Accuracy expectations for 223 from 300 to 500 yards?

wahoowad

wahoowad

Active member
Anyone getting MOA performance out to 300 to 500 yards in an AR platform? I’m wondering if I can expect to take groundhogs in that range with my Ruger MPR. I usually shoot a bolt 243 for that range and wondering what to expect for my Ruger?
 
Does it shoot MOA at 100 yards? If so, then it should do the same at further distances.
However, the further out, the more the wind affects the bullet. Lighter (lower BC) .224 bullets shot at lower velocities will require more accurate wind calls than your .243.
 
Only you can tell that, theoretically the 243 should be easier than hit the target at distance BUT there a lot of target shooters doing amazing things with a 223.

Only your rifle/scope/ammo/shooting ability will tell you that.
 
I have a few that will do half a minute out to 500yds. Last 5 shot group at 500 you could cover with a paint can lid. Made many head shots on dirt beavers around 300yds .But like AWS wind is the great equalizer.
 
It's going to be all you, shooting and load development ability. Prairie dogs are not safe inside 300 yards (bench or bipod)with my AR's(20p and 223). Even my carbine(18" barrel) clearance priced build,about 300$ is pd killer off a tripod at 250 yards. Wind calls are huge past 200 yards.
 
I have 4 different 5.56 barrels that I regularly shoot at 500 yards on a 5" steel popper target. BA modern series 16", Criterion ultra light 5.56 16", Roscoe purebreed 16" and an 18" KAK OEM series Hbar. I shoot the same 77g SMK and benchmark load in all 4 rifles. They are all sub MOA at 100 and several have shot sub 3" groups on steel at 500 yards.
 
I've been working on a 53gr 223 load that would shoot out of my 1:8 twist. Here are my 100, 200 and 330 yard results from today. I was dealing with a ten to fifteen mile an hour crosswind the whole time. Those little bullets do get pushed around. But I'm happy with the results. I hit a ten inch gong with it at 520 yards as well. I know the limiting factor is me and being able read mother nature. But I would not hesitate out to 325 yards or so. Don't really see me taking a shot past that at a yote. I would need perfect conditions to go longer.

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I've got a few Ar15's that shoot very well considering the parts are all mass produced over-the-counter products. With reasonable built care, I've assembled some shooters.

Here is one I've posted about in the past... 24" bull barrel with Sierra 52gr SMK's.



These are two 10-shot groups, fired back to back, on a calm day at 100 yards. I've posted these here before. I'd trust this rifle and load out to 300 yards with little to no wind. Beyond 300 and wind, I'd probably be challenged as for me the .223 and light weight bullets get iffy past 400.



 
wahoowad said:
Anyone getting MOA performance out to 300 to 500 yards in an AR platform? I’m wondering if I can expect to take groundhogs in that range with my Ruger MPR. I usually shoot a bolt 243 for that range and wondering what to expect for my Ruger?
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I have the same gun, and it'll shoot around MOA. I'd be comfortable to 300 or so, but I don't know if I would trust it consistently much further. I have steel I shoot at 1,2,3,& 400 yards, with 8" rounds at the 1st 2, then 12" squares at 3 & 4. I can ding the 400 most shots, but a GH is smaller.

It boils down to how good yours will shoot more so to determine the distance.

My "good" AR will hold around half MOA to 400, which is as far as I've shot it.
 
I was just shooting one of mine at 415 with 10-15 mph wind. I suck. I have a 10" gong set at 300 which I can hit 10/10 times. At 415 I was lucky 5/10 times. Sometimes less than that. Im shooting ridge to ridge and the wind is horrible going across. Sometimes it was a cross wind, sometimes from my 7-8 o'clock.
 
Coyote-conquest said:
I was just shooting one of mine at 415 with 10-15 mph wind. I suck. I have a 10" gong set at 300 which I can hit 10/10 times. At 415 I was lucky 5/10 times. Sometimes less than that. Im shooting ridge to ridge and the wind is horrible going across. Sometimes it was a cross wind, sometimes from my 7-8 o'clock.
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I have a 525yd gong set up in a similar way. Shoot off of a bluff across a valley to a ridge. The wind does funky things, On the bluff it'll be due west, go to the bottoms it'll be south, go to the gong due west, is just one observation. Another observation is how I'd describe a down wind, the wind blow over the bluff straight down. On those days it's a waste of ammo, I cannot hit squat. When I finally hit the gong my dial went from 9.5 to 11.5 moa, sometimes 12. (This is with 6.5 cm btw.)
 
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Lots of AR style .223 rifles are capable at 500 yards, BUT they are specialized rifles just for target shooting, with
hand loaded ammunition. They aren't made to tote around coyote shooting. Wind is a poor master.
Just my thoughts.
Soup
 
I have a Bushmaster Varmint Special SS (they are not made any more) with a 24 inch barrel that is sub MOA at 100 yards. I have a load for it that I would not hesitate to shoot out to 500 on the right day, meaning little to no wind, which are few and far between in the winter where I live. I would carry it more coyote hunting but it is heavy so these days it is mostly a safe queen.
 
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