Newly built AR accuracy questions

1234abcd

New member
So I just put together a new rifle for calling. It is CMMG lower with timney super comp trigger I bought a red X arms upper with 20in stainless bull barrel 1in 8 twist. I am shooting Hornady 55gr ballistic tips. I took it to range today and after about 20 break in rounds fired I bagged it and started shooting. Oh btw it is topped with Leupold AR 6x18x40 in a Burris pepr mount and wears a Luth ar stock. Anyway best group I got was about 1in maybe a little less. I didn't think that was bad then I pulled out my RRA Predator with cheap American eagle 50 gr ballistic tips and shot a 5 shot group I could cover with a penny. What gives I mean I hate the trigger in the RRA and it only wears a Burris 4.5x14 and it completely out shot my new rifle... The predator has shorter barrel a much crappier trigger and it just flat shoot. I am going to try some different ammo bullet weights etc it just didn't make sense to me...
 
It's the Ammo. If you don't reload you will have to try different types of ammo till you find one that it like. It will get better as you shoot it.
 
It's probably an ammuntion preference. I've never got a group under an inch with AE no matter what I shot it in. With scarcity if choices so bad handloading is our only salvation. IMHO

Greg
 
It's possible that your barrel just needs some 'break in' time....Of the nine ARs that I've owned, a couple of them didn't start grouping good until I had put a hundred or so rounds through the barrel....Some come out with more machine marks than others and need to be 'burnished' a little to bring the accuracy up...The reverse can also be true if copper build up is heavy with a new barrel...

I used to find the cheapest military FMJ that I could lay my hands on and run a few magazines through the barrel before I started worrying about good groups..See if you can find someone with a Hawkeye Bore Scope and inspect the barrel's lands and grooves and it will give you an indication of the condition...
 
Thanks for the replies fella's. Right now hand loading is not an option, we are in process of new house purchase and all my reloading equipment is packed away. I only had one clip loaded up with American eagle. The RRA is the one my daughter uses when she goes calling with me. I will try some different loads and put some rounds thru it.

The bore scope is another great idea I will see if any of my buddies has one I can borrow.

Thanks again for the advice...
 
imo you did really good if you got a redx ss upper that will shoot 1" groups. my experience with several uppers from redx was way worse than that. so bad i wont buy anymore from them. you got a good one if it will shoot an inch. you might find some ammo that will shine in that barrel.

bore scopes are neat toys to have. but know when you buy one and use it that ALMOST EVERY mass produced barrel you look at will make you cringe. most are flat out ugly to look at. but yet most will shoot pretty good and some shoot really good. most gunsmiths will scope a barrel for you for free. at least the ones around here will.
 
What range did you shoot at. IE how far away was the target when you said you got a 1" group. 25 yards? 50 yards? 100 yards? or more? I talk in terms of Minute of angle which is approx. 1" at 100 yard and 2" at 200 yards and 3" at 300 yards and so on and so one. When you use MOA terms the range won't matter that much anymore as it's always sort of implied. But using inches on the groups without expressing the range makes it difficult to interrupt your results without the range to the target also being given.
 
Originally Posted By: 1234abcd then I pulled out my RRA Predator with cheap American eagle 50 gr ballistic tips and shot a 5 shot group I could cover with a penny....

My Rock loves that round, too. I can beat it with handloads, but it's relatively inexpensive and effective. Leaves me with brass for later.
 
Originally Posted By: Coyotehunter_What range did you shoot at. IE how far away was the target when you said you got a 1" group. 25 yards? 50 yards? 100 yards? or more? I talk in terms of Minute of angle which is approx. 1" at 100 yard and 2" at 200 yards and 3" at 300 yards and so on and so one. When you use MOA terms the range won't matter that much anymore as it's always sort of implied. But using inches on the groups without expressing the range makes it difficult to interrupt your results without the range to the target also being given.

I shot everything off sand bag rest at 100yds
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotimo you did really good if you got a redx ss upper that will shoot 1" groups. my experience with several uppers from redx was way worse than that. so bad i wont buy anymore from them. you got a good one if it will shoot an inch. you might find some ammo that will shine in that barrel.

bore scopes are neat toys to have. but know when you buy one and use it that ALMOST EVERY mass produced barrel you look at will make you cringe. most are flat out ugly to look at. but yet most will shoot pretty good and some shoot really good. most gunsmiths will scope a barrel for you for free. at least the ones around here will.

That's wild about Red X my buddy has one that shoots lights out that is why I went with them. I'm going to go out this coming weekend and shoot lots of rounds hoping I can get the barrel to come around a little better. I am a millwright by trade so I borrow a bore scope we have at work for machines and brought it home with me today so tonight I'm going to have a look see at the barrel.
 
I built one with the same barrel and it shoots dam good with hand loads. Shoot a couple hundred rounds through it and see if it settles down and more. 1" is really good for factory ammo amd a relatively cheap upper.
 
I know my 7 twist YHM 20" barrel likes 77 grain SMK's best. maybe try a heavier bullet in yours seeings as it's an 8 twist it may like a heavier bullet. I know my 7 twist does alright with 55 grain hornady premium loads with approximately .75" 100 yard groups, but it really likes factory loaded federal premiums with 77 smk's on them with .47" 100 yard groups.
 
So I burnt thru about 400 rounds of FMJ ammo over the course of the past two weeks shooting 50 rounds or so and cleaning it really well then repeating so now I have about 500 rounds thru barrel. I just got back from range and I definitely see a pretty good improvement in accuracy. It went from hovering right around a inch at 100 yds till today when my best group was just under 1/2 in. I am happy now. I will tell you this I tried a group of 5 with 50gr and it was right at a inch. I am thinking about picking up a box of 60 gr BT to try in it. My only thing is I wanted to shoot the 55gr as I have a bunch.... It does now but I still might try some heavier bullets just to see but 1/2 moa at 100 is dang sure coyote accurate. If I got out in the sage to hunt and am looking at 3-5 hundred I won't be shooting 223 anyway.

Thanks again for the advice fella's
 
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