The aero precision as mentioned before is good stuff...........well all of the barrels I have from them. 2 300bo, 3 6.5creed, 2 223wylde and 1 308win. I haven't shot any reloads in any of those yet, only factory so far. The last barrel I bought was a 20" fluted 223wylde 8T. At least sort headstamps and give it another try. I haven't done any in the 70-75gr yet, so no clue on what powder worked for me?
Help me with an AR load
- Thread starter Just a hunter
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With others mentioning triggers I'll give statement about that also. "Battle triggers" are just that as they're not accurate triggers. I but lots of brands and the only 1 so far that has been terrible is rise armament. My go to is cmc. Others are elfman, geissele, tac-con (more of a gimmick, but work well), lantac and timney. Not 1 is a 2 stage, but are good triggers. I would try 2 at same spot, make adjustment, shoot 2 more and so forth for new barrels or unproven rounds.
This is what I'm running!Lot's of AR-15's sadly are just very poor loose sloppy builds!
The upper receiver, BCG, M-lok type free float with quality barrel nut, and barrel make a world of difference.
I have some competition 15's and I use quality drop in triggers. I also use Caldwell Lead sled rifle holder to really dial the sights in. It take out the human element. You need all the same brass for consistency. IMO 75 grain pills are the max weight. The case and mag length starts putting the bullet too far down inside. That's why they came up with the Valkyrie.
Pre C-19 I was able to buy boxes of 5000 very high BC 62 gr HPBT and dialed them in at 3120 fps out of my 20 inch with 11 degree crowned match grade barrels using commercial brass and about 27 grains of CFE or LeverRevolution powder.
CMC AR-15 Tactical FLAT 2.5lb Single Stage Drop-In Trigger Assembly
CMC AR-15 Tactical FLAT 2.5lb Single Stage Drop-In Trigger Assemblywww.joeboboutfitters.com
View attachment 449382
mongo4567
Well-Known Member
I haven't seen an ar15 or ar10 that wouldn't shoot an MOA or very close to it with an appropriate bullet weight and quality ammo.
I would match brass as a start. I wouldn't start out with that bullet either.
I would match brass as a start. I wouldn't start out with that bullet either.
First, with a 1/8 twist, your at the limit of using a 75 or 77 gr bullet. Probably best for 68 or smaller. You said your shots didn't look tumbled. But take note here on barrel twist. There are a multitude of possible powders for 223/556. Look at 8208, varget, benchmark, or similar burn rate. Buy and try several powders. This is sometimes what is required. Stop using various headstamp brass. This will induce variables. Thers nothing wrong with military brass. Just stick with one type. Of course, match brass would be best. You didn't state the details on the barrel. Such as 223, or 556, or a 223 wylde. If you are shooting a 556, the long throat lead will limit your shot grouping size. Expect 3-5 moa or so. 556 is not made for high accuracy. What is the barrel length? If you are trying to get sub moa out of a 10, 14, or 16 inch barrel, good luck. It can be done, but its very time and $$$ consuming. Sometimes this quest can be elusive. The best way to get great moa out of this caliber is to use 223 wylde, 1/7 twist, and 18+ inch barrel. A 416r barrel would be nice too. All this is just my experience and opinion. Others have had different results.
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Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
Okay, I am still waiting to hear back about the details on the barrel, as far as manufacturer and material. It is 18" long and has a 1 in 8 twist rate.
I'm pretty sure it is a 5.56 chamber but not 100% on that, I'll check later tonight and see.
The gentleman that I am trying to help out with this rifle is a good friend of mine. He's 75 years old if I'm not mistaken. He had a specific request when he asked me to see what I could come up with. Someone had told him that they had a similar build and it didn't shoot well (accurately) until he got to bullets heavier than 68gr. He asked me to try to find something heavier than 68 and tipped. The first thing I found was the 73 ELD-M. I read a little bit about it and saw folks saying it had a shorter bearing surface and was easier to stabilize but picky as far as powder went. I personally wouldn't have picked that specific bullet for my own AR but it seemed to fit the requirements he was asking for.
I work a crazy schedule and hours and won't be off again until the first of the coming week. I'm off tonight so I am going to clean the rifle and see if I can load a few of the ELD-M's with TAC and Varget and go shoot Monday or Tuesday. By then I will have some SMK's here to try if I can't get these to consistently group in the 2" range. I'm considering not even telling him how slow they are running and trying the lighter CFE223 charge again and see if I can duplicate the results I had yesterday.
I've got to go back and reread the posts up to this point and see what else I can learn. Once again, I apologize for my little rant last night. That was unfair of me and not how I try to react online or in my everyday interactions with people. Thank you to all who have responded and I welcome any and all input going forward.
I'm pretty sure it is a 5.56 chamber but not 100% on that, I'll check later tonight and see.
The gentleman that I am trying to help out with this rifle is a good friend of mine. He's 75 years old if I'm not mistaken. He had a specific request when he asked me to see what I could come up with. Someone had told him that they had a similar build and it didn't shoot well (accurately) until he got to bullets heavier than 68gr. He asked me to try to find something heavier than 68 and tipped. The first thing I found was the 73 ELD-M. I read a little bit about it and saw folks saying it had a shorter bearing surface and was easier to stabilize but picky as far as powder went. I personally wouldn't have picked that specific bullet for my own AR but it seemed to fit the requirements he was asking for.
I work a crazy schedule and hours and won't be off again until the first of the coming week. I'm off tonight so I am going to clean the rifle and see if I can load a few of the ELD-M's with TAC and Varget and go shoot Monday or Tuesday. By then I will have some SMK's here to try if I can't get these to consistently group in the 2" range. I'm considering not even telling him how slow they are running and trying the lighter CFE223 charge again and see if I can duplicate the results I had yesterday.
I've got to go back and reread the posts up to this point and see what else I can learn. Once again, I apologize for my little rant last night. That was unfair of me and not how I try to react online or in my everyday interactions with people. Thank you to all who have responded and I welcome any and all input going forward.
blacktail 8541
Well-Known Member
The AR platform is not inherently inaccurate. Mixed brass is a small part of the problem, but CFE 223 powder is not known for stellar accuracy except in a very few instances in my experience with it. Varget , imr 8208, h 4895 have proven to be good performers.
No apologies necessary. It can be frustrating. We're here to help if we can.
What is the main reason for this gun? Target, varmit, or hunting?
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
The platform isn't. Cheap parts sure are though.
Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
He has a Browning bolt rifle chambered in .223 that is a shooter that he uses for target and varmint hunting. I think he's expecting similar results from the AR and that's probably not feasible if he/I face reality. I'm pretty sure he's wanting to use the AR for similar applications.
The AR plarform is a nice varmint gun. But if he wants an AR target gun, then lots of time, effort, and ultimately money will be involved. If I were to start an AR build now with the intention of making it an very accurate shooter, I would start with the barrel. No doubt about it. I would spec it as follows: 18-20 inch, made from 416r SS, 223 wylde chamber, and a 1/7 twist. These are available from several different makers. Expect to pay about $350+ for it. No matter what you do or add on that gun, it all starts with the barrel. That's my 2 cents worth.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
X2
You can test the loads for the 223 in the ar, but don't shoot NATO in the 223. Now take in effect that it might not perform the same, but will be safe. Wylde and 5.56 are interchangeable, but I've never seen any ammo labeled in Wylde (don't think it exists). But if Wylde ammo exists I wouldn't shoot it in 223. If you're developing loads in and for Wylde/5.56nato rated barrels, don't shoot it in 223rem barrels!
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