WS-MCR Accuracy Testing

NavyShooter

NavyShooter

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
100   0   0
Location
XMU Local .303
Good evening all,

My WS-MCR showed up almost 3 weeks ago now, and I did a rather detailed breakdown on the rifle when it arrived. Here's the link to that:

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1978460-WS-MCR-first-look-just-arrived

In that thread I promised to do an honest accuracy test to see how the rifle performs with a variety of ammunition. That test happened today. I apologize for the delay - real life sometimes takes you away from the things you want to do, and today was the first decent weather day I've had available to head to the range. Between 3 kids, Army Reserves, football season, hockey season, etc...life is busy. Anyhow, reasons aside, let us examine the testing mechanisms and equipment.

1. Rifle - WS-MCR as shown in the thread above.
2. Burris PEPR scope mount
3. Bushnell 10x40 Mildot scope
4. 100 yard rifle range
5. Shooting bench - same position for all
6. Target - same type for all
7. Magazines - used the 2 that came with the rifle
8. Ammo - a variety as will be seen in the test targets below. I fired 10 round groups to give a very good average group size. 3 rounds is a pattern, 5 rounds is a group, 10 rounds is a good statistical sample.
9. Shooter - me - I fired all the groups
10. Weather - sunny, 3 degrees, very light breeze, firing from sheltered bench area

So, those are the conditions - basically, the only 'variable' is the ammo.
[/FONT]
Total rounds fired today was about 120. Not a single jam, not a single stoppage, no feeding problems, consistent ejection, no trouble at all in fact. I was very pleased by the function of the rifle. I will give it a 10/10. I noted that some folks have mentioned using the charging handle on the left side - so before I fired today, I swapped the CH to the left side - I think I like that side and will sustain that location. Keeping the master hand on the pistol grip is a good thing.

Down-side - I have smaller hands so my thumb had a bit of trouble reaching the FCS on the left side of the rifle - that's a very minor point though. Not a problem - just a note.

After I fired with the Bushnell, I swapped back to the Specter DR - re-zeroed and let my kids have a few rounds at a steel plate. Good fun.

So...that's the discussion on the process - here are the results. I will continue my discussion after the photos.

Ammo types used:
PMC X-Tac 62 Grain
Winchester White-box 55 Grain
American Eagle Black Box 55 Grain
American Eagle Red Box 62 Grain
Swiss GP-90 62 Grain
Winchester Supreme match 69 Grain


g32581p.jpg

URwJQJG.jpg


fadHuhu.jpg


23cdveY.jpg


78bmf3I.jpg


RKHi2B4.jpg


So, those are the targets, here's the results from them:

2.99 MOA PMC X-Tac 62 Grain
3.34 MOA Winchester White-box 55 Grain
3.40 MOA American Eagle Black Box 55 Grain
3.75 MOA American Eagle Red Box 62 Grain
2.37 MOA Swiss GP-90 62 Grain
2.99 MOA Winchester Supreme match 69 Grain ​

Average accuracy between the 6 types of ammo was 3.14 MOA

Best was, unsurprisingly the Swiss GP-90. I have a small amount of this ammo I bought from a friend last year - I think I'll save it for this rifle.

I will note, after about 40 rounds fired, there was some visible heat distortion above the barrel in the view of the scope - maybe there would have been better performance if I'd let the rifle cool somewhat more between targets, perhaps some better results might have come, but this is not a heavy barrel competition rifle - it's a lightweight sporting rifle profile barrel, so that's an expectation - almost a feature of this type of rifle.

So. Based on the above, how do I feel about my purchase? I'm pleased. I have a non-restricted .223 sporting rifle that shoots about 3 MOA. That's better than the acceptance specifications for the US Military's M-4 Carbines....the formal specs on that rifle's contract mandate a sub 4 MOA accuracy capability.

I helped test a lot of 80 C-7s once where the best accuracy was 2 MOA, and ranged up to over 5 MOA - the average was about 2.8 MOA, and we rejected rifles from our selection process that were above 2.4 - those were the best rifles in a Regiment...so...is this rifle's performance in line with a standard service rifle? Yup. Actually it is.

I had a Mini-14 once upon a time that couldn't shoot worth a damn. At 100 yards (same range as I tested this rifle today) it wouldn't keep 10 shots on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper...in fact it wouldn't keep more than about 6 shots on paper at that range.

So.

Is this a match-winning service rifle? Nope.

Is this a handy, reliable shooting sporting rifle? Yup.

Am I happy? Yup.

NS
 
Thanks for the report!

Although the specs say it's a 1:8 twist barrel, I've read that some people have a barrel stamped "1:9 twist".
what's the twist of your barrel?
 
Interesting results. My WK typically has no issue doing better than 2" with pretty much anything. The apparent quality of the barrel is one of few reasons I still have it ...
 
I appreciate the effort , but if i was a potential buyer id prefer to see 5 shot groups... that accuracy strikes me as being sub par by even entry level rifle standards. But maybe those 3+ moa groups would shrink down to a 2 moa range if only 5 rnds were fired ? A line needs to be drawn somewhere. Many people say 3 isnt enough, and some say 5 isnt either. Why do we stop at 10, why not do 40rnd accuracy tests??
 
But maybe those 3+ moa groups would shrink down to a 2 moa range if only 5 rnds were fired ?
Click to expand...

Chances are good. Lighter barrels tend string shots when they got hot, as we all know. Especially budget barrels.
 
Last edited:
wcat said:
Thanks for the report!

Although the specs say it's a 1:8 twist barrel, I've read that some people have a barrel stamped "1:9 twist".
what's the twist of your barrel?
Click to expand...

We have not used any 1:9 twist barrels in the MCR. I have no idea what twist rate current WK barrels are, they used to be 1:8. It is possible they have changed, that is a question for the manufacture.

When testing for groups I normally fire 5 rds as after that heat may have an adverse affect on the results. I also like to number each shot as fired. I have an identical target to what I am shooting at covered in mactac beside me on the bench, I mark each shot as fired with a sharpie on the mactac and then transfer the numbers to the target. wipe off the mactac and carry on. I learnt to do this when working up loads for Double Rifles, it saved me a lot of wasted shots.
 
Last edited:
Another thing I might have missed, how much cool down time between shots? or between groups of shots? Some people do silly long wait times to get the best groups.
If you're doing them back to back with 2 min between, well...
 
I realize the standard 5 shot group testing is done for a reason, but to me this is far more realistic for what people would actually experience while out for a day of shooting. You generally aren't taking 5 shots then letting the rifle cool down for ten minutes before shooting again.

More than acceptable hot sporter profile barrel performance to me. Thanks for posting.
 
mgroom said:
I realize the standard 5 shot group testing is done for a reason, but to me this is far more realistic for what people would actually experience while out for a day of shooting. You generally aren't taking 5 shots then letting the rifle cool down for ten minutes before shooting again.

More than acceptable hot sporter profile barrel performance to me. Thanks for posting.
Click to expand...

Good job. Your methodology makes sense to me.
 
Would be interesting to see a comparison against the other .223 NR semiautos presently on the Canadian market; are there any that shoot notably better/worse than their price point?
 
I conducted a follow up test last week with the rifle.

We shifted to a 50m range due to other considerations, but used the same rifle, same scope, same ammo, different shooter.

The shooter this time was not me - it was a 5 time Queens Medallist. He know a thing or two about shooting...and he did 3x 10 round groups for me, just to see how it'd go.

Summary - basically about the same.

Here's the targets.

American Eagle 62 grain:

jqdkwFz.jpg



PMC X-Tac 62 Grain:

V7WlQTr.jpg



And a few more rounds of the Swiss GP-90.

eeQDOgi.jpg


Again, not a single jam, not a single problem. Rifle maintained zero, and when cleaned up afterwards, things were not very dirty at all.

Quite pleased.

Do I wish it was more accurate? Yup. For this price-point in a NR am I happy with it? Yup. 100%.

NS
 
Murray 3-D said:
I appreciate the effort , but if i was a potential buyer id prefer to see 5 shot groups... that accuracy strikes me as being sub par by even entry level rifle standards. But maybe those 3+ moa groups would shrink down to a 2 moa range if only 5 rnds were fired ? A line needs to be drawn somewhere. Many people say 3 isnt enough, and some say 5 isnt either. Why do we stop at 10, why not do 40rnd accuracy tests??
Click to expand...

10 rounds is actually a good representation. If people buy this rifle hoping to shoot sub-moa cloverleaf, they're in for a treat :p
 
Bratwurst said:
3MOA is a little dissapointing tbh, the WK180C was getting 2moa
Click to expand...

I'd say they look to be producing about the same results. And let's be honest, 3 MOA for 10 rounds is reality with kit even more expensive than these rifles.

I did a review of the WK in 2018 and posted my results here:
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1767816-Beltfed-s-WK-180C-Review
The groups approaching 2 MOA were left over handloads from my time competing in Service Rifle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom