AR guys

skeets

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Best twist rate,,,, 1:7 or 1:9 for over all useage like out to 400 meters using NATO rounds
 

Fro65

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For M193, I use 1 in 9. For M855 I might lean towards 1 in 7. I'd look for a 1 in 8 because it is a good compromise. :D
 

sdk1968

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ya gotta remember that twist rates in ar's has changed a lot over the years..

back in the 60's they were 1/14, then 1/12... now you see lots of 1/9 & 1/7

you wont go wrong with either in a 16" AR... especially not if you shoot the same stuff in it all the time.. over & over & learn how the gun prints in hot, cold & to shoot the gun for what it is.

its a semi automatic assault rifle. the round is fairly accurate, but putting all the mall ninja's aside, no one takes an AR to a real accuracy contest.
(unless its an AR contest)

You know i build these every week & wouldnt BS you.
great weapon. good for some light hunting... or man hunting.

best thing is that you can put much better calibers on the platform to do real hunting with them & get pretty decent results.

but lets be more specific to what you asked: 400yds is the distance you called.

what are you doing at 400yds?

plinking steel plates?

harassing a deer?

ground hog?

wild boar?

if you are doing anything besides plinking a plate at 400yds with a 5.56 in a 16" barrel? you are expecting too much from the set up.

now if you are wanting to go serious at that distance?

you really need to go to a 20" barrel, fixed stock like an M16. then you could ad ground hog or prarie dog into the mix.

bigger game? you need a better caliber!!
 

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
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I was heading more for ground hogs ,yots and what ever critters might show up, anything larger I fall to the 06, just because, I load for it and shoot well. But Im looking toward a truck gun and yes a 20 incher would be best for what i want. I picked up an Anderson lower (new) for song and I figure its time for a build
 

SRG

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B8200D 4WD........ JD 870, FWA, 300x FEL.......... JD 797, 72" Z-Trak
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Lighter the bullet, slower the twist rate. NATO rounds, 55gr and 62gr, you should be fine with 1/9 twist. If you want to use heavier MATCH ammo up to 77gr stuff, the consensus is to use 1/7 twist. What has become popular these days is 1/8 twist which gives a good middle ground.

I would just use 1/7 twist. It's what FNH builds their 20" barrels with.

Personally i think most AR guys like to fuss about tiny little details that really have no major effect on most things. Most just like to 'measure and argue' ;)

Here's my 20"...
 

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CaveCreekRay

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Just did a 4-day black gun class and after shooting at 200 yards, even with a 3x on my EoTech, seeing things at that range and actually hitting them, even on a bench rest or prone, is tough. Hitting a man-sized silhouette consistently is tough enough, much less a moving critter.

The 223/556 is a great platform but, like SDK said, its no sniper set-up. And, its loud. A couple guys had .308s and they were only marginally more accurate under the timed scenarios we shot under (100 yds. Standing to prone, five seconds, two shots) but they were big and heavy. Gave me a whole new respect for the 223/556 platform and what it will do. A standard AR with iron sights or a light Red Dot makes a great varmint gun.

Carrying my Sig for four days gave me a huge respect for the guys who carry and sleep with their guns in harms way, 24/7. God bless 'em all.



Keep an eye out for a sale on a Stoner upper. Midway had 'em for $200 awhile back. Can't beat the price and quality.
 

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skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
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Yeah I looked at a new Sig,,,,, and handed it right back 1300 is way above my pay scale
 

CaveCreekRay

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I couldn't pass up the Law Enforcement discount... ($700 back then!)

AR platforms are so cheap today you can build up really nice customs for under $500. Too good to pass up. And, they are way lighter!
 

johnjk

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I like the .223 round but for accuracy I went with a Savage bolt action and scope combo that Cabela's had on sale a while back. It came with a 5 round clip and for 300 bucks, well, it is the right price for fun. I have it sighted in at 200 yds which takes me from my back porch to the tree line. Much more accurate than my AR (16" barrel) and it will handle the steel case ammo I bought years ago. The AR will not cycle the steel case. It gets hot, the varnish on the case starts to melt and sticks. What a mess.
 

bucktail

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L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
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1 in 9 will be fine with NATO ammo. That said faster twist isn't going to hurt anything unless you're handloading hornet bullets or shooting benchrest. With the hornet bullets it's a remote possibility that you could spin them apart. This is more of an issue with the faster 22s. For benchrest the faster twist can bring the tip up a little.
 

sdk1968

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tickled to death to see we have gun smart guys here & not just mall ninja's!!

ok so you might toy with yote's or plinking..

& as mentioned 55 or 62 grns in an AR is a world of difference for small bullets.
seriously though if you want to get a LOT better at 400? do the 20" barrel. the cost is negligible & so is the weight for what you are aiming to do.
(think M16 set up, just dont pay that kind of change for it)

very happy to hear that you would chose 06 for anything large. SMART hunter!

might use my M1 Garand in 06.... its pretty accurate for a SA.. & im fairly happy with .308nato in my AR 10's, HK's, CETME's & so on... good solid round with many custom loads around.

the paper punching crowd has all moved to 6mm now days.. but its just for paper dotting.

but for $100? its really hard to beat an old Mosin Nagant in 54R(russian 06)!

if you want to go hog hunting? on the AR platform? then you want to go with that 450BM i put together last week w/laser.. dats a killer out to about 200.
 

Fro65

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Skeets,

If you take on a build, put the bulk of your money in the barrel (floated) and bolt/carrier. A top tier trigger helps but is not absolutely necessary. A GI trigger can be tuned up pretty decently.

As far as accuracy, ask the USAMU team at Camp Perry. The nationals matches are absolutely ruled by black guns now. I too had to retire my M1A years ago because I got tired of getting smoked by the "mouse guns".

Sub MOA is easily attainable out to 600 yards with handloads. Nato rounds, not so much;)

There are no groundhogs within 600 yards of my house.:D

Notice, no glass in the picture. Ten rounds prone with a sling. And yes, the fliers were all me.
 

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sdk1968

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if you did that naked eye/irons at 600 with a stock AR & stock ammo?

you are a VERY good shot & have some super good eyes. congrats to you! & be proud of that shooting! im jelly for sure!


just got to see the picture: thats not a stock AR or just irons...... & i STILL couldnt do that kind of shooting with it.
 

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
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WOW you guys got this covered, I used a 22.250 for 40 years and love it but shes a tad to big and heavy for a truck gun so to speak,, I think that Unertl scope weights about 150 pounds,,lol Thank you for the information, and yes barrel and bolt carrier...
Now any have suggestions for components,,, and remember guys Im not looking for a comp gun just one that will go bang every time and hit what I shoot at, if I do my part
 

CaveCreekRay

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The periodic Midway deal on Stoner uppers makes that part easy.

Stoner INVENTED the AR platform. :)
 

sdk1968

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The periodic Midway deal on Stoner uppers makes that part easy.

Stoner INVENTED the AR platform. :)
Midway is a great place to get stuff.

you gonna make your own lower?

or you just lego'ing an AR together?

(its not really worth messing with doing it yourself other than to be able to say "you did it"... todays pricing at $39-$49 for a lower)
 

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
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Like I said I picked up an anderson lower for almost nada,, so i will start there :D
 

Sono

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M6-111 M7060 BV4160
Feb 21, 2018
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The 1 in 7 was designed for the ridiculously long tracers used now. A 1 in 9 or even 1 in 8 will stabilize most everything you will feed it. I shoot 3gun for a rifle manufacturer and we stabilize 77gr SMK with a 1 in 8 barrel.

If you do go 1 in 7 keep it 50gr or more. Some light rounds suffer in this barrel.

It’s hard to go wrong with a good AR. One stays in the cab with me for coyotes.