Official Firearm Thread V3

[Penguin]

In other news Brownells tells me that my Knights Armament Co. SR-15 E3 Mod2 M-Lok is on the way to my dealer. Should be in on Friday.

[THE RZA]

I told you a week ago that you’d end up loving The Jack.

 

 

 

Not to beat a dead horse or anything.

 

 

 

It’s a solid rifle. I haven’t shot any of these rifles scoped yet, just with the Red Dot. For short range shooting the Jack reigned supreme

[Penguin]

I’m sure it will do just fine scoped.

 

At this point after 17 years of conflict and .mil contacts being filled for M4’s, the state of duty grade CMV 4150 chrome lined barrel making is as good as it has ever been. I would be shocked if any quality barrel made to the TDP, or exceeding it, didn’t shoot well at distance with quality ammo from a good rest with good optics on the rifle.

[THE RZA]

I don’t doubt it. the scope test across all the rifles will be the true test of accuracy. Industry standard is 100 yard bench rest with scope and 3 loads of ammo.

 

I like doing testing with a red dot at 25 & 50 yards standing too because I believe the true purpose of a carbine is it’s effectiveness in close range.

[Code]

Let's suppose I lived in one of the most liberal states in the country with regards to gun laws. Let's say I''ve owned shotguns and rifles, but never a pistol.

 

If I was looking for a first handgun to spend a lot of time with at the range, and maybe put in the glove box on occasion, but not really own for concealed carry, what would that be? There seem to be a dizzying array of options.

 

For reference, the couple times I shot a pistol at the range, my scores were better with the M1911 type than the M9 or glock.

 

Walther Q5

[Penguin]

KAC showed up.

 

Stand by.

[Penguin]

Brief update. New rifle showed up on Friday the 27th of April. Free shipping from Brownells, which was 2nd day FedEx, so kudos to Brownells for stepping up on that.

 

Picked it up after doing my work related recertification and simulator training for the year, and headed to the range.

 

It was windy as hell, with a 1/4 value wind somewhere in the 12-20mph range. Had to dial in more left windage than I wanted to to get zeroed, will have to revisit on a calm day. Shot only Winchester M855 that I have a good quantity of. My quest to find a barrel that shoots this garbage any better than 3.0-4.0 MOA will have to continue, the KAC cold hammer forged chrome lined barrel hates this shit as much as my Daniel Defense CHF nitrided barrel, and Colt button broached chrome lined barrel. At 200 yards in the wind conditions I was shooting in the M855 wouldn’t hold the head of a B27. In the KAC’s defense the wind was gusty and inconsistent, and it shot the M855 about equally well (or poorly) as anything else I’ve tried in barrels that I know are sub MOA capable with good ammo.

 

Fired brass ejects strait to the 3:00-3:30 with the full powered 5.56mm NATO, so I’ll call this carbine very well regulated for the gas system and buffer. Brass comes out free of any marks at all. Unusual for full powered 5.56 out of an AR. No chamber marks. No damage to case rims from the extractor. No brass flow into the ejector. No dinged up case bodies from slamming into the shell deflector. Very nice. Part of this is due to the KAC bolt, unlike a normal AR bolt the bolt face is fully supported on the KAC, the normal extractor cutout in an AR bolt is gone on the KAC. Instead the KAC extractor is rebated to accommodate a fully supportive bolt face.

 

The stock rifle is pretty much ready to go out of the box. The only thing to be changed will be the 3 prong flash hider. I don’t currently have a suppressor, so rocking a 3 prong flash hider made to host a suppressor has no benefit to me over a hybrid compensating flash hider at the moment. Stock trigger is a nice 2 stage, no need to replace with a Geissele. Stock BUIS are excellent. Stock furniture is pretty much what I’d put on anyway. Fully ambidextrous lower is nice but will take training to fully utilize.

 

Have Hornady 75gr to run through and see if good ammo shoots well (be surprised if it doesn’t), then decide what optic I really want on it. Currently mounting an NXS 1-4X24, laid hands on an Aimpoint Comp M5 yesterday and really liked it too.

[TSiWRX]

Brief update. New rifle showed up on Friday the 27th of April. Free shipping from Brownells, which was 2nd day FedEx, so kudos to Brownells for stepping up on that.

 

I've been waiting for this update as eagerly as youv'e waited for the gun (OK, not realistic, but anyway ).

 

Shot only Winchester M855 that I have a good quantity of. My quest to find a barrel that shoots this garbage any better than 3.0-4.0 MOA will have to continue....

 

When you find that magic barrel, let me know where you got it from so I can get one, too, OK? I've finally gone through all of my M855 crap. I don't think I'm going with that stuff ever again since my most often practiced/class ranges here have limitations against steel-core, and I might as well just go with Mk262 Mod1 for everything else.

 

I don't see anything great in any of mine, either (DD LW, LMT, BCM BHF and standard [both ELW profile], and a nothing-special Aero/Ballistic Advantage). It's good enough for plinking and classes that are inside the 100, but at its best, it makes zeroing more work than it ought to be, and I'm ready to kill it just for that.

 

Part of this is due to the KAC bolt, unlike a normal AR bolt the bolt face is fully supported on the KAC, the normal extractor cutout in an AR bolt is gone on the KAC. Instead the KAC extractor is rebated to accommodate a fully supportive bolt face.

 

Remind me....the KAC SR-15s can also use a standard-configuration AR15 bolt/BCG, if-necessary, right?

 

What's the real-world life-span of the E3 bolt? I feel like I know this number, but I can't seem to place my finger on it.

 

...then decide what optic I really want on it. Currently mounting an NXS 1-4X24, laid hands on an Aimpoint Comp M5 yesterday and really liked it too.

 

A friend just got the new NX8, I really need to get eyes on it, as what I've read just makes me lust.

 

That M5's weight (especially with something fly like the Scalarworks mount)/size plus AA-use makes it really attractive, I've gotta say.

 

I'm jealous!

[THE RZA]

Scalarworks’ factory and office is right down the street from my Range, it’s actually in the same complex as a gun shop i’ll stop by sometimes before I head to the range.

 

They make nice stuff, but I splurged on Geissele mounts for all my optics, worth it

[Penguin]

I didn’t buy the Comp M5 just played with one at the store. Uses AAA batteries by the way.

[TSiWRX]

Scalarworks’ factory and office is right down the street from my Range, it’s actually in the same complex as a gun shop i’ll stop by sometimes before I head to the range.

 

 

I've been very, very impressed with the return-to-zero on the Scalarworks for my MRO.

 

I've popped it off my gun and my daughter's gun several times, and all I do is dial back the adjustments I noted in my range book.

 

It's amazingly consistent, at least for within the 100.

Edited April 30, 2018 by TSi+WRX

[TSiWRX]

I didn’t buy the Comp M5 just played with one at the store. Uses AAA batteries by the way.

 

Dangit, I knew I made a mistake! AAA! there, I actually typed out that last "A!"

[TSiWRX]

^ Unable to edit last.

 

AAA-use is attractive to me because most of my earpro and admin lights are AAAs. I like the lithium primaries as they don't leak and gunk up in storage. It makes it one less item to carry in the range bag.

 

There's a slight weight savings to the lithium primaries, too.

Edited April 30, 2018 by TSi+WRX

[THE RZA]

I've been very, very impressed with the return-to-zero on the Scalarworks for my MRO.

 

I've popped it off my gun and my daughter's gun several times, and all I do is dial back the adjustments I noted in my range book.

 

It's amazingly consistent, at least for within the 100.

 

 

 

Same with the Geissele MRO mount, I’ve switched it between 6 different rifles multiple times and it’s held zero. I also got 2 of their 30mm scope mounts and they’ve been rock solid too. My .308 hasn’t been kind to cheap mounts, one of them being the Burris PEPR which is a better budget mount, but it didn’t cooperate well with a .308 put a Geissele mount on my Nikon that I use with the 308 and one on my NXS, both have been rock solid.

[TSiWRX]

^ The reality is that Geissele has a 9-lb. brain, and his stuff is just so well designed.

[THE RZA]

Believe me if I could justify spending the money on their new rifle or one of their Uppers, I sure as shit would. Our new partnership with Geissele does not cover that though I could buy every single part to their upper at a heavy discount and assemble it, I would be saving money, but not time.

 

I don’t do much tinkering myself anymore. I’ll do a trigger and some furniture, I did replace the rail with a Midwest Industries M-Lok Rail which was a direct swap for the MI Keymod rail that was already on the gun, same barrel nut. (Selling the Keymod Rail with unused barrel nut that came with M-lok if anyone is interested) I’ll pay a professional gunsmith/armorer to do anything that requires patience.

 

The 308 is currently at the gunsmith getting a Noveske Adjustable Gas Block with bleeder installed. Since I purchased this rifle before I was added to an FFL, it has compliancy work done and the muzzle brake is Pin & Welded to the Barrel, I am not confident in my own armorer/gunsmithing abilities to undo that to install a new gas block.

 

Recoil has been brutal and my shooting has been inconsistent each range trip. I find with the .308 shooting no more than 60-80 shots per trip without my shoulder taking a beating. Next step would be a heavier buffer weight and a different stock, which is undecided.

Edited May 1, 2018 by THE RZA

[THE RZA]

I bought another AK last week for cheap, I love shooting this platform, but I feel like I get the shit kicked out of me afterwards, ha!

 

[BDII]

700watts loves his AK.

[THE RZA]

it's a fun platform to shoot and hard to not love. When you can buy 1000 rounds for $100-120 and the rifle shoots the cheap shit pretty damn well and without failure, it's a good option for someone who's trigger happy and likes to put a lot of rounds down range. Can't say the same about my AR's, well I could shoot the cheap shit through them if I didn't care about destroying the barrel.

[Penguin]

700watts loves his AK.

 

I see what you did there.

[Penguin]

Yesterday was offhand challenge day (self imposed) with the VP9 and my trusty Cooper M57 .22LR.

 

Windy as **** because South Dakota.

 

Shot at a zeroing target with the .22 with plinking grade ammo at 50 yards, did better than I expected but no scoring rings so hard to determine a “score”. Got strange looks from other shooters because I wasn’t sitting at the bench. Glued a B27 onto the cardboard and proceeded to get even more strange looks from all the rifle shooters on the line when I stood up and proceeded to shoot two 50 round stages with the VP9 at 50 yards.

 

B27 has scoring rings, so depending on how you want to score my results were “OK”. If using the x, 10, 9,8,7 rings where shots outside the 7 ring are worth zero I managed a 423/500 with garbage Magtec 115gr Ball. Using my somewhat better handload of a 115gr Hornady HAP over CFE Pistol I shot a 444/500. Going by the scoring system on the target (much more lenient) first target was a 242/250, and the second target was a 247/250.

 

This pistol generally shoots 124/125gr ammo better. Both 115gr loads need windage correction, the Magtec shot to the left and the HAP reload shot to the right.

 

Takeaways:

 

1.) Shooting pistol offhand at 50 yards will give your ego a check. Do it regularly and close range work is easy as **** though.

 

2.) Your pistol’s sights have to be both decent in sight picture and adjusted correctly. I need to buy a sight pusher so I can precisely dial in my windage for a given load, fortunately elevation is spot on. The stock night sights are only adequate for this type of work, there’s a reason target pistols usually have under cut black blade style sights.

 

3.) Shooting is a perishable skill, I haven’t done much shooting since last summer. The birth of my son, and a really shitty winter saw me not hitting the range much. I expect with a sight adjustment, a 125gr load the pistol likes, and most importantly practice that I can get back to over a 90% score (scored the strict way) at 50 yards on the B27. I also will note that my draws from the holster while I was on the pistol range were rusty as well to get my first shot. Again practice is needed.

 

4.) A ruggedized miniature red dot sight would be much easier to do distance work with, and may be in my future. I already have one but no slide milled to take it. Maybe time to get something done.

Edited May 18, 2018 by Penguin

[700watts]

700watts loves his AK.

 

dick.. Am actually a .308 fan

[THE RZA]

So I signed up for my first match in 3 weeks, the Geissele Gas Gun Series. There’s 2 divisions, a DMR division for 18”+ Barreled Carbines and a RECCE division for 16” barrel or less. I’ve never competed so I’m keeping an open mind and with no expectations. Based on the match details it’s saying targets may be out to 700 yards, which I’m assuming is the DMR division, not the RECCE division.

 

I signed up for the RECCE Division given the equipment I own and use. Rules for this division say 16” or less barrel, optics can’t have more than 6x magnification, if they do they would tape off higher mag. I emailed the match coordinator because I’m not sure what the course of fire would be for the RECCE. I’d like to assume no more than 500 yards if only allowed a 6x mag.

 

I’m deciding if I should just use my MRO and maybe add a magnifier to it or use my Leupold 2-12x and let them tape off more than 6x.

[BDII]

Yesterday was offhand challenge day (self imposed) with the VP9 and my trusty Cooper M57 .22LR.

 

Windy as **** because South Dakota.

 

Shot at a zeroing target with the .22 with plinking grade ammo at 50 yards, did better than I expected but no scoring rings so hard to determine a “score”. Got strange looks from other shooters because I wasn’t sitting at the bench. Glued a B27 onto the cardboard and proceeded to get even more strange looks from all the rifle shooters on the line when I stood up and proceeded to shoot two 50 round stages with the VP9 at 50 yards.

 

B27 has scoring rings, so depending on how you want to score my results were “OK”. If using the x, 10, 9,8,7 rings where shots outside the 7 ring are worth zero I managed a 423/500 with garbage Magtec 115gr Ball. Using my somewhat better handload of a 115gr Hornady HAP over CFE Pistol I shot a 444/500. Going by the scoring system on the target (much more lenient) first target was a 242/250, and the second target was a 247/250.

 

This pistol generally shoots 124/125gr ammo better. Both 115gr loads need windage correction, the Magtec shot to the left and the HAP reload shot to the right.

 

Takeaways:

 

1.) Shooting pistol offhand at 50 yards will give your ego a check. Do it regularly and close range work is easy as **** though.

 

2.) Your pistol’s sights have to be both decent in sight picture and adjusted correctly. I need to buy a sight pusher so I can precisely dial in my windage for a given load, fortunately elevation is spot on. The stock night sights are only adequate for this type of work, there’s a reason target pistols usually have under cut black blade style sights.

 

3.) Shooting is a perishable skill, I haven’t done much shooting since last summer. The birth of my son, and a really shitty winter saw me not hitting the range much. I expect with a sight adjustment, a 125gr load the pistol likes, and most importantly practice that I can get back to over a 90% score (scored the strict way) at 50 yards on the B27. I also will note that my draws from the holster while I was on the pistol range were rusty as well to get my first shot. Again practice is needed.

 

4.) A ruggedized miniature red dot sight would be much easier to do distance work with, and may be in my future. I already have one but no slide milled to take it. Maybe time to get something done.

You have a $2500 .22lr rifle?

[Penguin]

They weren’t always that expensive. Plus mine isn’t a super fancy model, mine wears a laminated stock. No fancy walnut.

 

It was around $1400 when I bought it, and I traded another rifle for it so my out of pocket was a lot less.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Penguin