Quoted: I'm looking for long range accuracy for my AR15 lower. What kind of groups can I get and how far can the 5.56 be effective?
And you can't say "get both" because there are three choices. |
I've got a 24" 1:12 twist RRA SS upper on a Bushy lower with an LMT 2-stage trigger. With the 50 grain Black Hills blue box ammo I can punch sub-MOA groups with it all day long at 100 yards (that's the longest I can shoot on our range).
The rifle, however, is certainly only good for a bench/prone gun, though... it weighs a ton. I've tried hiking it around in the woods before and it's too heavy to haul up and down hills, and unless you've got a rest on a tree, sitting on your rear with it resting on your knee, or are prone with it, you can forget about holding it on target easily. It's just WAY too front-heavy... It's honestly easier to hold my 16" HBAR with 1 1/2 lbs of suppressor on the end of it while standing than the 24" rifle.
If you're going to be taking it out and hunting with it, then I'd go for an 18" or 20" barrel. If you're doing bench/prone shooting primarily, then get the 24". You'll lose a little velocity with the 18" over the 20", but that won't affect your accuracy any. Accuracy won't necessarily improve with the barrel length, but velocity will go up a little as you go longer, so you'll get a bit more range out of it.
You might have to play with ammo once you get the barrel. Mine likes what I mentioned above... your might like something different.