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Are AR-15's accurate?

56K views 91 replies 59 participants last post by  bntyhntr6975 
#1 ·
I'm about to take the plunge and I want a flat top M-4 Carbine. My question is what kind of accuracy can I expect. I don't expect 1/2" groups at 100 yards, but I'd like to get better than the 4" groups I got with my Mini-14.

Question is this: Can those with experience rank the best to worst of the big producers. I can't afford a Colt, so exclude them please.

I'm leaning towards the Bushmaster or Olympic.

Any help is appreciated.
 
#28 ·
I have two Colt SP-1's. One twenty inch barrel full size, and one 16 inch collapsible stock carbine. Both will do one inch groups at 100 yards with any decent ammunition. Olympia Arms shoot as well as Bushmasters, in my opinion. AR-15's by most makers will out shoot the shooter, so it's just a judgement call. Have fun with whatever you choose.
 

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#29 ·
I must admit I had the same question about the AR platform. I owned a Mini 14 back in the early 80s and sold it when I couldn't get it to shoot much under 2 or 3inches at 100 yards. Scope mounts were shaky at best for the Mini. Well I went and bought a RRA Predator rifle with a 20inch 1:8 twist barrel. Im extremely pleased with the accuracy. I loaded up some 69 gr Seirra Matchking BTHP bullets pushed by 24.5 grs of Varget. The three shot group was close to .411. Here is a pic of the target. Design Illustration Font Pattern Architecture
 
#31 ·
I am the self-designated, injector of humor, in a thread that starts to turn pissy....:rolleyes:

40 years ago, the only sure fire dependable use of an AR was as a "TENT POLE".....:p
(note right side of picture)

The "Dependable Gun" is in the back ground....:D

To this day...the closest thing that I have in my arsenal to an AR-15 is a Kel-Tec PLR-16

 
#33 ·
I think it's resting against something.
Crpdeth
Nope.......the bayonet stuck in the ground is the only thing holding

that untrustworthy tent pole up.....:rolleyes:
 
#34 ·
Yes an AR 15 is very accurate at 100 yds!
I bought a Colt AR 15 in 1970, right after I got back from RVN.
About 7 years later I killed a cyote early one morning. He was trotting down a fence line straight away from me at about 125 yds, looking over his shoulder at me. I shot him in the head. Only took one shot.
I still have that rifle. I also have another and a CAR 15 (which is what I carried in RVN - Never had a problem with it!).
Since I own colt AR 15s I've never had any neeed to play with any of the clones, so don't know anything about them.
 
#35 ·
trap55, I have an Olympic Arms Gun I'm trying to identify.It was bought new in 1984,24'' heavy barrel, 1in7 twist,free float fore arm,muzzle break instead of a flash suppressor,no forward assist or brass deflector.The serial # on the lower begins with HK.Any ideas?
Sierra, you have what my rifle was the prototype to......their designation was Anti Terrorist Counter Sniper Rifle. If your receiver has a cast pin stopping the selector switch from going to the F/A position, good chance you also have a pre-ban M-16. I don't know what the laws are now pertaining to to these parts, but I'd be careful where you took it out to play. That muzzle brake(not a flash hider) is tunable like the Browning Boss system too, another feature Oly was first to come up with.
Mine had a forward assist, but no shell deflector. The serial # I can't say, Oly had a fire at the factory that destroyed about everything they had.
 
#36 ·
Hey Al Mount...Nice Pig in the background.

I carried an M16A1 and A2. I used it in combat and it never failed me. IMHO...The biggest problem I have found is folks who buy them for the "coolness factor". They fine weapons when cared for properly. I have a good friend who bought one but didn't have a clue that the bolt could be disassembled. It jammed on the range and I had to break it down for him...when I started field stripping the bolt he nearly fainted.

I don't own one...I'm more of an AK guy.
 
#38 · (Edited)
I have a DPMS Panther chambered in .308. It is extremely accurate when cleaned properly. By accurate, I am talking 7 shots inside of a quarter at 100 yards. You HAVE to use a brush to clean it, not just pressurized powder solvent. Break the rifle down and clean it about every 25 rounds to be safe. Push 40 and you will be lucky if the bolt does not jam closed. If you don't use the brush, your accuracy at 100 yds will fit inside an area the size of a soccer ball.....and that is if you can even get the rifle to fire. Without a brush, you can expect stuck cartridge casings and "no hits" from the firing pin. You can also expect the bolt to start jamming closed. I see it happen to guys at the range all the time. Did I happen to mention that you must use a BRUSH to clean the rifle? Brush the chamber, Brush the bore, and then repeat. Oh, I guess I did mention the brush. BRUSH IT, BRUSH IT, BRUSH IT. Sing a "brush it" song if it helps you to remember. Take the time to learn how to break down the rifle to clean it properly. It takes less time to break down the rifle then it does to screw around trying to get a bolt open that is jammed closed. Oh, buy the way, use a brush.
 
#42 ·
45nut. i would go with the bushmaster, i had one afew years back and it would do 1 to 1 1/2 groups at 100 yards with military ss 109 62 gr steel core. LC make. it was 100% reliable through several cases of ammo.

when i got it the rear sight was 11 clicks from centered to zero it, i called bushmaster and they said that it was a milspec rifle and that 15 clicks or better was the standard, but that if i didnt like it they would fix it. i returned the gun, and they returned it back to me only 3 clicks off.

i was very happy with it the whole time i had it, was a dumb butt for selling to my dumb friend that then sold it to his friend.
 
#45 ·
Had a Bushmaster with a 6X18 bushnell, at 250 yards had no problem busting clay pidgeons that was left on the range by not so accurate rifles. I cleaned off the hill about once a week. I for one think it one fine piece. Beter than a spray and pray mini 30 or an AK. By the way that did'nt have the heavy barrel.
 
#46 ·
[QUOTESince I own colt AR 15s I've never had any neeed to play with any of the clones, so don't know anything about them.[/QUOTE]

The Colt AR15 is vastly misunderstood to be the best AR15 or M16 by a huge population here in the US, I believe this majority to be those who served in the military and have never fired anything but a Colt. I find it interesting that most Colt people I have ran across don't know that Colt is not the original designer or manufacturer of the weapon, Colt bought the plan from Armalite in 1959 who employed Eugene Stoner the designer. Also the AR10 chambered in 7.62 was the original idea in 1955 to offer an new alternative to the M1 Garand, and not the AR15 firing the 5.56.

Colt is a fine weapon and has served many of our beloved GI's very well in combat, admittedly vietnam was a bad era for the gun. IMHO Colt became complacent in improvements to the weapon due to the enourmous goverment contracts. I think the so-called "Clones" may be edging out the Colt for performance and reliability as these up and coming manufacturers strive for business in the huge AR15 market. Handling 3000+ Colt M16's as a former armourer in the US military I would not pay what prices Colt bring for this platform in the AR15 world.
 
#47 ·
My shooting instructor, and good friend, told me that the Carbine I am building...will be good for CQB...and at 100 yards will shoot a MOC group...(MINUTE OF CHEST)...HAHA:D
 
#48 ·
My DPMS LR308-L is fantastic and has caused no problems with the cleaning after 25 or 125 rounds. My Bushy Predator is unreal accurate. But here it comes, guns are just like anything else you buy in that there are great and not so great in every brand. My exp. is that Colt Ars are not any better that Bushmaster or even SOME of the others.
 
#51 · (Edited)
I think every well working undamaged rifle with the necessary features for accuracy, (correct twist ratio for specific bullet, free floated barrel,) will be consistently accurate. Then you might need the necessary features that allow the shooter to be accurate, (nice scope, better trigger, ergonomic stock, etc...)

This is not to say a rifle like my 30-30 that does not have a free floated barrel and has a 1:12 twist is not accurate. A free floated barrel is so you can keep shooting as your barrel heats; with my rifle the forearm and bands pull/push the barrel off course. But it is still accurate; I just can't shoot shots back to back and keep the group small. If I run a wet then dry patch down the barrel after each shot I can keep the groups small. .64moa was the last 300 yard 3 shot group I got with it, .58moa was the best. Both groups were using my hand-loaded ammo, something I think is a must to be as accurate as the rifle can achieve. Now that rifle is for varmints, I don't need to shoot back to back groups unless I am testing a load.

So it does depend on what you are using it for as to what featured you'll need. Do you want to hunt coyotes or do you want to shoot competitions where you need to shoot 20 or more shots in a row?
 
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