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.223 & 9MM at 300 yards

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DAVIDF
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.223 & 9MM at 300 yards

Post by DAVIDF » Thu Feb 21, 2019 9:23 am

I wanted to test my 5.56/.223 AR15 at 300 yards yesterday with the Aimpoint PRO Red Dot I currently have on it. If I could somewhat decently keep hits on the ranges 10" by 20" plate then I would be happy. I also installed a Geissele two stage SSA-E trigger and yesterday was a good test to see if it improved my medium range shooting. The rack grade single stage trigger than came on it was pretty poor. I think the trigger helped me somewhat, particularly at 300 yards which is the longest distance available at the range. I had mounted the Aimpoint a couple weeks ago and co-witnessed it with the rifle's open sights. I tested it on Saturday at 110 yards and found it to be about 3 or 4" high at 110 yards. I didn't do any measuring, just a quick review thru binoculars of my steel plate. Yesterday, I found it to be a bit high at 210 yards. Again, no measurement just a look thru binoculars to try to figure if it was close to being sighted in at that distance. Took me a few shots to figure the hold at 300 yards as I figured I would need to hold high. Found out that holding dead center worked. Must have been a bit higher at 110 & 210 yards than I thought. This worked well as I could transition from my plates at 100, 210, and the ranges plate at 300 by going from a 6 o'clock hold at 100 to dead on at 210 and 300.

After I was done with the AR15, I decided why not try with my 9mm AR at 300 yards. I had previously tried it at 210 yards and in a previous post I described how accurate it can be. A friend of a friend, Lou was able to get a 2" 4 shot group. I couldn't that at all. But it demonstrated that the rifle and my hand loads were capable of very good accuracy. I had originally used an online ballistics calculator to determine how much adjustment would be needed on my Leopold scope to go from 110 yards to 210. The online calculator had indicated 17.5 MOA adjustment was necessary. I found that a 14 MOA adjustment was all that was needed. The online calculator indicated that another 18 MOA adjustment was necessary for 300 yards. I adjusted well under that based on my previous experience and only moved the turret another 12.5 MOA. My first attempt at 300 resulted in a clear ring of the gong. I was thoroughly happy. Although my overall accuracy results were not that good, especially considering what Lou did at 210 yards, I was still very happy with hitting the plate on the first attempt.

Top photo is my AR15 in its current configuration.

Second photo is my AR9 in its current configuration with a Leupold VX R 1.25 x 4.

Third is the range's 300 yard steel plate showing first few hits from my AR15 once I figured out that I did not need to adjust my hold. The plate measures about 10" by 24" but at the angle it is mounted, it is about 20" or less in height as you view it straight on.

Fourth is the same steel plate with hits from the AR15 and AR9. All the hits from the AR15 were lower on the plate. I don't think I was too consistent with my hold using the AR9. Perhaps, I just got too excited after I connected on the first attempt and lost my concentration :D I believe I did a bit better with the AR15 and its non-magnified red dot than I did with the AR9 and the Leupold set on 4 power.
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Henry88
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Re: .223 & 9MM at 300 yards

Post by Henry88 » Thu Feb 21, 2019 9:42 am

Not a fan of black guns, but those are cool, aesthetically as well as shooters in some great calibers.
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North Country Gal
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Re: .223 & 9MM at 300 yards

Post by North Country Gal » Thu Feb 21, 2019 11:10 am

Love seeing people breaking the mould a bit and shooting cartridges like the 9mm, way out there. No law that says you have to shoot 9mm at up close, self-defense distances. Very interesting post, too, as far as holdover calculations and what was actually needed. Good work.
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DAVIDF
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Re: .223 & 9MM at 300 yards

Post by DAVIDF » Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:44 pm

Thank you all.

NCG, the interesting part is that according to the ballistics calculator I am using, the 147gr cast bullet is still traveling at 811 fps at 300 yards. That is using a confirmed chrono graphed velocity of 1050 fps at 5 yards for that calculation. That would still penetrate quite deep based on calibrated gel testing I've seen. It will penetrate deeper at that distance than any of the .223/5.56 rounds at the muzzle or at 300 yards. Only problem is range estimation, if you are not plinking at steel like me, becomes critical with that rainbow arc.
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JEBar
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Re: .223 & 9MM at 300 yards

Post by JEBar » Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:59 pm

in my mind outstanding results .... specially 9MM at 300 yards .... 8-)
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DAVIDF
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Re: .223 & 9MM at 300 yards

Post by DAVIDF » Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:31 pm

JEBar wrote:in my mind outstanding results .... specially 9MM at 300 yards .... 8-)
Thanks JEBar, I would love for Lou to shoot this 9mm at 300 yards and see what he could do. Hopefully, I will run into him again when the 300 yard range is open.
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