Trying to improve my AR10 shooting.

[little_scrapper]

HI EVERYBODY! New to the forums and to precision shooting. So if your not interested in the whole story just read the last sentence which is my question. I built an AR15 Franken rifle a couple years ago and with a few different factory loads it will shoot 3/4 moa (at 100yds) all day long as long as I try. She like 55gr VMax and 69ge SMK FGMM. However, I have never taken it past 330 yards. Yes I know; I have a long way to go. No pun intended.

Onto my problem. I decided to build an AR10. I built a LaRue UU Kit chambered in 308/762. Got the LaRue lower and an 18" PredatAR barrel. Mid-lenght I believe. Sprung for the Mozillo brake and still waiting on the ATF for my Tranquilo.

I quickly realized I sux with it and I am pretty sure its me. I have tried a bunch of different ammos through it. Everything from 125 gr nosslers to 175 gr FGMM. Agregious fliers aside, it seems they were all shooting about the same. This fact may actually be a good thing if it is in fact just my (my technique). I think the extra recoil is accentuating my flawed body position, poor grip, trigger slap etc. etc.. Im lucky to make a 5 shot group under 2.5-3". I think I made a coupe that were about 2". little more maybe.

What kind of accuracy "should be" achievable from a LaRue AR10 308/762 18", mid-length, PredatAR barrel and is there a particular ammo (type or weight) that this barrel is known to like and shoot well?

Thanks,

L_S

 

[Bigjake83]

Sell the LaRue and your groups will immediately improve.

Seriously all jokes aside, the barrels that LaRue is making now are crap and you'd be better off selling off the barrel and Bolt to someone on ar15.com and installing a quality Barrel.

99.99% of the time when somebody says I'm sure it's the Indian and not the arrow I would completely agree but when LaRue gets thrown into the equation it's most likely the arrow.

 

[Lawless]

^ true, we’ve discussed this one before...

 

[little_scrapper]

But but but but ML on ARF.com assured me his barrels were better than anything else commercially available. LOL Not really but I have done a lot of reading and I don't really see much bad reported about them. Certainly don't take that as a brush off. I learned long ago to listen to those more knowledgeable than myself. That being said when I see latest match results and half of the top 20 finishers were using LaRue barrels its hard for me to simply believe they are bad. I will explain my reasoning later.

EDIT: Beers are kicking in and I start getting long. sorry. The above being said, I would definitely consider a higher quality barrel. I am just recently getting my thought process correct in that considering the cost of ammo; the price of a couple cases of match ammo could buy a VERY NICE barrel.

As new as I am to precision rifle shooting let me tell you something I figured out. A given barrel can be a sub moa shooter AND throw bullets wildly depending on ammo. Case in point: My Homebuilt AR15 Franken Rifle. Bought a $150 416R SS 18" rifle length gas chambered in 223 Wylde 1:8. Set it up as a "relatively heavy" smooth shooter. Young Mfg Chrome Bolt and carrier, H2 buffer stockish spring. With Browning 50gr Varminters, Hornady 55gr V-Max and FGMM69gr I can shoot sub MOA group after group, 4 groups per sheet all day. If I put M193 in her she will literally throw rounds 10moa!!. Not even making that up. I print my own 8.5 x 11 targets and Shooting M193 55gr 3200/fps I cannot keep them on paper. With M855 its better but not by much 6moaish. I was trying to get on paper with M193 (I get it for $100 case/1000) before I went to FGMM to sight at 100. I thought something was bent.

The above anectdotal scenario makes me think if I find the right combo of weight and speed....

 

[The DFC]

Where do you get cases of M193 for a c-note?

 

[little_scrapper]

Before the sporting goods split off and became Vista Outdoors; I used to be able to walk right into Federal Ammunition (Anoka, MN) and buy from the employee store. That is one perk I sorely miss. 20 rnd boxes of 223/556 were about $1.50. The LE bonded stuff was maybe $2-$3. 50rnd box of 165gr or 180 grn 40cal HST was $5/box. By sporting good I mean Federal, Bushnell, BLACKHAWK!, Speer, Amer Eagle, Savage Rifles, Champion, ect. ect. ect.. A perk I sorely miss!!

However, Lake City is still under the defense side. So I have some access to Nato M193 M855 M118LR M80, Federal AE223 is made in LC, they also do 22LR, 9mm, some stuff for Hornady and I ordered a 1000/case of Winchester 223 and although it was in a Winchester box; the employee sale sticker said AE223 on it.

LC had an accident a while back in the primer mixing area. I dont have any insider knowledge so dont quote me but afterwards Some other companies stepped up and provided primer materials and I suspect LC is doing some work in return for the favor from the other ammo mfgs.

I get M118LR 500rnd/case for $200. I have a load coming in. I'll drop a pic or two just to make you feel bad. LOL the suxey part is that I am poor and I can hardly afford to shoot any more otherwise I would be stacking high and deep!! Sheet if you knew what I can get 50BMG for you would effing screem.