Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
Originally Posted by rickt300
500 yard steel match 3", 5" and 8" steel circles, 10 shots in four minutes. I have loads using the 75 grain Hornady BTHP that shoot MOA in the Wilde it being a M4 barrel contour I can't expect much better. My current Grendel upper is configured the same and shoots about the same. So the plan is to order a heavier 20 inch barrel in one of the above choices. Another choice is my 700 Remington but it gives it's best accuracy with bullets that will not fit in the magazine and at 24 seconds a shot I don't think I am good enough to single load and shoot it fast enough with accuracy. Will most likely use LVR for a powder, any bullets that might prove to be best for this match?

Not too many guys answering your question. Personally I'd be looking at better than "moa" and probably even a different rifle. Also, when you say "moa", is that for 3, 5 or 10 shots? For a shoot like the one you are describing, I'd be looking for sub moa (3/4 at minimum and 1/2 moa would be even better) for 10 shots. You'll need that type of precision to ring the smaller steel plates at 500 yards. Keeping in mind a 3" target is slightly smaller than .6 moa at that distance.

The 2 rifles I'm thinking of would be a Tikka CTR chambered in 6.5 creedmoor, or an AR10 chambered for the same cartridge. From experience shooting at 500 yards, I'd want that higher bc pill from the 6.5 and good ballistics. A fast 6mm (6GT for example) would be great as well and have an edge over the creedmoor. However, those are not on your list.

With the CTR and a 10 round box magazine, it would be very easy to make those shots in the time allotment you have described. You don't need an AR platform for that, but you do need the mag capacity to help with time, rather than single feeding.

To give you an idea, here are some 500 yard targets for reference. Also, I'm showing paper targets because those do not lie. They tell the whole/real story:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

If you look at the outliers, you will see if I would have been just shooting at a 3" target at 500 yards, my hit ratio would be about 60%. If that would have been a 5" plate, the ratio goes up to 90%. An 8" plate would be 100%. That target was shot with a S&W M&P10 Performance Center 6.5 creedmoor.

My Tikka CTR would have been roughly the same because of my poor wind call:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
50% hit ratio for a 3" target, 80% for a 5" target and 100% for an 8" target.

What it is going to boil down to is what rifle shoots best for you. Personally I would not use a slow Grendal or slow 6mm, and the reports of precision for the 6 ARC in the AR platform have not been stellar. That leaves you with the old tried and true 223 rem, out of the choices you give. However, I would not use the bullet you mentioned. They just don't shoot as well (IMHO) as a good SMK or TMK. 69 or 77gr pills. I know, others may argue, but I'd love to see their honest 500 yard targets.

Another thing is, how fierce is the competition? Is it a bunch of old club members or a fun day with the buddies out for some grudge matches? Or are you going to get some shooters from the big city clubs that shoot F class or highpower? For as many guys that claim to shoot at distance here, you sure are not getting a lot of responses. Good luck with your shoot. It would be cool if you would post pictures of your rifles capabilities at 500 yards, that would make it easier for us to discern which would be best to use. Hopefully you have some time to get it figured out.

Definitely a bunch of old club members. we are all over 60 if that is old to you. For sure neither of the M4 contour carbines would fill the bill. I have two Heavy contoured 20" 223 uppers that shoot pretty good, better than MOA but not much better with 10 shots (most of the time) I being the limiting factor. Possibly I should try the bullets you mentioned. I have some property where I can set up targets out to 600 yards so I certainly have a leg up on the competition. I wanted to use a cartridge that would not heat the barrel up too much shooting a shot every 24 seconds and that I could see my impacts. I do have a M700 in 260 Remington that is a tackdriver but the barrel contour is similar to the 24 inch Remington sporter contour and I figure it would not pass the heating up issue. The rifle mentioned previously is a 308 with a varmint contour barrel that I figure could stand 10 shots in 4 minutes. Possibly that rifle with a bottom metal change would be my best choice. You can shoot the ten shots at any of the three targets and the 8 inch target is one point, the five inch is two points and the 3 inch target is 3 points. It seems easy enough......

When you say 3 shots, 5 shots or ten shots inside of MOA my answer depends on how fast I am shooting. And my strategy would be to get the wind on the 8" target and then hammer the 5" target. If I have to cycle a bolt action and get my finger back on the trigger I figure that would knock several seconds off my time available for the next shot. In fact I am going outside right now and burn some ammo on my 200 yard range set up. The bench is 50 feet from my front door.

Dog I rescued in January

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