Long range Ar15 shooting.

[SparksFly]

Given that a .22 can go a mile I would think you would be fine with 223. The wind will push the bullet around though so you would need accurate calculations for windage but as long as you get that and the range right you should be fine. As said above, since you are only shooting paper you will be fine. Paper is pretty easy to shoot through.

 

[USMC-03]

Wish I still lived over in the Central Oregon area; just no way for me to make a decent living...

 

[osprey]

To shoot 1 moa at 800 yds with 5.56 is pushing the limits of the cartridge but it is possible. I would recommend a 20" barrel as minimum. If you are staying with the 5.56 thinking ammo will be cheap, you may be in for a shock when you price the specialty ammo capable of what you want. If you are serious about it you may want to consider reloading in which case other more capable calibers will become affordable to shoot. I strongly recommend researching the 6.5 grendel in the ar15 platform or better yet the 6.5 Creedmoor in an ar10 platform. Either way good luck in your quest and have fun.

 

[USMC-03]

To shoot 1 moa at 800 yds with 5.56 is pushing the limits of the cartridge but it is possible. I would recommend a 20" barrel as minimum.

Agree.

 

[USMC-03]

Given that a .22 can go a mile I would think you would be fine with 223.

Travel a mile, yes; stability is another matter. Accuracy requires stability and stability requires supersonic velocities until the target is reached.

 

[No_Regerts]

Are you 100% dedicated to the AR platform? A Tikka T3 comes with an 8 twist and you can play with OAL if you're a reloader. Punch the chamber to AI and load a high BC bullet. A 243 with 105gr AMAX is a good way to go too......

 

[SparksFly]

Travel a mile, yes; stability is another matter. Accuracy requires stability and stability requires supersonic velocities until the target is reached.

Yes. That of course is the hard part as many .223 rounds will struggle to maintain a supersonic velocity at 800 yards. With Remington 55gr .223 the max supersonic range is 600 yards so I would not be surprised if the OP began to lose accuracy at a good rate when bumped out to 800. Reloading might be a good way to go to achieve maximum accuracy at that range. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[whitney]

So I found a new hunting/shooting area that is pretty open. My gps says it is .8 miles long, and I now that I have access to a spot where I can reach out, I would like to get an Ar that will hit out there. Up until now, I have never shot further than 250 yards. Due to limited funds, I am not going with a 6.5 or 6.8 caliber and just sticking with good old 5.56. My main question is will an 18in barrel be ok, or do I need a 20-24in? I am not expecting bench rest accuracy, but I would like to hit a silhouette sized target consistently from, say 800 yards or so. Will a 1 moa 16in barrel print anywhere close to an 8in group at 800 yards with good conditions?

I also found signs of coyotes out there; pretty excited.

View attachment 349062']View attachment 349063[/URL]

Where did you find that spare tank ? I have been looking for something like that for my old KLR 250.

~Whitney

 

[Boboclown]

I can't see 800 yard 's lol but I am planning on building a AR 10 but I would think that for a 5.56 you would need perfect condition 's any wind would push that small bullet off at 800 yards but I'm no professional at long range shooting

Don't need near perfect condition, just gotta know math or do well with holdovers. Both depending on how windy it is.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Where did you find that spare tank ? I have been looking for something like that for my old KLR 250.

~Whitney

It is a Rotopax. I have had it for a few years and absolutely love it. Stay away from Koplin (similar style tank)

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Oh, I have plans to use a bolt action as well. I am just wanting to build a new coyote ar, and was wondering if I could get away with an 18in. Some say yes and some say no. I think I am going to go with a 20in. The extra weight will be a decent payoff for the added velocity.

 

[2ndtimer]

I bought a Stag Model 6 a few years ago for just that application. From a solid rest, it is very accurate at 480 yards with 69 gr bullets out of the 24" stainless heavy barrel with 1 in 8" twist. That Stag also wears a Vortex Viper 6.5-20X scope.
A 20" barrel is much easier to deploy and carry, but you want every foot per second of velocity you can get, if you desire accuracy beyond 600 yards. I haven't really tried the 77 gr bullets yet, but I expect similar performance. Next time out, I will try the 600 and 800 yard gongs and see if I can connect.
FWIW , I also scored some good hits on a 10"x 12" gong at 480 with my S&W M&P 15 Sport with the original 1 in 8" 5R rifled 16" barrel using a Redfield 2-7X scope.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Back in the days of my youth ... I won many a case beer with a standard M16A2
( non scoped , just issued iron sights ) on the KD range hitting targets at 800 yards.
So it can be done ... by me today , probably not...
Andy

 

[Kruel J]

I just finished an 18" SPR build that I plan on reaching out to 800 with. Minute of human sized steel silhouette anyway.

 

[USMC-03]

Back in the days of my youth ... I won many a case beer with a standard M16A2
( non scoped , just issued iron sights ) on the KD range hitting targets at 800 yards.
So it can be done ... by me today , probably not...
Andy

Back in my days as a marksmanship instructor I would often borrow one of my Marine's rifles at the end of qualifying and shoot bullseyes at 500 yards offhand. That shut up many naysayers...

 

[DizzyJ]

I bought a Stag Model 6 a few years ago for just that application. From a solid rest, it is very accurate at 480 yards with 69 gr bullets out of the 24" stainless heavy barrel with 1 in 8" twist. That Stag also wears a Vortex Viper 6.5-20X scope.
A 20" barrel is much easier to deploy and carry, but you want every foot per second of velocity you can get, if you desire accuracy beyond 600 yards. I haven't really tried the 77 gr bullets yet, but I expect similar performance. Next time out, I will try the 600 and 800 yard gongs and see if I can connect.
FWIWView attachment 354382 , I also scored some good hits on a 10"x 12" gong at 480 with my S&W M&P 15 Sport with the original 1 in 8" 5R rifled 16" barrel using a Redfield 2-7X scope.

That's some good shooting right there!

I've got an 18" SPR I built specifically for a long range class up in Yakima. It carried the mail fairly decently. Have a load with the 77gr SMKs, but even they get pushed around pretty bad when the wind picks up.