I want to get into tactical long range shooting and wondered if the 16" 1:9 upper I already have would produce good results? (150-350 yards)

If not, I have my eye on an RRA 18" varminter upper, Topped off with a leupy 3.5-10X50 Ill.

your opinions please.

TIA

The prinicipal benefit of a longer barrel (in competition) isn't accuracy but velocity and that means flatter trajectory at distance, so yeah a longer barrel might be more appropriate (or competitive) at longer ranges, but you can still shoot well with a 16" barrel.

Shoot it and find out! :D

Brewsky101,

It really depends on what kind of "tactical" shooting you're talking about.   Action like 3Gun, from a benchrest/bipod slow fire, or something else?

There is some inherent accuracy in the upper/barrel itself and that varies from barrel to barrel.  

Generally for more accuracy a stiffer and heavier barrel is better.  The longer the barrel, the less stiff it will be (for the same thickness), but the muzzle velocity will be higher and so you'll have less wind drift and a flatter trajectory.

In the 1:9 barrel, I've had excellent luck with the following loads:  Hornady 60gr TAP, IMI 62gr M855, Black Hills 68gr HPBT.

-z

Well, technically the ranges you posted are short range.   For the .223 long range is 600 and longer.   So yes, your upper will work fine until you have really put a good season or two of competition through it, and then you will be better able to answer the question yourself- Do I need an 18" ???

I'll be shooting from a bi-pod at a range.  As soon as I'm consistant at 300yards, the damn coyotes better watch out. I think a coyote at 300 yards is a harder shot than a man at 300 yards, hence the "tactical".

I don't think 300 is considered "long range".BUT,i,after much effort,put winnysuperX and(belive it or not)s.ap.m.p 55g inside a paper plate on a regular basis's.On a good day i can promtly destroy a cinder with four or five round's.Those thing's are the BEST to shoot at.P.S.it took me a long time to get their.P.S. again,This is with my 16"1in 9.hope this help's

I recommend this configuration for a 300 yard coyote shot:
[img]http://www.annahines.com/images/gun/gun17.jpg[/img]

30 rnds compared to 6?

I'll stick with an AR.

GlockBoy -  Nice rig [:)]

Here's my Savage rig (.308) - [img]http://home.comcast.net/~savage308/wsb/media/159329/site1042.JPG[/img]

Brewsky101 -  If you [b][i]really[/i][/b] want to get into serious long range work you'll probably want to upgrade to something along the lines of a .308WIN

FWIW...

well, from what I've learned from this post, I won't be getting into "long range".  .308 for coyotes? No thanks.

I've got a Armalite M15A4(T) Carbine 16" SS 1:9 on one of my ar-15's.  An excellent barrel and shoots better than my stock 24" DPMS on another.
It's short enough that I can use it as an AW or for long range 600 meters.
You really only need a tighter twist if you are shooting heavier bullets.
I also have a couple of Armalite AR-10(T)'s.  One 24" and one 16".  They shoot similarly out to about 700 yards.  After that there is more drop on the 16" barrel than the 24".  
With most of the quality stock barrels out there, the range you quoted (300 yards) should be no problem.  
Long thin barrels have their problems.  I have a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker 7 Rem Mag.  It had a 27" bbl.  It was accurate to about 1.5 moa.  I turned the barrel down to 22" and it was more accurate than stock.  I assumed it was barrel whip from the long, thin length.