'm a fan of the screw in the back of the lower to tighten everything up. I messed with that last night and removed almost all the wobble.)

Again, the only reason I went 15" on the handguard (instead of the something more conventional, per se) was to run my hand the same way and still have a bipod up front. I took a gamble with that though, and fortunately I had no issues with it. I guess it benefits from an extended sight radius as well, having the front Iron so far out.

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

Just got done at the range. Report coming tonight. The results are way more than what I was hoping. Especially considering this is really the first time I've shot a semi-auto 5.56 rifle with glass up top and "Match" ammo. That and considering it's a CHF Chrome Lined barrel. Not what I was expecting, but couldn't be happier.

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

Alright. Got the rings in from SWFA today, and mounted the 10x. Went out to the range with some Southwest Ammo 69gr SMK Run n Gun loads. Disclaimer: I really haven't shot any sort of precision semi-auto, save for wrestling with my Sig 522 with its' 20" barrel installed. All I've done is read, read and reread what there is to read about PROPER trigger control and some of the range reports (from dudes like Battleaxe and the like, and their commentary). I took that, ran with it, and tried my damndest on the 522, then repeated that with this rifle today.

As it sits now:

Whole target box, just to stay honest:

Groups, all 5 (or 6) rounds at 100 yards:

For reference, those are 1" sticky targets. On one of my groups (what was going to be my first one), the scope came a wee bit loose and worked its way loose-er through the 5 rounds I fired. I corrected that after realizing that my scope wobbled a LOT under recoil....

I then made disparaging remarks at myself for not noticing beforehand and wasting 5 rounds.

What are your thoughts on this?? On the performance of this setup, as far as the fact it is a 16" CHF Chrome Lined barrel. Is this the norm? Obviously it can somewhat be attributed to ammunition selection, but I'm personally really surprised that I was able to manage a .505" 5-round group.

Am I happy with this so far? Hell yes.

 

[Elnino31]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

Good shooting! I'd definitely be happy with those results too. In my experience, that is not the norm. Good for a SS barrel, but that's a different animal. I've owned 4 different 16" ar's and never found those results. 2 CHF and 2 CL barrel.

Ordinarily, I'll get some match ammo just to see what a barrel can do. After that, it's anything on sale.
These were average results w/ various match ammo:

LWRC CHF about 1.25"
SW M&P 1.5"
DD Govt Profile 1"
Bushmaster around 2"

Noveske N4's, Centurion, and DD are probably the best and most accurate CHF barrels. You definitely got a good one.

I just bought a lightly used N4 Barrel so I'm hoping to get some better results. With the holidays, I haven't taken advantage of the warm whether in Ohio and went to the range. I could only hope to get around .5", but looking for .75".

 

[BCP]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

^^^^^^
what he said.

after a bit of practice and some load development I bet you'll be getting 1" groups on a regular basis which is more than "good enough for farm work."

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

From today.

I had 12 rounds of 69gr SMKs left. I used the 55gr bulk to get back close to zero. I loaded 2 69s, tried it, left the zero where it was. Loaded up another 10 69SMKs plus 1 55gr. 10 rounds later, coming from a cold bore/range, this is what happened:

I had enough real estate on the box and ammo left to try a 10+ round group with the 55gr PMC Bronze I had with me. I loaded 17 and put 15 of them in the same general area before the box spun almost 90 degrees on me and I couldnt see the face of it I was shooting at. The last 2 wound up at the bottom and did some weird shit. This is what happened:

I kinda wish I had more of that 69gr SMK on standby now...I'm determined I can squeeze a tighter 10 round group out of this rig.

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

All that is missing is a Geiselle SSA. Got my Atlas, added a PWS FSC556, and a Surefire G2X in a VTAC Mount. Also, an 11-rib KAC Rail Panel that I dremel'd the back ribs off of and stippled. I like these ALOT more than the Magpul XTMs. Permanent glass is still a little ways off and out of budget for the time being. This Bushy 10x works well enough for now anyway.

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

The latest iteration. Now with an IOR 10x42 and SOPMOD/SAPR combo.

 

[shooterman_zero17]

Re: My 16" Blaster/Recce/SPR/Franken-gun.

UPDATE TIME!

A Vortex Cantilever 2" offset Mount. Made in China, has 3 different sizes of screws, one Torx bit, and two Allen sizes. Not an issue, just not what I was expecting...or it to be made in China...seems to be quality, locks up nice, didn't work loose today at the range.

A Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 TMCQ MRAD. For being something I snagged for $400 brand spankin' <span style="text-decoration: line-through">new</span>used (thanks Yasherka), this little thing rocks. I had my reservations about being able to punch groups at 100yards with it, but I was able to get it to work.

I also ran the rest of a batch of 68gr BHA, and it did somewhat better this time around. I hulked up on my weapon side and really put my palm into the pistol grip. Last time, I didn't and the results I think showed it. This time, these were the best 2 groups I got...no measurements yet, but the squares are 1"...and the quarter is a quarter...so

Second image, the bottom round was thrown by way of <span style="font-weight: bold">a fucking bump fire</span>.......went to reset the trigger after round 3, adjusted my shoulder forward slightly and "BAMBAMBAM". Round 4 impacted on the left of the 2 touching rounds, I guess my follow through was there...the other at the bottom, and the 6th was a 55gr placeholder for recoil consistency, which went god knows where...

Note to self: wait until <span style="font-weight: bold">after reset</span> to adjust position...

At around 2045 we had sundown/dusk. I had a box with 6 targets (30 rounds) set for the 77gr loads (box does NOT say SMK?) out at 100. Racing the light, I produced these 2 groups, which are #1 and #3, and being hardly able to see the shots I'm really content. Especially only running 4x.

I conclude that this 16" barrel is very responsive to getting hot. I was rushing the last 8 groups I put out, and I know the heat was reflecting itself in the group sizes. Next time I go out, I am not rushing and I will see what this barrel does with 77gr loads. For not being able to see shit between the 4x and dark, I'm happy for now...