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Posted: 11/10/2006 10:21:51 PM EDT
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Took this rifle out to the local police training range today for its first rounds downrange. Unfortunately, I could only get on a 50yd range due to rain, but it had to do. Also, sorry, no pictures of tonight, also due to a driving 20 degree rain. Click the above link for full rifle specs. Key elements: 18" midlength WOA SPR-profile stainless steel barrel w/ M4 ramps, IOR 4x24 M2 scope w/ CQB reticle mounted in IOR QD steel high rings, barrel free floated in a Troy MRF-RX 13" rail, Jewell 2-stage trigger. The WOA SPR barrel performed quite well, and could have done better with a better shooter. I put Guat M193, XM855, Hornady Match 75gr BTHP, and Black Hills Reman 68gr BTHP through it this evening. Temperature was mid-fifties, 15 to 20 degree slant on the medium rain that was falling. Average of three 10 shot groups from 50 yards, shot prone off a Harris bipod: Guat M193: .92" XM855: .94" Hornady 75gr: .56" BH 68gr: .59" A few notes: 1) This was my first time out with the Jewell in this rifle. Very nice, very light and smooth. I had it set to pretty much minimum weights. 2) The IOR has great glass, just like my other IOR scopes. This rifle is waiting on a variable mid-power scope, but that will have to wait until the latest car is paid off. Also, in a stroke of luck, I took this scope off a 16" Recce type, slapped it on this rifle, and it was dead on in elevation and only had to be moved 1/2 MOA left windage-wise. 3) Had 4 failure-to-fires with the Guat. Hard to tell if they were light primer strikes or true misfires (range has a policy of no re-striking, so as illogical as that is I obeyed it). Evidence on both sides: had no problem with the military primers on the XM855, which points more to true misfires, but at the same time I don't completely trust the hammer spring strength that I'm getting from the Jewell, at least the way it is set at the moment. This will need further investigation. |
Indeed, Phoebus BTW: many precision AR builders use a lighter buffer and you chose the 9mm. How do you like it (vs the std or H) and did you do anything special with your new barrel other than fire it up? Great looking shooter. |
The primary reason I chose a 9mm is because rather than using this solely in an SPR role, I plan to also train on using it SDM-R style, meaning as a carryable, shoot-on-the-move weapon. I've found that for me, a 9mm buffer offers much faster followup shots as opposed to a standard carbine or H buffer. YMMV, but for me that's what works. Re: barrel break in, I fully intended to do this one properly. I used to not believe in it at all, but this is my fifth WOA stainless barrel, and out of the other four, the two I broke in clean MUCH easier. I don't know if there's really an accuracy difference, but it doesn't hurt to break in. However, once I got there, and it started to rain like hell, I decided to skip the break in and just go all out. I'll do a more proper "break in" next time. Whether or not it will do anything, who knows, but like I said, can't hurt. Obviously, I don't break-in CL barrels or anything like that. |
IIRC, Range 1 at PTI is only 25 yards. (Unless you moved onto Range 2 (which is, what, like 70 yd?) later in the evening...) 
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You are correct sir, please excuse the typo! I was thinking Range 2 in my head I think, which is what, 65? So sad, no 300 yarders around here in this stupid state. Also Matt, when are you building your AR already? 
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Don't you mean, "why didn't I bring my AR out yesterday?". I've had it done for a while... I thought I mentioned why I didn't bring it out yesterday (such a pain to get it around, since I don't have a suitable case of reasonable size, only my friggin huge ones fit it w/ the Aimpoint on it) (oh, here's the original build post: www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=299051) BTW, Darnall's max range outdoors is 300 yards; rifle shooters have priority in the mornings, but have to move up (or out) in the afternoon if shotgunners want to shoot (since the trap & skeet fields are above the rifle lanes). The Danville range offers 300 yds as well, but I've heard the orientation program for that one compared to communist reeducation camps. |
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