Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

T

TEAMSENDIT

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Sep 22, 2008
    2,947
    29
    45
    whidbey island
    #1
    Ok here is the deal i have a couple field matches coming up and i need a semi auto to shoot in them. Most shooting is from 100-500yds no bigger than 2moa targets ( possibility of some targets to 800 but not many). targets must be engaged reasonably fast but scoring hits is more important than speed. I will have to shoot from all sorts of modified positions.

    There is no limitation on caliber and i am a handloader so i am willing to work with anything that is accurate and dependable. Honestly i have a fair amount of experience shooting long range steel however it is almost always a bolt action rifle.

    looking forward to opinions from you semi auto guys

    thanks scott
     
    #2
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    If you need something quick a 264LBC with Black Hills 123smk will shoot close to 1/2moa. The 264 match chamber is more accurate than the general purpose Grendel chamber. You will need to get the ammo from les Baer though.
    If you can wait a 6mmAR or 6BR would give you better ballistics and the BR better accuracy but both would be custom builds. The 6WOA would limit you to 80gr and under bullets but may be ok for 500yds.
     
    #3
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    5.56mm AR is all you need for these ranges. 77gr SMK, 24.0-25.0 grains of a consistent powder and a good 18" or 20" barrel. Light, no recoil, good accuracy, and easy to shoot at any position. Very easy to reload, and pretty inexpensive reload as well. Wind might be a problem, but only at your extreme ranges (500yd+).

    If you want to spend a few bucks and have the gun tomorrow, a Noveske upper on your AR lower will do the trick: http://noveskerifleworks.com/cgi-bin/imcart/display.cgi?cat=110
    A Noveske in 5.56 will have no problem holding sub-moa out to 500yds unless the wind is a custer f*ck.

    There is a guy on this forum, Scott, at Specialized Dynamics, who builds some nasty looking AR:

    http://www.specializeddynamics.com/

    Get him a call if you can wait on the rifle.
     
    #4
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    If you want a solid rifle with enough accuracy (if I understand what you mean), at 500 yards your target is 10"?

    Anyway, AR-15 in a 20" barrel is what I would recommend.
    For a "budget" option that would surly meet your accuracy requirements:

    $480 complete upper, free float barrel
    http://www.armalite.com/ItemForm.aspx?it...ef-ed2b8dc075df

    $600 Stainless heavy barrel, free float
    http://www.armalite.com/ItemForm.aspx?item=U15A4TB&Category=bce7fa68-373e-4afc-b00e-63fe2c75d131

    Or my favorite but a lot more:
    $1199
    LaRue tactical "stealth" upper in 18" or 20". Comes with quad-rail handguard you choice of length.
    http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Detail.bok?no=100


    Shooting from a bench, seems a 20" would be better than an 18", although the difference might be negligible.

    As far as lower recievers go, any mil-spec lower, put a giselle 2-stage trigger in there, stock of your choice (Magpul PRS comes to mind) and you are good to go.
     
    #6
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    I have purchased and shot about two dozen AR's in .223 and far and away the best accuracy has been LBC. Hands down. I think they offer quite a bit as far as options go, but do no real custom work. Sub .5moa to 800 is the norm. Nothing else I have shot comes close.
    I do keep a KAC, as I like the features, but accuracy is about MOA.
     
    #8
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rth1800</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have purchased and shot about two dozen AR's in .223 and far and away the best accuracy has been LBC. Hands down. I think they offer quite a bit as far as options go, but do no real custom work. Sub .5moa to 800 is the norm. Nothing else I have shot comes close.
    I do keep a KAC, as I like the features, but accuracy is about MOA. </div></div>I agree with this. I've seen a man with The LBC and there own ammo 6.5 LBC shooting in the 600yd BR match beating many competitors and placing in the top 5 (15-17 shooters) Half MOA most of the time. I was VERY impressed. Had a 8-32 BR Nightforce too. Not my first choice scope for that rig but to each their own I guess
     
    #9
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Team-Send-It</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thanks guys i was expecting to hear more proponents of the grendel </div></div>

    The Grendel lives on the far side of 500. If you were shooting matches with a bunch of 600+ yd shots or really windy conditions, get a Grendel; but for your first semi-auto and at the ranges/targets you discussed, 5.56 is a very capable round. Of course, if you are hunting with it, a Grendel would also be useful.

    The tough thing for you will be the adjustment from a bolt gun to a semi-auto. Semi-autos are much less forgetting in the amount of time you need to hold barrel on target after pulling the trigger. Grendel or a 5.56 will not have any impact on this. A good shooter with a 5.56 will beat an average shooter with a Grendel at <600yds. The ammo costs to get good are much easier to bare w/ a 5.56, even if you are reloading.
     
    #10
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    The Grendel isn't that great of a long range cartridge, if it was every bench rest and F/open class shooter in the country would be using them but, they aren't, very few are using them.
    Bill has said several times he designed it as a whitetail cartridge with a general purpose chamber not a match chamber.
    It's slower and has a taller trajectory than a 6BR, the 6BR shooters know the best range for the 6BR is 300-600 after that they start dropping points to the 6XC, 6BRX, 6.5 Creed and x47s.
    Intermediate sized cartridges are best used at 600 and under.
     
    #11
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    any heavy 556 bullets will work with a barrel twist of 1-7 to 1-8 or you can go the grendel way but make sure to ue the 264 LBC chamber for the best accuracy, the 6mmAR would a good choiv=ce too but since you are probably gonna loose brass at the matches, I would go with a 556, 20-22 inch barrel free float HG with a 1-7 twist, PWS brake and a good trigger. You are on your own for optics.
    Cheers.
     
    #12
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...probably gonna loose brass at the matches, I would go with a 556, 20-22 inch barrel free float HG with a 1-7 twist, PWS brake and a good trigger. You are on your own for optics.
    Cheers. </div></div>

    +1 on 20 inch with everything but the brake. I hate the added noise of any break. At three gun matches the guys shooting brakes are notably LOUDER then those of us shooting flash suppresses. They also blow much more dust up from any surface they are near, when the FA discharges.

    Good luck

    Jerry
     
    #13
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    No one else a fan of LaRue Tactical? I hear they are pretty accurate and very well made. You could get one with a 20" barrel and your choice of handguards and then build your own lower based on preference.
     
    #14
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    Diggler--with your experience you could use 556,6mm, or 6.5Grendel
    77SMK's in 556 will work great except for windy days--the 6mm's
    in an AR are making headlines these days--I want to try one next
    (after a 300Whisper/Blackout upper)--the Grendel is my present
    favorite as it does everything asked and does it well I might ad
    ---use the latest chamber dimensions (see Scottmilk) and the
    Lapua or Hornady projos---24" Satern bbl does it for me at long
    range but wanna try LBC bbl also--not a super high pressure round so barrel life should be good--don't have a Grendel with over 2000 rds yet so I dont know---good shooting with whatever you choose!
     
    #18
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    good point Jerry, but here in Washington we don't have to worry too much about dust
    grin.gif


    Cheers.

    quote=Jerry M]<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...probably gonna loose brass at the matches, I would go with a 556, 20-22 inch barrel free float HG with a 1-7 twist, PWS brake and a good trigger. You are on your own for optics.
    Cheers. </div></div>

    +1 on 20 inch with everything but the brake. I hate the added noise of any break. At three gun matches the guys shooting brakes are notably LOUDER then those of us shooting flash suppresses. They also blow much more dust up from any surface they are near, when the FA discharges.

    Good luck

    Jerry [/quote][

     
    #20
    Re: Which ar should i buy for 100-500yd matches?

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jwb47</div><div class="ubbcode-body">rock river national match 5.56 with the a4 upper and optic of choice. </div></div>

    I had one of those in A2. If you're talking service rifle it is every bit as good as *flamesuit* WOA.
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.

    Similar threads

    Thumper580
    WHY????? Mag feed vs. Hand feed
    Replies
    46
    Views
    2K
    MSTN
    MSTN
    T
    Which rifle for DMR class
    Replies
    28
    Views
    2K
    nagantguy
    N
    P
    Accessories SLR B15 SD 5" 300BLK Complete Upper
    Replies
    4
    Views
    493
    pinkhair
    P
    K
    New member from MA
    Replies
    0
    Views
    36
    Krymson6
    K
    rmfield
    Rifle Competition Events Coal Canyon Precision Rifle Match
    Replies
    7
    Views
    615
    rmfield
    rmfield
    Top Bottom
    Back
    Home
    Forums
    Merch
    Alerts