AR-15 accuracy with bulk ammo

[Hop]

Stoked to get hits at 929 yards this weekend!!!

I ran in a team Run-n-Gun match in Cross Timbers Missouri. "Run for your life Zombie Run-n-Gun" is a 10k 2 gun match held at the Lucas Oil Ranch Shooting complex. The MD is know for making things hard on 9mm & .223 shooters. This year was no exception.

Gun:
16" Faxon pencil barrel
PSA upper/lower & small parts kit
2A Arms trigger
Trijicon TA31-ECOS

Ammo:
PPU prvi 69gr match (gold box)

I had to hit the 1st long range target before we could team up shooting closer targets. Targets at this stage STARTED at 929 yards and warked backwards to ~5 yards (small green Throoms). The next closer ~860 yard target was hit by my teammate and his short barrel AR15 pistol.

We were the only team shooting AR15 to clear the stage. Only 12 of the 72 teams cleaned it. Everyone else DNF'd.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[DolomiteDave]

When I was mainly a bulk ammo shooter I could squeeze out under 1 moa at 200 yards with bulk. Id throw a movie on in the background and weight every round and separate them by weight into smaller batches. Definitely not the move if you have a reloading set up / can afford match ammo, but it worked for me as a young man in college.

 

[ntrngr]

Its always amazed me how everyday, Marines around the World qualify Expert out to 500 yards using M855 ammo through 16" M4's with a 4 power ACOG.

why is that surprising? My data shows they shoot great when you dont try stupid stuff ĺlike me!] and shoot it in rifles that were not designed for it (Savage bolt guns). Besides, those Jarheads can steer that bullet in flight, I'm convinced of it!

 

[Creedmoor]

Besides, those Jarheads can steer that bullet in flight, I'm convinced of it!

I need no convincing, ive seen it happen.

 

[Doug]

I don't have an AR, but I discovered PMC 55 grain FMJ would do 1 MOA in my Ruger American Ranch. It seems very consistent.

 

[Principal Skinr]

I don't have an AR, but I discovered PMC 55 grain FMJ would do 1 MOA in my Ruger American Ranch. It seems very consistent.

I've found that to be pretty good ammo in my ARs and Ruger, too. Wolf Gold has been surprisingly accurate for me, too. Again, 55 grain.

 

[jwamplerusa]

This isn't quite a Necro thread, so I guess this is as good a place to whine as any.

Most of my shooting is indoor at a max of 25yds, it's just what I have available without a one and a half hour drive.

Today a couple of us made the 1.5 hour trek to Bass and Bucks. Loved the place, great facility and people.

By the time we finished I was thoroughly disappointed and frustrated. I'm no great marksman, but I have shot better than this, and I expected far more from myself and my equipment today.

Rifles were a LWRCI M6IC SPR with a Vortex 1-8 FFP Strike Eagle, and a WWSD2020 with a Holosun 512 with 3x magnifier both 16 inch. Ammo was mostly Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56.

I expected 1 - 1.5 MOA from the rifles, and another 1 - 1.5 MOA from the ammo for a practical accuracy of 2-3 MOA I wasn't even close to achieving my expectations at 200yds.

This is from a bench with bag support up front, and support under the stock toe.

Can anyone provide feedback on your experience with the Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56 accuracy?

 

[natdscott]

Depends on the AR. Depends on the "bulk".

Depends on the shooter......

 

[duanewade]

I've got a PSA home built AR, a Remington 783 and a 580 series mini-14 and all 3 rifles shoot the Frontier ammo with acceptable results. My 783 will shoot about anything with 1" or less groups at 100 yards. The AR will go 1½ to 2 inch groups and the mini-14 will do under 2" until the barrel gets too hot to touch LOL.

 

[ws6duramax]

This isn't quite a Necro thread, so I guess this is as good a place to whine as any.

Most of my shooting is indoor at a max of 25yds, it's just what I have available without a one and a half hour drive.

Today a couple of us made the 1.5 hour trek to Bass and Bucks. Loved the place, great facility and people.

By the time we finished I was thoroughly disappointed and frustrated. I'm no great marksman, but I have shot better than this, and I expected far more from myself and my equipment today.

Rifles were a LWRCI M6IC SPR with a Vortex 1-8 FFP Strike Eagle, and a WWSD2020 with a Holosun 512 with 3x magnifier both 16 inch. Ammo was mostly Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56.

I expected 1 - 1.5 MOA from the rifles, and another 1 - 1.5 MOA from the ammo for a practical accuracy of 2-3 MOA I wasn't even close to achieving my expectations at 200yds.

This is from a bench with bag support up front, and support under the stock toe.

Can anyone provide feedback on your experience with the Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56 accuracy?

I had terrible luck with Frontier 5.56 55gr hollow point match ammo , but good results with same ammo except in 223. The 5.56 ammo was at best 5-6 moa. I had multiple FTF and FTE and lots of primers blowing out of the pockets. The 223 ammo shot 1 moa +/- a little , depending on the gun .

I ended up contacting Hornady and they returned the 4,000 rounds of 5.56 I had for 223. I have a good friend that I shoot with quite often and he has had the exact same results except no primer blow outs. I have no idea why the 5.56 ammo is so much different than the 223.

We both use AR platforms. Barrel length varies from 18-22'' and twist rates between 1-8 and 1-12 . Neither of us shoot the same brand barrels , BCG or gas blocks , yet get the same results. So I'm guessing it's the ammo. I know it's not the same ammo as yours , but I thought I'd share what we found.

 

[nipprdog]

Can anyone provide feedback on your experience with the Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56 accuracy?

I tried it once. In my ruger American bolt action in 5.56. Bulk Federal XM193 was more accurate.

 

[Dean C.]

This isn't quite a Necro thread, so I guess this is as good a place to whine as any.

Most of my shooting is indoor at a max of 25yds, it's just what I have available without a one and a half hour drive.

Today a couple of us made the 1.5 hour trek to Bass and Bucks. Loved the place, great facility and people.

By the time we finished I was thoroughly disappointed and frustrated. I'm no great marksman, but I have shot better than this, and I expected far more from myself and my equipment today.

Rifles were a LWRCI M6IC SPR with a Vortex 1-8 FFP Strike Eagle, and a WWSD2020 with a Holosun 512 with 3x magnifier both 16 inch. Ammo was mostly Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56.

I expected 1 - 1.5 MOA from the rifles, and another 1 - 1.5 MOA from the ammo for a practical accuracy of 2-3 MOA I wasn't even close to achieving my expectations at 200yds.

This is from a bench with bag support up front, and support under the stock toe.

Can anyone provide feedback on your experience with the Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56 accuracy?

Honestly I avoid Hornady 223/5.56 offerings myself. Your LWRC is capable of way better accuracy than that.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I had excellent luck with Federal American Eagle in my Colt HBAR. MOA or better. My hand loads match it so I'm thrilled with it too.

 

[Mgderf]

My car won't run worth a s**t on cheap gas.
Do you guys get the same results?

 

[DadSmith]

This isn't quite a Necro thread, so I guess this is as good a place to whine as any.

Most of my shooting is indoor at a max of 25yds, it's just what I have available without a one and a half hour drive.

Today a couple of us made the 1.5 hour trek to Bass and Bucks. Loved the place, great facility and people.

By the time we finished I was thoroughly disappointed and frustrated. I'm no great marksman, but I have shot better than this, and I expected far more from myself and my equipment today.

Rifles were a LWRCI M6IC SPR with a Vortex 1-8 FFP Strike Eagle, and a WWSD2020 with a Holosun 512 with 3x magnifier both 16 inch. Ammo was mostly Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56.

I expected 1 - 1.5 MOA from the rifles, and another 1 - 1.5 MOA from the ammo for a practical accuracy of 2-3 MOA I wasn't even close to achieving my expectations at 200yds.

This is from a bench with bag support up front, and support under the stock toe.

Can anyone provide feedback on your experience with the Hornady Frontier 68gr 5.56 accuracy?

Hornady 68gr bthp match bullet is junk. Go 75gr its much better.

I tried my best to get their 68gr to give good results in several rifles. 1-7 and 1-8 twist barrels. I will never buy that bullet or ammunition again.

I love the Hornady 75gr bthp match bullet iys good.

If someone ever got 1 moa with the Hornady 68gr please post and the powder, charge, primer, col, and case you used.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I ALWAYS leave Bass and Bucks with more questions than answers. I wish they had camping and a taco truck...

 

[natdscott]

Hornady 68gr bthp match bullet is junk. Go 75gr its much better.

I tried my best to get their 68gr to give good results in several rifles. 1-7 and 1-8 twist barrels. I will never buy that bullet or ammunition again.

I love the Hornady 75gr bthp match bullet iys good.

If someone ever got 1 moa with the Hornady 68gr please post and the powder, charge, primer, col, and case you used.

I don't know if it's "junk", per se, but an equal of the 75 it is not.

The 69 SMK is one of the greatest .224 bullets ever designed, but the Hornady 68 just doesn't have the Right Stuff.

Only AR I have handled that I thought was a legitimate 1/4" gun....well, it did so with the 75 Hornady BTHP, in the face of Sierra, JLK, and Berger offerings.

Are the Hornady bullets equal to all of the above, usually? No. But, they were in THAT tube.

-Nate

 

[Bighoss91]

One of my worst range days was with Hornady frontier ammo 100rnds 55 grain fmj and 150rnds 68grain. Many failures to ignite the primer many ftf and 4.5-5moa was 1 fluke group. Most were about 6moa I ended getting some pmc 55grain from a fellow shooter and had no problems, groups were consistent 1.5moa. This was a personal build with a criterion barrel. It has since been through about 1000rnds federal xm855 with 0 failures and runs about 1-1.5moa if I do my part. Hand loads run about 5/8 to 3/4moa with 69grain smk pills.

 

[Tombs]

My colt 20" tends to shoot 1.5-2moa consistently with just about any typical flavor of M193. 3 rounds, 5 rounds, or 10 rounds, usually seems to be the same. And most other quality AR15s I've shot have been in that same ballpark. I don't know if that says more about me, the ammo, or the guns. But I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that's mostly down to ammo in this case.

I'm pretty skeptical of 1moa claims from bulk ammo, I'd suggest if you're seeing that, you increase your round counts before measuring. 3 round groups are more representative of the rifle, 10 round groups are more representative of the ammo.

 

[TWalker]

Depends on the bulk ammo. I've seen some bulk steel case vary almost 1000fps in a 6.5grendel AR. You won't get much accuracy out of that no matter what rifle you use.

I think an average 5.56 AR shouldn't be more than 2 moa. Remember if you're not a 2moa shooter from a semi-automatic rifle, it doesn't really matter.

I've had "service grade" rifles hold 6" groups at 300meters with 62gr. standard Federal green tip. I think that's about 2moa. I was probably the limiting factor at the time.

As far as Bass and Bucks. You should've just went into the shop and bought some different ammo. The guys are super friendly. I had some difficulty with a Rem700 and they hooked me up. Bought some different ammo and started dinging that back 715yd target. (we bring steel when we go)