Who says only bolt guns are accurate?

[John Klingenberg]

I like my semi autos. Some are real good and some ho-hum. In my experience i can get sub half MOA for three shots but after that the groups open up. Ive also never gotten extreme spreads under two digits with any semi auto. Im not sure its even possible with a gas gun. My 6br bolt gun, however, runs on an ES of 4!

 

[Pacecount]

I have a spikes billet upper/lower with a JP barrel and head spaced bolt and carrier key. It will shot 1 MOA consistently if I do my part with Black Hills 77 gr OTM.

My JP LRP 07 in 308 has a 16" barrel and shoots 1/2 MOA.

Having said that my bolt guns are tighter and more consistent.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

AR platform guns can be scary accurate. I have a couple that are. Why do you think they are so popular?

I think many own them out of the latest fad. I see too many at the range that can't hit the broadside of a barn with theirs. Not that they can be deadly accurate, but many buy them for spraying fun.
Bolt actions are not necessarily more accurate but a bolt action is the strongest, most solid action of all.

 

[DSheetz]

The 3 torques allow the threads to seat in to the nut and receiver for a better mating and nickel based anti-sieze is good to use on S.S. and aluminum . I don't dry torque any thing unless that is what is specified as the drag of non lubed threads gives you a higher torque reading and won't be as consistent of a reading .Some materials will gauld to each other and pull metal from each other or bind up completely if not lubed . I like to true and lap my upper receiver then use a gap filling loc-tite compound when fitting the barrel . I will use as stable of an upper receiver as I can as I'm not in a combat zone I don't need a forward assist so I like that area to be solid giving me a stronger upper receiver . I also like to put a band on the back of my bolt carrier so that I don't get bolt drop and miss alignment giving it .020 to .030 clearance some now come with bigger bolt carriers for this . There are now some very good triggers around for AR style rifles .They make a nice little rubber wedge called an accu-wedge that fits in the rear take down pin area and keeps the upper and lower receivers fitting tighter together. An AR build is a lot like a bolt gun build you can get quite involved as well as spend as much money as you want . There are a lot of good AR's being made today . They have come a long way since the early 60's and the gun of the Vietnam era M-16.

 

[stljc2]

I don't know...maybe your right...maybe not as right as you wish. Maybe I'm wrong in this thought IF semi's were as accurate as a bolt gun...long range national competitors, maybe, would be using them. At least that's as far as my thinking takes me. Not trying to be a jerk here. I submit this thought respectfully.

 

[J E Custom]

This is an $800 factory gun. I doudt you would get much better precision from an $800 factory bolt action rifle.

Maybe I'm wrong about that.

The odds are against 1/4 MOA factory rifles "BUT" occasionally one comes along. I have owned 2 in my 50+years out of maybe 50 factory rifles, so it does happen.

By the way, both were Remington 700's .

J E CUSTOM

 

[5.56×250]

I got into building a few AR15s and am quit surprised at how well one can make them shoot, if you follow a few build techniques . I haven't started any handloads yet, but my lilja 740 barreled 6.5g shoots EVERYTHING in the .75 range for 5 shots. I expect after the full sequence of load building, it will shoot half MOA. Same lower receiver with another upper in 223 with a 16" Rainer barrel shoots factory blackhills 77s in the .6s for 5 shots. I expect that upper will shoot sub .5 after some load development too. I wouldn't expect much better from a sub 7lb bolt gun, apples to apples. That said, in a heavy bolt gun vs heavy AR, I think the bolt gun would outshoot the AR on most cases.

 

[Mike6158]

They are not long range guns IOM.

Idk, I saw a guy hit an 8" plate at 800 yards 6 times in a row with a beat up AR15, open sights, and no rest. But I'll stick with my long guns

 

[Huntz]

I am not a target shooter.I do hunt Prairie Dogs,Coyotes,Fox.I got into the Varmint Hunters"1000 yard club" with an AR-15 in 223.It had a 28" Krieger 1/8 twist heavy barrel and Richardson 1 lb. trigger.That rifle would shoot honest 1/2" 10 shot groups at 100 yards with a 69 grain Hornady .Could I shoot one at 1000 + yards anytime I wanted to?No way,but I did call the shot in front of witnesses.I have a couple RRA 26" barreled 223 Wylde and 20 Practical with 1/8 and 1/9 twist that are scary accurate.I think they shoot right along side almost any bolt action rifle.There are probably shooters that can do better than me or maybe worse.I only shoot at targets to sight in.Since PDs do not sit at any one range you have to dope the wind and distance as they do not often give you a chance to range them when you have been shooting for a while.To be fair I shot High Power for over 20 years and have a slight clue how to dope the wind.I would say an AR put together right with a good barrel ,trigger and the right guy pushing the button can shoot right along side any bolt action.

 

[mmgravy]

I have (had) four non-gas or non-bolt guns that are consistent 1/2 MOA or better shooters with certain loads or ammo. A Remington Model 760 in .300 Savage, a Ruger No. 1 Varmint in 220 Swift, a TC Encore in 7mm mag and a lowly TC G2 in .22 LR will all do it. The first three will do it at 100 yards while the G2 is consistent at 50 yards. Not long range shooting, but accurate non the less. I no longer have the 760. It is in the possession of my son....

 

[xsn10s]

The odds are against 1/4 MOA factory rifles "BUT" occasionally one comes along. I have owned 2 in my 50+years out of maybe 50 factory rifles, so it does happen.

By the way, both were Remington 700's .

J E CUSTOM

The norm used to be over a MOA. Anything consistently under an MOA was really good. Even to this day if a rifle consistently hits POA/POI day in and day out and is a 1.25 MOA I can live with that. But it's sure nice to get that rifle that shoots better than a MOA right out of the box.

 

[30378wbymag]

All rifles can be accurate if they are put together right and fed good ammo with a good shot behind them. the question is, is a bolt gun more accurate. Potentially yes because they have fewer moving parts during firing.

The more complicated you make a fire arm the harder it is to tune it and the chances for more issues. actions that have no moving parts during firing tend to be easier to load for, and potentially more accurate.

Its just simple mechanics.

I would love to have a Semi Auto that would consistently shoot 1/2 MOA. But that Is my starting/rejection point for a bolt action. Many will consistently shoot 1/4 MOA and the realy good ones will drop below 1/10th MOA. because of the lack of moving parts during firing.

This would be a good place to use the word "Inherently Accurate"
for bolt guns.

J E CUSTOM

HMMM, following that logic a single shot should be the most supreme accurate action, either falling block / Ruger #1 or breech loading like an H&R Handi-Rifle, why don't we see these types of actions in long range competition?

Might it be because the bolt action actually holds the cartridge in a way as the bolt cams over and locks into firing position??? Something I've always wanted to ask a rifle smith...

 

[eastbank]

hows this for a rattle trap pump. 55 grs imr 4350 with a 165 gr nosler BT at 100 yards.

 

[Frog4aday]

Eastbank, your gun really likes that 165 grain load. It seems rare to see a pump gun shooting that well. It's nice you found a load that suits the rifle.