M1A Precision Challenge 1.5 MOA

Can I play now?

I just made the 5-group challenge today with the Blackfeather.

On the left are my Speer 125gr TNT loads and the 6th group on the right is 168gr FGMM. My 5-group average is 1.2412" and if you throw in the 6th group, it's 1.198"



Here's the rifle...


Standard all-GI M1A from 1994 with GI H&R barrel dated from 1962. Shimmed gas cylinder and that's it.

Blackfeather stock, SHG handguard, RBS stock.

Bassett scope mount and Zeiss Conquest 3-9x50.


Tony.

Tony - Great shooting and you are only the third person to make this with a standard weight barrel. You've been added to the list on post #2. Looking forward to seeing your build video.

Looks like the handguard doesn't mess with accuracy and I guess asking whether you are happy with how it turned out is redundant...:p
 
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I'll be taking a crack at this hopefully this weekend if I have the time.
I brought my M1A NM with Sadlak Airborne mount and Bushnell ET6500 to the precision rifle clinic this past weekend to get some long distance dope.
It was able to "wris####ch" a figure 11 target at 600y with some consistency in the 5 minutes I had to shoot it.
We'll see if that translates to accuracy at 100y.
 
Tony - Great shooting and you are only the third person to make this with a standard weight barrel. You've been added to the list on post #2. Looking forward to seeing your build video.

Looks like the handguard doesn't mess with accuracy and I guess asking whether you are happy with how it turned out is redundant...:p

Thank you, sir! This is my first experience with a modern stock, so I'm giddy to say the least! I was pleased to see that the SHG did not seem to effect accuracy in a negative way. Who knows, it may have helped with heat dissipation. I did notice my barrel cooled rather quickly yesterday, combined with a 60 degree day.

Tony.
 
Thank you, sir! This is my first experience with a modern stock, so I'm giddy to say the least! I was pleased to see that the SHG did not seem to effect accuracy in a negative way. Who knows, it may have helped with heat dissipation. I did notice my barrel cooled rather quickly yesterday, combined with a 60 degree day.

Tony.
Hey Tony,
Congratulations on your success, I finally found some of the 125grain speers and am waiting for them to show up! Hope I can mimic your results or at least come close ;)
Almost forgot to say... one damn fine looking rifle!!!!
Rodney
 
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If weather permits I'm gonna take a stab at this with two rifles.
Mostly norinco with krieger barrel 18.5" and an LRB M25 with all premium parts and same 18.5" krieger barrel.
Both rifles with 1.631" chambers cut with the same clymer M852 reamer.
This should be fun now that my trigger finger rehab is pretty much complete. Word to the wise... Don't slice yer trigger finger damn near off, it no fun :D
 
If weather permits I'm gonna take a stab at this with two rifles.
Mostly norinco with krieger barrel 18.5" and an LRB M25 with all premium parts and same 18.5" krieger barrel.
Both rifles with 1.631" chambers cut with the same clymer M852 reamer.
This should be fun now that my trigger finger rehab is pretty much complete. Word to the wise... Don't slice yer trigger finger damn near off, it no fun :D

Sounds like fun! Are these standard or medium weight barrels? Been thinking about rebarreling my Norinco also, the rifle has worked flawlessly for over 1000 rounds and has pretty good accuracy to boot!! If I do I plan to use the Norinco bolt as it works fine as it is, I heard 2007 was a good year for Norincos so see no reason to spend the extra bucks for USGI.
 
Both barrels are krieger, chromoly 18.5" KM1007359 .308 win, 1/11 twist, short chamber. One with stock norc bolt and one with LRB bolt, both with chambers set at 1.631"
Might be kinda cheatin with the krieger pipes but we'll see :D
These are fresh builds and are unfired as of yet.
 
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I did better today! I took the rifle out to the 200yd line and results were very good! I had one other tight group in the 1.2" range at 200 but it was on a different target.

After tweaking my Blackfeather a little, my groups were as follows: 1.872", 2.579", 2.036", 2.7" and 1.290". I noticed that between groups, my shots would go back to center and as the barrel warmed up, they would drift low so on the 5th group, I extended my barrel cool time from 1 minute between shots to 2 minutes. The results were nice! At this point the rifle had maybe 160 to 180 rounds through the barrel already without cleaning so I should be above 200 now with the fouled barrel.





A very foggy morning...


So according to my math, my 100yd group size would be 1.0477" beating my last attempt.

Tony.
 
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Nice shooting Tony. Numbers in post #2 updated to reflect this post. You are the only one who has done this at 200 yards to date.

I just checked my rifle. There is a 0.003" gap under the receiver heel and stock. Good catch on your part. I've never thought to check. Will shim this and hope to shoot this week.
 
Nice shooting Tony. Numbers in post #2 updated to reflect this post. You are the only one who has done this at 200 yards to date.

I just checked my rifle. There is a 0.003" gap under the receiver heel and stock. Good catch on your part. I've never thought to check. Will shim this and hope to shoot this week.

I'll be eager to see your results. I think shooting at 200 revealed things at 100 that I never saw.

Tony.
 
I did better today! I took the rifle out to the 200yd line and results were very good! I had one other tight group in the 1.2" range at 200 but it was on a different target.

After tweaking my Blackfeather a little, my groups were as follows: 1.872", 2.579", 2.036", 2.7" and 1.290". I noticed that between groups, my shots would go back to center and as the barrel warmed up, they would drift low so on the 5th group, I extended my barrel cool time from 1 minute between shots to 2 minutes. The results were nice! At this point the rifle had maybe 160 to 180 rounds through the barrel already without cleaning so I should be above 200 now with the fouled barrel.





A very foggy morning...


So according to my math, my 100yd group size would be 1.0477" beating my last attempt.

Tony.

Wow, great results! Interesting info about the barrel cool down between shots, I wonder what it would look like to fire five groups in fairly rapid strings of five, with one shot at each aiming point per string, but letting the barrel get cold between strings.
 
working on it!!
Had a bit of a setback on Saturday, brand new Hornady match brass for M1A... started load testing, 8 out of 50 brass started to seperate (first time fired!!) One came out in 2 pieces, 3 more are so bad I think I could break them apart by hand.
Back on Monday with Lapua brass, no seperations, all good except that had to lower powder charges for heavier cases.
Tried Tony's 125 grain Speers in the M1A and the Norinco, found loads producing under an inch to 1.5 in the M1A and a few under 1.5 in the Norinco. Hope I can go back next weekend and reproduce these results. (consistently for 5 groups!!!)

Rodney
 
:bump:

Anyone?

I've been busy over the winter, and it's been too cold (for me) the days I've been home to head out to the range. Spring will be upon us soon and I plan to tackle this again at longer ranges. I see the 200 yard challenge has been met. Nice shooting TonyBen!
 
I'm staring at three rifles I'd love to take out shooting today but winter is messing with my game plan :( snow is too deep and heavy to get the quad out to the targets LOL gonna have to buy a snowmobile soon I'm thinkin , that or a dog sled team haha
 
I've been distracted by a new match-barreled AR that has been giving me a hard time finding a load. I think I may almost be there. I have to say that the M14 platform is much more satisfying to shoot.

I have to get back to it soon. Still have to move out to the 200 for a go at the Challenge.
 
When I've had the time it's been too cold, and when it's been warm enough I haven't had the time - the age-old tale. I really want to find the right handload by spring though, so as soon as I can I'll be out there again turning powder into noise.
 
Load 41.5 of H4895 in a case of your choice with a CCI BR2 primer, seat a 168g SMK to 2.800" and that should shoot like a charm. Mess around from there to fine tune your load if you feel it's necessary. I load to about 2550 fps with the 168g bullet. Hasn't let me down yet and I get excellent accuracy.
 
Load 41.5 of H4895 in a case of your choice with a CCI BR2 primer, seat a 168g SMK to 2.800" and that should shoot like a charm. Mess around from there to fine tune your load if you feel it's necessary. I load to about 2550 fps with the 168g bullet. Hasn't let me down yet and I get excellent accuracy.

That's more or less where I'm at, it's the messing around with fine tuning that I'm working on right now ;)

(plus I want to test some Berger Hybrids I picked up)
 
I guess I've been lucky that the accuracy with 41.6 has been outstanding with no further tuning required. Berger 168 VLD's have shot better than the SMK in my rifle. Much better. Good luck with the Hybrids. I'm currently working on a 175 SMK load that will preform better at 1000 yards than what I have now. I just don't get very many opportunities to shoot at that distance.
 
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