Long-Range AR's Thread

[sshcoyote]

Squirrel Slayer spawned this one from his responses on the "Favorite Cartridge" thread. So I thought I'd throw it out here. What are you guys using? I have a .223 AI/Hart 26" 9-twist using the old DPMS VLD magazine that allows for an OAL of 2.460". I'm using the 69 Sierra TMK for some great long-range success on coyotes. Have used a number of popular higher-BC bullets for it from the 53 V-Max, 65 SGK, 65 JLK Low Drag (helluva long-range accuracy bullet), but I knew the 69 TMK would be the real ticket for 9T barrels, so bought 500 as soon as they came out, and it has been rewarding to say the least.

Buddy's running 75 A-Max, 77 TMK and finally the 80 ELD-M, out of his straight-up .223 8T, and he's getting to 600ish, and even some 700-yd. success on small varmints. Experiences from others would be nice to read about.

These new longer VLD-style polymer tips really make the 223 case shine, IMO.

[Spook]

6mm Grendel , anything from 70 Nosler to 95 BergerVLD's

Did one for an Airmann who shoots his to 600 using 105 AMAX

[squirrel_slayer]

ha ha pointing the finger at me eh?

I haven't played with the vld mags yet but I was able to stuff a 80gr nosler cc in asc mags (2.308" coal) playing with 8208xbr they interestingly shoot the same poa/poi as my 77gr counterpart (using the 77's zero) out to 500 but have a slight edge in the wind. haven't shot any critters with them yet only steel banging. I have taken the 77's to 600 with good success as long as the wind is playing nice.

I'm working with .223 short on making another wildcat that would be interesting in a AR with vld mags.

looks like the 22 nosler (or I hear the non rebated version based on the 6.8spc case) would make for a nice long range setup.

I still would like to try a 28-30" 22 caliber AR one day...why? I say why not!

[georgeld]

Shucks Steve that 700yds ain't nuthin compared
to your previous 904yd prairie dog a couple years ago.

[ducks-and-bucks]

I dont consider it a small caliber, but I built a 6.5 Grendel for long range Ive ran out to 850 yards. It does really well.. past 850 it starts getting squirrely tho.

[rickiesrevenge]

I've kinda been kicking around the idea of an F-class rifle in 223. I have several AR lowers I'm not using.

Aaron

[sshcoyote]

Sorry for the absence--just got back from archery hunting. Interesting stuff you guys are doing. E-mailed the Rem. rep. to see if they're considering reintroducing the DPMS VLD Mag. as I had heard they were, but she hasn't gotten back to me yet. Somehow I'm gonna get it reintroduced by some company--we'll see. So many 8-T AR uppers out there and guys talk about only shooting 55ish-gr. bullets out of them. Crazy, I say. My buddy's big into it, and since using the magazine he's noticed a big improvement in long-range varminting success.

I must say that right after trying the VLD magazine I was perusing the JLK offerings when I saw the .4 BC of the 65 Low Drag bullet and just knew it was the answer to long-range. Though terminal ballistics suffered drastically accuracy was better than anything I'd used to longer ranges i'd tried out of many 9T or faster 22's.

No question the VLD Magazine is a niche that's been left unfulfilled for some time now and with the polymer-tipped "VLD Wars" as SS so eloquently puts it, it's now much more useful in the field before IMO, due to better terminal ballistics at long-range. Eric has a 565-yd. coyote to his credit with the 77 TMK and I have a 525-yarder with the 69 TMK. Just tried the 73 ELD-M and hoping that maximizes my 9-T setup. RL-15 has netted me 3125 out of my 26" Hart at just over .5 MOA. My theory is that although the polymer-tipped match bullets aren't designed for terminal effect it still helps somewhat for bullet upset upon impact better than the hollow point match bullets. We'll see.

Watching buddy Eric shoot 3 cottontails at 700-730 yds. in 6 or 7 shots with the 77 TMK and 75-A-Max was one of the most impressive displays of long-range shooting prowess that ive ever had the pleasure of spotting for.

[Iowa Fox]

Steve, good luck with Rem on the VLD mags. Didn't DPMS have a gent reworking mags with a longer oal capacity? When he passed that was the end of the VLD mags.

Ok, question for the guys here. Who knows who the guy reworking them for DPMS was? Did he have anyone helping him that might know how he did it or have his tooling for the bending?

[Iowa Fox]

anyone ever try this?

http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/armags/armags.html

[squirrel_slayer]

Originally Posted by Iowa Fox

anyone ever try this?

http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/armags/armags.html

I've seen that mod a few times but I believe the vld mags afford almost another .100".

Iowa fox I seem to recall the mags having additional material welded onto the feed lips since it becomes a single feed affair (versus the stagger feeding) I would call it centerfeed but I believe its off center as to align the cartridge up one of the ramps.

I have never held one personally but did see some good photo's years back and was going to attempt to make my own when I had the bug to build a 6.5 tcu upper. ended up scrapping the whole idea and bought a .308 AR

but now you guys have peaked my interest again! too bad my dumb arse sold my tig welder to my cousin(and pretty much all of my fab equipment at the time for that matter). one of the worst moves of my life.