Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Ordered an AR-15 for Scoped Use

What are you planning to send down the tube?

Dave,

I have more than a few rounds of Winchester Supreme ammo with 55-grain Ballistic Silvertips. The lot I have is superbly accurate in every .223 I've ever shot and I suspect it will be pretty decent in the 5.56 chamber.

I loaded a few mags with the ammo and it clears, so it will probably function fine.

Anyway that's my plan.

I'll probably throw a few boxes of assorted Black Hills and Hornady ammo in the truck, too.

Anyway, my project is kinda hanging-fire until:

a) our "guest" leaves
b) the best of all possible scope mounts arrives
c) I get stuff cleaned up at our church (I have a LOT of ministries)
d) I get my energy up and actually make the long trip to the range and spend the time.

Be assured, I WILL post just as soon as I get some data.

Blessings,

Steve

Friends,

The wonderful LaRue mount came and I must say that I am very impressed. The construction is bulletproof, it's really light and it fits like no product I've ever seen.

Here are some photos:




















The Leupold Vari-X III 4.5-14X40 fits perfectly and the eye relief simply could not be better.

Interestingly, I bore-sighted the rig and it is absolutely spot-on. I would not be surprised if it was very close to zeroed at 100 yards.

I love the rifle and hope you do, too.

Blessings,

Steve

I learned something.

In looking at my photos, the LaRue mount was mounted a couple of notches too far back and, as a result, the scope was not well supported by the rings.

Soooo, a little Torx Wrench work and this is way better:











Amazingly, after having mounted literally hundreds and hundreds of scopes, it was the photos that showed me my error. Of course, I'm relatively unfamiliar with the AR format, but I'm learning fast.

Blessings,

Steve

I was going to ask if the mount could go farther forward.It looks much better now.The only reason I noticed it is because my scope sits all the way forward in my temporary rings.I'm lusting for one of thoes mounts myself.

Now you're cooking!

That scope and mount combo look great. That is a sleek looking rig that just looks like it will be a killer! Be sure to let us know how she shoots.

Steve,

Great looking rig. I just picked up a Stiller lower yesterday, figuring I had better get an AR while I still can. Planning on a VLTOR upper, but after that, still putting it together in my head.

Kinda trying to build a 'tweener. Accurate enough for distant coyotes, but portable enough for cleaning house. #1 priority for me is rock solid reliability, after that, precision followed by handiness.

Thinking about a medium weight 16" barrel. I want a free floating forend, but not rifle length. Does anyone make a medium length free float forend with some picatinny, but not completely covered in it?

Probably just going to run an A2 buttstock.

Going to run a low powered variable, in the 1-4 range. I see lots of mounts and was wondering why I couldn't just run rings directly on the upper. What am I missing there?

Also thinking I'm going to go with a Geissle trigger.

Your thoughts?

John

Very nice rifle. I like the fore end....I think there are quite a few AR's coming out with something similar due to weight reduction and just smoother, user friendly style.

Like the Larue mounts also.

Friend John,

I'm really brand-new at this AR thing, but it sounds to me like you are going to have an excellent rifle. There's a world of fantastic advice on this forum, so I'm trying to keep quiet and keeping my ears open .... and I'm learning so, so much every day.

I took my Noveske out for her first little range session yesterday. I only had a very short time because I had lots of church duties. Below is the first "for record" group through my new Noveske with the Black Hole barrel. This group is undoubtedly an anomaly, but still ..........

God Bless You,

Steve

XXXX

Photo of target removed. I got a phone call from an old reader who doesn't believe that such accuracy is possible with an AR. So, down comes the target.

It was GOOD.

ST

Steve, you should have left it up! I posted my sub MOA 3 shot group from a cheap Colt 6720 wearing a Kahles 3.5x10x50 shooting 65 grain Game Kings. If you shot the group then leave it up! When I mentioned that I shot the group with the original Colt trigger, someone who has not posted groups from his new rifle and shall remain nameless pondered how much better I could have done with a fancy trigger, such is the nature of the interweb!

That 4.5 x 14 is beginning to get me jealous. I looking at John Burns rifle in Leupold rings mounted so far forward that it just had to be easy to pick up a view and pull the trigger. I was kind of getting bored but now am getting really interested again, maybe pick up another rifle, and put a new scope on it. I do love deer hunting with them now, lightweight, low recoil, not too loud compared to a short 308.

You are basically describing what is known in some parts of the military as the "Recce" M4. It's what was wanted until the Army got involved 10 years ago.

This is what became of that-



18in Douglas Stainless Match Barrel, rifle length free float forend, two stage match trigger, and a 2.5-8x36mm Leupold scope. Some use the NF 2.5-10x scope as well. The SPR/MK12 MOD 0 and MOD 1 are probably the killingest small arms in the military's inventory for the last decade. Using MK262 ammo (77gr SMK) they are unstoppable at 400 yards, usable to 600, and can be pushed out past 800 when necessary.

I had a bunch of time on those guns and thought them the pinnacle of the M16 family of weapons until I got behind the 16in Recce.



There is no "standard" for the Recce's. That was my first and the one I used the most usually with the same 2.5-8x scope or a 1-4x. The 16in hits the same targets with the same holds as the longer SPR yet is easier in buildings. One day I put a 13in handguard on a 14.5in M4 and it wasn't long before I mounted a scope and started shooting. Now my preference is a 14.5 inch with 12-14 inch forend, Geissele SSA-E, low powered variable 1-6x or 1-8x optic, and collapsable stock. Preferably with a suppressor..... grin


This is the SOPMOD Block II M4-



It has my Eotech and a borrowed magnifier on it. It is completely capable out to 600M on 12in plates with a different optic.



These days for duty, competition and personal use I prefer a 14.5in gun with a rifle length free float tube on it. The 14.5's with match ammo will hit the 600 yard targets with basically the same hold offs as the 18 and 16in guns, but are much easier to use in cramped spaces. The only reason I would go with a 16 in now is if someone didn't want to weld a muzzle device on a 14.5in.


Hondo,

One thing I absolutely must have, and you'll notice one all three of the rifles above is a rifle length forend. Not sure why you would want one shorter? I like them to come all the way up to the brake/flash hider with just enough room to clear a suppressor. That does a couple of things- mainly it lets you grip out further on the handguard to "drive" the gun with more control, it gives you room for an optic, BUIS, flashlight, and laser, and it ensures that when shooting on/around barricades and different rests that it is the forend touching and not the barrel.

Speaking of groups.... These are the only two groups I shot the other day to rezero with a new lot of ammo at 100m. The Green 16in from above was used.

1st group, 3 rounds-





and zeroed with the 2nd group, 5 rounds-




Of course to really snap the doubters I could mention that I was banging headshots at 400 meters and that the rifle hasn't seen a patch or been cleaned in over 3k rounds.........

I'll re-evaluate my choice of hand guard lengths. Up to this point, it was purely aesthetics. Thanks for the info. Can't bring myself to go with a 14" barrel, and won't be running a suppressor, so will probably stick with a 16" or 18" barrel.

Thanks for the intel.

John

I'll probably pizz off my ex-reader, but I will show one group ... the worst one.

I only had a very limited amount of time yesterday, so I took a single box of Winchester Supreme (black box) 55-grain ammo.

It took me five to get on target @100-yards (I'm getting old, feeble and addled), so I had 15 rounds left.

The first five-shot group was the best and it was fabulous. The second five-shot group was one-tenth of an inch larger, but still incredible.

This is my third group, which is the worst of the three. Given that, you can only imagine how good the first 5-shot group was. (Hint: half of this one)

I do believe that the Noveske with the Black Hole is going to be a shooter.







Not bad for an old fart.

God Bless,

Steve

Friend Hondo,

I'm loving my little "house cleaner" ... A S&W M&P AR-15 TS with it's cute little 14�-nch barrel and pinned vortex flash-hider. It is a wicked little [bleep], with it's Aimpoint H-1 and superb BUIS.

Blessings,

Steve

AR's don't shoot..... they are for spray and pray....... grin

I called Curt today and ordered a SFR!


ddj

My 18" Noveske SPR 3.5-10 Leupold

My 17" Krieger RECCE 3.5-10 Leupold (currently with an M1 elevation dial)

My 16" Noveske RECCE (1.5-5 Leupold which now belongs to a friend of mine)

Now I'm trying the longer hand guard thing and I like it but no critter pics yet... 2.5-8 Leupold 16" Colt pencil barrel

I prefer 16" barrells, especially for "spraying and praying"

Steve,

Who provides Black Hole with their barrel blanks? Looks like all parties concerned know what they are doing...

John