Realistic AR-15 expectations? Range Report...picture heavy

[Parrothead]

As i previously posted, i acquired a M&P 15 sport this week. I went out to the range today to give it a run. I was very impressed--but--i have very little experience with the AR platform and long guns in general. I took some picture in hopes that someone could guide me and give me some feedback.

Conditions: It was 31 degrees with a steady 10-15 mph wind. The 150 yrd target is somewhat shielded from the wind because of the layout of the range.

Hardware: Again, Smith and Wesson M&P 15 Sport. It was firing Armscor .223 55gr Full Metal Jacket rounds. Iron sites...pop-up magpul. I am not a expert at setting the sights on rifles and i didn't have the tool to adjust the front sight. It took me about (4) 5 rounds groups to get things dialed in at 50 yrds. In the future, i'm sure i could bring things in a little tighter--i just didn't have the equipment to do it today.

Results:

This is 30 rounds at 100 yrds...off a bench. I didn't have a support or bipod.

Next is 10 rounds at 150 yards;

Finally--this is 10 rounds the 200 yard target. To be honest- this is the first time i've ever shot at a distance over 100 yards.

So there it is...go easy on me. Again, first time reaching out beyond 50 yards with a long gun. Needless to say, i'm hooked. I welcome any and all suggestions. I know practice and trigger time will be the key to improvement but tips might get me there faster. Here's a picture looking from the 200 yard target back to the firing line. The black dot is my truck.....

Edited February 13, 2012 by Parrothead

[Raoul]

Gee, I don't know why your complaining. 200 yds with iron sights and you still incapacitated the BG. Be happy.

[Fourtyfive]

Looks good for iron sighting to me.

[DaveTN]

Personally, I think looking at your 200 yard target you are having some fun with us.

But… the only suggestion I can make is that you put a good scope on and bring all those shots into the X ring.

[Parrothead]

Gee, I don't know why your complaining. 200 yds with iron sights and you still incapacitated the BG. Be happy.

Don't get me wrong--i'm not complaining. I just don't know what to expect. I don't know what is a "good/average" size group at 150 yards.

[Parrothead]

Personally, I think looking at your 200 yard target you are having some fun with us.

I don't get it?

[Caster]

Out of all your shooting, I see only ONE shot that a man wouldn't likely die from. The last target, you put one round in the upper right shoulder. Even that round though would put all but the toughest and most motivated out of the game. Especially considering most people are right handed.

Dang good work. Obviously an optic will tighten those down considerably but those are some dead zombies there man. Heck yeah.

Advice for improvement? Shoot more. Keep doing what you're doing and change it up. Prone, kneeling, standing....just keep shooting.

[BPE]

More importantly, how did you, a self described novice, enjoy the gun? I'm inexperienced in the way of AR and am looking to the same rifle for my first setup. How did you like it?

[Ramjo]

Where is that range, and is 200 yards the farthest it has?

[Parrothead]

More importantly, how did you, a self described novice, enjoy the gun? I'm inexperienced in the way of AR and am looking to the same rifle for my first setup. How did you like it?

I really enjoyed it. Very simple operation. I own other rifles and numerous handguns but i am very green when it comes to the AR platform. If i can improve from the results today after firing a couple hundred shots i will be extremely satisfied.

[Parrothead]

Where is that range, and is 200 yards the farthest it has?

Range is a private club outside of Weber City, VA. It is capped at 300 members and i think we have pretty long waiting list. 200 is the max. Also has a pistol pit, competition rim-fire range, skeet, trap and archery range.

[Clod Stomper]

That's not bad. But if you want some inexpensive help with technique try to make it to an Appleseed class. http://appleseedinfo.org/

No shooting from benches or off bipods. Slings only. I recommend using iron sights until you are very good with them. You'd be surprised how well you can shoot with irons out to 400-500 yards. Then when you add an optic, you'll feel like you're cheating.

You have to be able to shoot 4 MOA from prone to get a Rifleman patch. And many people do it with open sights.

They have had classes in Kingsport, but I don't see any scheduled right now. But it's worth a few hours drive if you can afford it. Most shooting is done at 25 yards, but try to make it to one where there is a full-length range. That's where you can really test the technique that they teach.

Not saying that your shooting wasn't good, but we can all improve. I've been to 4 Appleseeds and have improved immensely.

Will

Edited February 13, 2012 by Clod Stomper

[JeffsSig]

Looks good to me. Only thing Id suggest with your M&P im sure its a 1:9 twist is to jump up to 62 grain ammo at 200 yds. I think you will see the groups get smaller.

[JeffsSig]

On a side note we need to drag Bill out to the range one weekend soon. I have a few I need to "test" maybe this weekend? Looks like near 50 for Sat.

[EastHipster]

I think there is an Appleseed in Manchester sometime in March maybe.

I'm going.

You were probably not getting a consistent sight picture with groups that large.

Getting a repeatable hold/sight/trigger pull and you would have been much tighter.

Read the Army manual on "how to shoot the M1 Garand".

I found it to be helpful. There is also an old army training video available online as well as a more modern USMC Marksmanship manual.

[Dolomite_supafly]

The Sport has a 8 twist barrel. It will shoot anything you can feed from a magazine.

Those are decent groups with irons but with practice and ammo the gun likes you can shrink those groups in half. Armscor is decent ammo but I would try other brands because every gun had its preference.

Dolomite

[hipower]

Can't add any criticsms or cammentary on your abilities. I'll just say this...I think for a first-timer with an AR platform, iron sights, and those ranges...that's pretty darn good.

[gregintenn]

First time with the rifle, only one brand/loading of ammo, today's wind....I'd be very happy with your results! You are making me seriously consider buying an AR 15 Sport for myself.

[Mike]

You just need more practice. Keep at it!

[Oh Shoot]

Looks to me about what open battle sights are designed to do.

Kinda hard to get a helluva lot more precise when the front sight is as large as the 9 or 8 ring at distance.

- OS

Edited February 13, 2012 by OhShoot

[RWF]

man it looks great, and it was more or less off hand, nice.

if you are areally wanting to shoot more at distance, try some 69 ppu match on line they can be found at under $10 a box, and should do well in the 1/8.

like i said great job.

[peejman]

Range is a private club outside of Weber City, VA. It is capped at 300 members and i think we have pretty long waiting list. 200 is the max. Also has a pistol pit, competition rim-fire range, skeet, trap and archery range.

I was a member of that range when I lived near Kingsport several years ago. As I recall, anything past 150 yds is "back in the holler" and only gets sunlight a few hours/day this time of year. Can also be interesting getting in/out when it's rained recently. At that time, membership was cheap and not difficult to get. I liked shooting there. Perhaps things have changed.

http://wrgunclub.webs.com/

[Jonnin]

assuming the sights are not quite right (group is high), you would have almost kept the 100s in the 9 ring, which is pretty good. Add to it, your target is awful (it is impossible at 100 yards to even see the x or rings, its just a man target that far out). Put up something you can SEE at 100, like orange on black, and the group will tighten up some. I can hit a skeet clay at 100 with iron nearly every time: it is bright orange and quite visible at that distance. Shooting at a man-blob target, however, I cannot make a skeet clay sized group because there is no "point" to aim at.

All in all it is good shooting, very good if you are truly new to it. If you want to see just how good you are, go to walmart. Get some of those orange sticker targets. Put a 2-3 inch diameter on on the head. Try again. I bet you hit the orange 50% of the time and the head 100%. (and lower the sights or aim a touch low intentionally).

[Ruprect]

I' ve forgotten a sight tool a time or three.

Use the bullet end of one of your 5.56 rounds next time.

[kwe45919]

I'd say it's awsome shootin. I still can't do much past 125yrds with irons though....just bad eyes. You're groupings should come together and be more tight with practice. Sure, try different ammo but if you can shoot like that, I wouldn't worry about anything except practice..