Accuracy Expectations of M82A1?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Accuracy Expectations of M82A1?

Posted: 2/29/2016 10:58:13 AM EDT

Was trying to assist a friend zero his M82A1 yesterday. Ammo was American Eagle 660 grain. Optic was SWFA SS fixed 16X.

Could not get a group. Only a 12 inch pattern at 300 yards. I have no frame of reference with this rifle but significant long range precision rifle experience. Trying to figure out if I have bad ammo, bad optic, or is this level of in accuracy to be expected?

I very much appreciate your input.

Posted: 2/29/2016 12:47:29 PM EDT

[#1]

3MOA is normal for M82 ball, so 9" group or so at 300yds.

That is from previous posts by our own 50_cal who worked at Barrett qualifying guns.

ETA: apologies for the previous snarky LMGTFY post in the tech forum.

Posted: 2/29/2016 1:19:17 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
3MOA is normal for M82 ball, so 9" group or so at 300yds.

That is from previous posts by our own 50_cal who worked at Barrett qualifying guns.

ETA: apologies for the previous snarky LMGTFY post in the tech forum.

View Quote

Thank you very much! I'll endeavor to find better ammo. Some how I expected it to at least be comparable to M855.

Did not see snarky comment. It's all good as far as I'm concerned. Again, thanks much.

Posted: 2/29/2016 7:09:23 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:

Thank you very much! I'll endeavor to find better ammo. Some how I expected it to at least be comparable to M855.

Did not see snarky comment. It's all good as far as I'm concerned. Again, thanks much.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
3MOA is normal for M82 ball, so 9" group or so at 300yds.

That is from previous posts by our own 50_cal who worked at Barrett qualifying guns.

ETA: apologies for the previous snarky LMGTFY post in the tech forum.

Thank you very much! I'll endeavor to find better ammo. Some how I expected it to at least be comparable to M855.

Did not see snarky comment. It's all good as far as I'm concerned. Again, thanks much.

I"m not sure there is much hope for the gun due to it's long recoil moving barrel action. You can single load it IIRC and get decent groups. I imagine the hornady amax would be about the best factory load for it in mag length.

Posted: 2/29/2016 7:53:19 PM EDT

[#4]

Best we could ever get was 19 inches at 1000 yards was with Hornady Am.ax 750 gr over 215 Grains of BMG 50. We tried other combos and couldn't get any better. If you are using ball ammo, then results will widen up just as you have shown. We did do a trigger job based on one posted on the internet, this helped smooth out the pull. Ended up selling the gun, we also have a Model 95 which is a 3/4 minute gun if we do our part, just as much fun

Posted: 3/1/2016 10:41:22 AM EDT

[#5]

Ball ammo isn't very accurate out of the 82a1 /M107 family of rifles. When I was there, we hand lapped the barrels into the barrel bushing. It helped quite a bit. They use a machine to do it now. You don't get the "feel" of when its lapped in just right. Why they decided to do that is anyone's guess.

The 750g AMAX is a good performer if you have the time to dial the rifle/ammo in. But some rifles are just minute of car.

Posted: 3/1/2016 7:47:46 PM EDT

[#6]

I really appreciate the good info. I now know what is a realistic expectation from this rifle, which frankly is disappointing. I only enjoy getting beat up by a rifle if I'm hitting something.

I am going to try some AMAX as suggested. I also know to look at a M95 should I decide to own one.

Thanks again for sharing the knowledge guys!

Posted: 3/3/2016 1:18:04 AM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Best we could ever get was 19 inches at 1000 yards was with Hornady Am.ax 750 gr over 215 Grains of BMG 50. We tried other combos and couldn't get any better. If you are using ball ammo, then results will widen up just as you have shown. We did do a trigger job based on one posted on the internet, this helped smooth out the pull. Ended up selling the gun, we also have a Model 95 which is a 3/4 minute gun if we do our part, just as much fun

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A trigger job? Link???
I've wondered if there were aftermarket options to improve the trigger pull somehow.

Posted: 3/3/2016 4:55:51 PM EDT

[#8]

Ok, here's another thought.
I have an 82, and it's a pretty good shooter.
It will do better than 12" with ball.
Having said that, I don't have any old targets to show, so take it for what it's worth.

I will suggest you look at the scope/ring set up.
I recently helped a new .50 shooter set up a Bushmaster/Cobb rifle.
He had a Nightforce with Millet rings.
We were getting 12-14" groups at 100 yds.
He wanted to send the scope back to Nightforce, and they suggested that he try their rings.

The rifle went to a 1.5-2" gun with ball ammo, and better with match ammo.
I've never seen rings make that dramatic a difference before, but it definitely fixed that rifle.

Posted: 3/5/2016 11:04:58 PM EDT

[#9]

Very interesting!

Posted: 3/8/2016 12:32:16 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
I really appreciate the good info. I now know what is a realistic expectation from this rifle, which frankly is disappointing. I only enjoy getting beat up by a rifle if I'm hitting something.

I am going to try some AMAX as suggested. I also know to look at a M95 should I decide to own one.

Thanks again for sharing the knowledge guys!

View Quote

Hows it disappointing? It was never designed for that.

How are you getting "beat up" by using this rifle? I think the recoil is great, very little in fact compared to slug guns or even a 54r chambered rifle.

Posted: 5/22/2016 9:57:48 PM EDT

[#11]

Back in 2010 I took my 82A1 to the Coalinga range the day before a FCSA match. I let a few people shoot my 82A1 then I shot 5 handloaded rounds I had left over from the year before that showed promise. The 5 shot group measured 12-1/8” at 1,000 yards. Four of the rounds measured 6-3/8”. The wind was picking up so I stopped shooting. 50cal who posts here built my gun at Barrett and he told me my gun was tack driver. Obviously the 82A1 can deliver outstanding results with handloaded ball. In addition, I incorporated some of Mark Reid’s trigger modifications along with a better pistol grip that helps too. I lapped my scope rings in too.

Here are a few photographs of my 82A1. I plan to put it up for sale in a few weeks.

Here are some photos of my handloads with the 750g AMAX. I never had an opportunity to try them.

Posted: 5/22/2016 10:06:25 PM EDT

[#12]

Saw a dude get whacked at 990M, so they'll at least cold bore do that.

Posted: 5/27/2016 6:12:13 PM EDT

[#13]

Fire4Effect_CA,

If you don't mind me asking, why are you selling?
I notice CA in your name tag.

Thanks

Posted: 5/31/2016 10:17:28 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Fire4Effect_CA,

If you don't mind me asking, why are you selling?
I notice CA in your name tag.

Thanks

View Quote

Sorry I did not respond sooner, but I don’t receives notifications that someone has responded to my post on ARFCOM. I was talking with one of the moderators here over the weekend and he mentioned there was a response to my post here.

There are so few places to shoot the 82A1 (600– 1000 yards) in CA and they are very far from where I live. I am also getting up there in years and due to health issues it is time to make some changes. One of the joys of owning the 82A1 is letting others shoot it. Always big grins after they pull the trigger for the first time. I especially enjoy reloading 50 BMG. I do plan to make it down to Coalinga one more time before I sell the 82A1. I want to celebrate my times at Coalinga with my good friend Buddy Clifton who past away back in 2012. Wish I could have made down to the FCSA Match at Coalinga this past weekend, but I have experiencing severe back pain for over a week and there was no way I could have made the journey.

Past photograph of me at Coalinga.

My wife does not shoot often, but she always enjoyed going to Coalinga and would settle in with a good book.

Me with Buddy on the 1,000 yard range. Buddy is spotting for me and is communicating with my wife and my friend Randy in the pits.

Posted: 5/31/2016 1:32:39 PM EDT

[#15]

Thanks for the info. I have resisted getting a 50 for years and have decided this is the year.
Now I'm on the search for the right gun.

Posted: 5/31/2016 5:46:03 PM EDT

[#16]

You know I'm down for Coalinga when you plan on making the trip. It's been awhile since I've shot an M82, you can run my AR-50 all you want.

I'm sure some of the other CA .50 owners wouldn't mind making the trip. I'm sure Greg and Bob will come out just to sling lead down range.

Posted: 6/8/2016 1:26:34 AM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Saw a dude get whacked at 990M, so they'll at least cold bore do that.

View Quote

Wow.

Posted: 6/8/2016 2:15:09 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

Wow.

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Quoted:

Quoted:

Saw a dude get whacked at 990M, so they'll at least cold bore do that.

Wow.

With a mk-211 round at that.

Posted: 6/9/2016 1:51:11 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
With a mk-211 round at that.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Saw a dude get whacked at 990M, so they'll at least cold bore do that.

Wow.

With a mk-211 round at that.

So basically this happened:

Posted: 6/16/2016 9:01:57 AM EDT

[#20]

OP, Something else you might try if shooting off of a bipod.

With most rifles you try to front load a bipod.
With a 50 the recoil impulses fight with the brake.
Next time you shoot, try pulling back against the bipod and it will stabilize your groups.

Posted: 7/16/2016 4:18:10 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Best we could ever get was 19 inches at 1000 yards was with Hornady Am.ax 750 gr over 215 Grains of BMG 50. We tried other combos and couldn't get any better. If you are using ball ammo, then results will widen up just as you have shown. We did do a trigger job based on one posted on the internet, this helped smooth out the pull. Ended up selling the gun, we also have a Model 95 which is a 3/4 minute gun if we do our part, just as much fun

View Quote

Tony,

I am finally going to make it down to Coalinga to shoot my 82A1 that you built for me for the last time. An ar15.com member has made me an offer for my 82A1 and I would like to shoot it one last time. I also am also doing this as a remembrance for my good friend Buddy Clifton who left the range in 2011. I still have all the ammunition I loaded to shoot with him in 2010 at Coalinga, but we spent most of our time talking and watching the match. I will be taking the loads with the 750gr A-MAX and 756gr brass solids I loaded back in 2010 with me. One of the ar15.com moderators and one of his friends will meet me there. They are interested in buying all my ammo, reloading components and reloading gear. They asked me to bring everything I have down. Should be a good time.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Accuracy Expectations of M82A1?

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