Considering the Bushmaster ACR conversion

C

Chago

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
53   0   0
Location
Ontario
I don't have my restricted and to be honest don't intend to. I don't want to have a gun that I can only drive hours away to use when I live in a place where I can shoot all day in my yard.

The non restricted options are not huge. Tavor I know guys claim they have great accuracy. I have yet though to ever see a decent range report, ie 5 shot 5 group single target. Just lots of hear say. I have a XCR which is great. I have no issues with it, but I just wish it was a little more accurate. I like to shoot groups and whatever military style rifle I buy I do want accuracy. SA, lets not even bother discussing.

Now I know the H&K SL-8 has some awesome reviews and there is a model 5 I am eye balling right now. For a great price too.

I also have read a ton on the bushmaster being one of the most accurate semis out there. Of course factory it is restricted. Getting a longer barrel though would make it non restricted. Although has anyone done so? is the barrel your getting maintaining the accuracy? I imagine you need to find like a match grade or something barrel right? In my bolt action precision world, the barrel is probably the part with the biggest effect on accuracy. So buying a ACR for its accuracy only to ruin it with a crap longer barrel would be a waste of time.

Any thoughts? Can you buy match barrel for XCR? ACr?
 
Do a Search of this forum. But there's tons of ACRs converted and they are all more accurate then factory. Herron arms can do the conversion for you. Or you can snag the odd one on the EE

Myself I have a Questar barrel ACR which shoots a solid 1.5-2" group with Norc surplus at 100yards

Many will atest to the same
 
There is tons of threads on what is the best NR semi on CGN. We will give lots of opinions here and ultimately it will be your decision. Keep in mind these threads often turn into a pathetic argument. I was on the fence deciding what to get for a NR MSR for over 3 years. You sound like accuracy is very important to you. It was to me. My intent was to replace my bolt gun with a NR MSR that sported enough accuracy to get crows at 200m. I do have an M4 for IPSC 3 gun so the NR MSR would not need to fill that niche for me. If I were you and I needed it to do everything I would look closely to the ACR. With a good NR barrel from Herron and your set. If your not looking to do 3 gun or need easy caliber conversions, you would likely squeeze a little bit better accuracy from an SL8. I settled on an SL8. I have a Hera Arms lower and ACR stock on it and have done a little trigger work. She shoots 1 moa with decent match ammo, and better than that with handloads. I am very very happy with her.

Moe
 
Moe said:
There is tons of threads on what is the best NR semi on CGN. We will give lots of opinions here and ultimately it will be your decision. Keep in mind these threads often turn into a pathetic argument. I was on the fence deciding what to get for a NR MSR for over 3 years. You sound like accuracy is very important to you. It was to me. My intent was to replace my bolt gun with a NR MSR that sported enough accuracy to get crows at 200m. I do have an M4 for IPSC 3 gun so the NR MSR would not need to fill that niche for me. If I were you and I needed it to do everything I would look closely to the ACR. With a good NR barrel from Herron and your set. If your not looking to do 3 gun or need easy caliber conversions, you would likely squeeze a little bit better accuracy from an SL8. I settled on an SL8. I have a Hera Arms lower and ACR stock on it and have done a little trigger work. She shoots 1 moa with decent match ammo, and better than that with handloads. I am very very happy with her.

Moe
Click to expand...

Hey moe. To be honest I am leaning towards to SL8. It's about $1000 less (not including heron mod). And out of box I have read has better accuracy. And no one can tell me H&K is not a reliable action.

I wanted to check if there is any on EE but haven't applied to the EE yet.

ACR sounds great but I mean I'm in $4000 after all said and done to make a rifle that is not as accurate as my bolt guns. I would sooner buy another precision rifle for that kind of money. The H&K is about$2000 ready to go. It will give me sub MOA with hand loads as I would expect. And will be a fun shooting gun.
 
Hoplite Tactical Supplies said:
How much of a hurry are you in? The ACR has a DMR version coming to market and out of the box has a 18.5” stainless, MELONITE®-treated barrel, Geissele trigger, etc....

Check it out here.
Click to expand...

We won't see that rifle till 2015 if we're lucky. I'd say more like 2016. One of the guys on here contacted Bushmaster and the answer they got was not promising.
Don't count on any more accuracy from the DMR version, other than the Geissele trigger it will probably be the same barrel blank cut longer and heavier profile (which doesn't mean more accuracy). Other than that it will just be a heavier version of the one we already have and will be $3000 + tax. You can buy new ACR's for $2500 then spend $550 for the Dlask barrel and end up in the same spot with a lighter rifle.
 
Last edited:
Chago said:
ACR sounds great but I mean I'm in $4000 after all said and done to make a rifle that is not as accurate as my bolt guns. I would sooner buy another precision rifle for that kind of money. The H&K is about$2000 ready to go. It will give me sub MOA with hand loads as I would expect. And will be a fun shooting gun.
Click to expand...

If you buy a used ACR you can find them for about $3000 for one with a non restricted barrel (my buddy just picked one up). When I bough mine I ended up into it for $2500 with a Geissele trigger and a non restricted barrel (after selling the 12 inch barrel it came with).
If you read the ACR info and media thread you will see there are other options that can get you into a non restricted ACR much cheaper than $4000. Why start with a new rifle if you are just going to replace the barrel?

SL8 is probably a little more accurate but then you are stuck with a 223 only. I have 300 blackout and a 6.8SPC conversions built for my ACR :)
If you can get anything less than an inch you are doing extremely well for a semi auto, no semi other than a quality AR will beat either of them.
Only problem with the SL8 is the cost of parts and mags. I had close to $4000 into mine before I sold it.
If you want accuracy you really are best served with a quality bolt action for half the price of any non restricted black rifle.
 
cr5 said:
Ya, and only $10000 for it. Very cost effective for shooting gophers and coyotes.
Click to expand...

Ya no I know I own bolt precision long range guns. That's why I want my next Blacky to be accurate too. Because my xcr I really don't shoot. It's boring shooting 3" groups. In all honesty I want a semi auto tacticool that can actually shoot. And one that's non res so I can shoot those damn coyotes in my backyard.
 
For what you describe I would go with either the SL8 or the ACR. The SL8 is cheaper but not nearly as tacticool unless you spend some big money on it.

This was my SL8-4 with HERA gen 2 lower with folding ACR stock. I was only able to get just a fraction under 1 inch at 100yds with my handloads but I didn't spend a lot of time doing development.
Was still a fairly heavy rifle but sacrifices must be made to have the Lothar Walther heavy barrel. The better groups were made with a scope with a lot more magnification, I had the Specter DR for days in the field.
View attachment 12466

View attachment 12467

I eventually went with the ACR so I could have decent accuracy and be able to swap calibers. I'll be using my 300BLK conversion this fall for deer hunting :D
 
cr5 said:
For what you describe I would go with either the SL8 or the ACR. The SL8 is cheaper but not nearly as tacticool unless you spend some big money on it.

This was my SL8-4 with HERA gen 2 lower with folding ACR stock. I was only able to get just a fraction under 1 inch at 100yds with my handloads but I didn't spend a lot of time doing development.
Was still a fairly heavy rifle but sacrifices must be made to have the Lothar Walther heavy barrel. The better groups were made with a scope with a lot more magnification, I had the Specter DR for days in the field.
View attachment 12466

View attachment 12467

I eventually went with the ACR so I could have decent accuracy and be able to swap calibers. I'll be using my 300BLK conversion this fall for deer hunting :D
Click to expand...

I never understood the 300 AAC blackout. Your getting what 1000ftlbs at the barrel. 100 yards down range your already down to like 900ftlbs.

In the long range hunting world the rule of thumb is 1000lbs minimum on deer, which in 308 would be at like 900 yards. 300 AAC blackout that's hardly there at 25 yards lol.

For coyotes that's a different story. Ill shoot them with any caliber. As long as they die... Fast or slow.
 
Chago said:
I never understood the 300 AAC blackout. Your getting what 1000ftlbs at the barrel. 100 yards down range your already down to like 900ftlbs.

In the long range hunting world the rule of thumb is 1000lbs minimum on deer, which in 308 would be at like 900 yards. 300 AAC blackout that's hardly there at 25 yards lol.

For coyotes that's a different story. Ill shoot them with any caliber. As long as they die... Fast or slow.
Click to expand...


The energy numbers are a little better than that (but not much). I don't plan to long range hunt with it. If I'm going to shoot over 150yds I'll use my 308, 45/70 or 338 Lapua but since I haven't needed to take a shot beyond 100yds in the last few years I'm not worried at all. Using a 150gr SST should be plenty at 100yds.
I won't shoot big game beyond 500yds no matter which rifle I'm using (even the 338L). There are too many things that can go wrong in the field that could cause a bad shot and an animal to suffer. Like you said though, coyotes are a different story, I'd take a crack at one at 700yds with a 308 without even thinking about it.
Plus brass is free and everywhere, just pick up 223 brass at the range and cut it off at the shoulder, run it through your sizer then trim to length and it's ready.
 
Last edited:
Just as a data point, my Herron built, bartlein barrelled acr is more accurate than my sl8 was. And considerably less "clunky" and front end heavy. The sl8 did feel more solid though.
 
cr5 said:
The energy numbers are a little better than that (but not much). I don't plan to long range hunt with it. If I'm going to shoot over 150yds I'll use my 308, 45/70 or 338 Lapua but since I haven't needed to take a shot beyond 100yds in the last few years I'm not worried at all. Using a 150gr SST should be plenty at 100yds.
I won't shoot big game beyond 500yds no matter which rifle I'm using (even the 338L). There are too many things that can go wrong in the field that could cause a bad shot and an animal to suffer. Like you said though, coyotes are a different story, I'd take a crack at one at 700yds with a 308 without even thinking about it.
Plus brass is free and everywhere, just pick up 223 brass at the range and cut it off at the shoulder, run it through your sizer then trim to length and it's ready.
Click to expand...

ya I agree I wouldn't shoot past 500 at a animal. I know how accurate I am even at longer ranges but in a hunting situation its completely different.



You guys are killing me. I guess I'll have to walk into a shop and hold them. That's usually how I decide. Like buying a puppy lol the one that licks you first LOL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom