I took my newly built AR to the range a couple of times this week. During the first range trip, I was trying to zero my front sight windage but I didn't make the flats big enough so I had to pull it apart and machine larger flats for my front sight.

I took it out again yesterday and got the front sight zeroed. Once it was zeroed, I took the carry-handle off and put on my Vortex Diamondback scope. Yes, I know, it's not as good of a quality that the rifle deserves, but I will get a better piece of glass on it as time allows.

The build thread is here...
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/8050041684



Basically, it's a 1 MOA gun with most of the groups coming in around the 0.9" range.

I started off with some 69 grain Nosler Custom Comp "cosmetic blemish" ammo. This came in at 0.94". I also shot a 10-round group of American Eagle 50 grain tipped varmint ammo. I heard this stuff was supposed to shoot good and it did well. The first shot was 12 o'clock high with the next 9 shots coming in at 0.95". With the cold bore, it was 1.6".



I also shot some Nosler 77 grain match ammo. Two 5-shot groups measuring 1.06" and 0.99".


I was hoping for 0.5 MOA to 0.75 MOA but I wasn't too far off, I don't think. I'll load up some 69 grain Sierras and see if that shrinks the groups down a little.

My goal was to build a rifle that would hold the 10-ring on service rifle targets with a high X-count, and I'm already there.

About the only thing I can do, besides hand loading and finding a better load, is to pull the barrel and glue it to the receiver, and install a higher end piece of glass.

If I can get to 1/2 MOA, I'll be very happy.

Tony.

Looking good.

I'd say she's a keeper. Nice shooting!

Tony,

Very nice build. Anthony is going to be a very happy lad...

Wes

Looking good. If you can find any, 62 grain Fusion is the best performing round in my 8 twist Wylde chambered Stainless HB at 100 yards, so far. Didn't see it coming. I tried a lot of different options, FGMM, Black Hills, Hornady, etc etc.

Thanks guys! To be completely honest, I don't follow AR threads much. I can tell you all about M14/M1A accuracy, but I've been so consumed by that world that I don't know what is considered a great, good, average, fair or horribly inaccurate for an AR.

I've got some 69 grain SMK's and some Varget, so I think I'll try and load up something for it.

I've also got a lead on a guy locally who supposedly has a ton of various ammo that he's acquired while doing some extensive chrono testing and he's offered to give me various ammo to try. He wouldn't let me buy any, so that was a kind gesture.

Tony.

I do NOT consider the results from Nosler Custom Competition 69 ammo at 100 yards to be a true representation of how a barrel shoots. Both offgrid and I have stated in threads that we cannot achieve consistent and accurate results with Nosler bullets/ammo.

In 2020 I did quite a bit testing with Nosler 69 ammo. FGMM 69 prices skyrocketed, and it was hard to find. I felt I need training ammo options, in event the price gouging continued. A few web distributors had Nosler in stock at reasonable prices -- I bought quite a few boxes and tested the ammo in most of my 223 rifles.

Nosler ammo looks great. Packed nicely, bullets look good, brass looks perfect. But MV was lower than FGMM 69, by 50-100 fps, depending on barrel. Ballistics programs showed that the Nosler bullet has a noticeably lower BC than SMK 69. MV showed higher than normal SDs, in barrels from 14.5" to 24". The ammo produced reasonable (not great) groups at 100 yards, but vertical stringing beyond 300 yards was a serious issue.

From my 14.5" Wilson Combat AR, which is without a doubt a sub-MOA to MOA rifle out to at least 400 yards:
- at 320 yards -- first group 2.5" vertical, second group 5.0"
- at 430 yards -- first group 2.5" vertical, second group 9.0"

From my 16" Wilson barrel 3, again a sub-MOA rifle:
- at 430 yards -- first group 4.5", second group 8.0", third group 6.0"

From 16" Wilson barrel 2:
- at 320 yards -- first group 2.25", second 2.88"
- at 430 yards -- first group 6.0", second 8.0" vertical

My 24" bolt action produced groups of 3.5" and 3.75" at 410 yards with Nosler 69. On the same day, other 69-75 grain ammo shot 1.5" to 2.5".

I won't buy Nosler again. If someone gave me the ammo, I'd shoot it for training only -- positional shooting from barriers, at fairly generous targets, out to maybe 250 yards.

*****
edited to at the word "NOT" in the first sentence.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fritz,

Thanks! That's great information to know. I'll post more results as I try different ammo.

Tony.

Karma has smiled upon me...

Since my last range report, I made some minor tweaks. I pulled the barrel off and glued in the barrel extension with Loctite 680. I used an actual torque wrench to achieve 30 foot-pounds.

One of my followers saw my AR build thread and offered me a plethora of ammo to experiment with. I only had time to shoot a couple of groups to verify, but I'll have more coming.

I verified my front sight rotation with the carry-handle installed. The 5 shots on the left side of the sticker were all shot at 100 yards with iron sights. All the right side shots were after I switched to a scope. All shots were Federal XM193 55gr FMJ.


So my friend gave me the following FACTORY AMMO...










I only had time to shoot one test with Lapua 55gr FMJ. He said it shot disappointing for him, but he wanted to see how it shot for me. 15 total shots, 10 on the right and adjusted and shot center for another 5.



I have lots more testing to do and I'll post more as I test what he gave me.

Tony.