A friendly accuracy challenge. Beat the match conditioned M14's/M1A's! (Piston-driven rifles)
- By TonyBen
- Semi-Automatic Rifles
- 21 Replies
The M14 is an old dog but it has the benefit of having decades of accuracy enhancements implemented by military match armorers and sniper/DMR programs that were dedicated to turning a 5 MOA battle rifle into a sniper, DMR and competition rifle. The average match M14 built with premium components and built by a reputable builder should shoot 1 MOA give or take .25 MOA. This could be a traditional M14 with a heavy or medium barrel bedded into a heavy fiberglass or wood stock, or a rifle dropped into one of the modern chassis systems, like the JAE or the SAGE.
There's no argument that bolt action and traditional AR rifles using a DI gas system can be made to shoot more accurately and more consistently. This challenge is not aimed at those rifles.
The challenge:
Shoot a minimum of five 5-shot groups at a minimum distance of 100 yards with a non-DI rifle system. If you choose to do 10-shot groups or shoot farther (which I encourage), please do so. Groups may be shot off a bench or prone, off a bipod, or sandbags. I encourage shooting off a sturdy bench (preferably made of cinder blocks with a cement top) and with a large sand bag, like the Caldwell Tack Driver bag. You may use factory ammo or tailored handloads. Any power scope of choice is allowed. You may shoot with iron sights as well, if you dare!
What to include:
-Pictures of the rifle, range, bench, groups with date. Specify distance (100 yards, 600 yards, etc...)
-Rifle specs to include any special enhancements, like upgraded barrel, trigger, modified gas system, chassis system etc... (brag about your rifle!)
-Specify method of measuring. I personally use digital calipers and open them up to the bullet diameter (0.308") and then hit ZERO. I then measure the extreme spread and that gives me the center to center spread. If you choose to use a digital measuring device, please do so and let us know what app it is so we can use it too!
-Electronic scoring or marking systems that display the distance and group size is allowed as well.
The challenge is open to the following rifles: Any semi-auto military style rifle that is driven by a piston of some sort and chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 308, 260 Remington, or even 30-06 (just to allow the Garand guys to play, if they so desire). HK91's are included in this challenge even though they are roller-delayed blowback rifles. Any barrel length is allowed.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
M14 variants
FN SCAR-17/20s
FAL
M110A1
LMT MARS
B&T APC308
Sig MCX SPEAR
Any piston driven AR-10 variant
HK91 variants/CETME
Targets:
Any target that allows you to get the best consistency using your scope or iron sights. Here are som sample targets that I use for scopes:
Here are some sample targets I used for iron sights. These were my zeroing targets for my double-lugged M14.
So, let the game begin!
There's no argument that bolt action and traditional AR rifles using a DI gas system can be made to shoot more accurately and more consistently. This challenge is not aimed at those rifles.
The challenge:
Shoot a minimum of five 5-shot groups at a minimum distance of 100 yards with a non-DI rifle system. If you choose to do 10-shot groups or shoot farther (which I encourage), please do so. Groups may be shot off a bench or prone, off a bipod, or sandbags. I encourage shooting off a sturdy bench (preferably made of cinder blocks with a cement top) and with a large sand bag, like the Caldwell Tack Driver bag. You may use factory ammo or tailored handloads. Any power scope of choice is allowed. You may shoot with iron sights as well, if you dare!
What to include:
-Pictures of the rifle, range, bench, groups with date. Specify distance (100 yards, 600 yards, etc...)
-Rifle specs to include any special enhancements, like upgraded barrel, trigger, modified gas system, chassis system etc... (brag about your rifle!)
-Specify method of measuring. I personally use digital calipers and open them up to the bullet diameter (0.308") and then hit ZERO. I then measure the extreme spread and that gives me the center to center spread. If you choose to use a digital measuring device, please do so and let us know what app it is so we can use it too!
-Electronic scoring or marking systems that display the distance and group size is allowed as well.
The challenge is open to the following rifles: Any semi-auto military style rifle that is driven by a piston of some sort and chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 308, 260 Remington, or even 30-06 (just to allow the Garand guys to play, if they so desire). HK91's are included in this challenge even though they are roller-delayed blowback rifles. Any barrel length is allowed.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
M14 variants
FN SCAR-17/20s
FAL
M110A1
LMT MARS
B&T APC308
Sig MCX SPEAR
Any piston driven AR-10 variant
HK91 variants/CETME
Targets:
Any target that allows you to get the best consistency using your scope or iron sights. Here are som sample targets that I use for scopes:
Here are some sample targets I used for iron sights. These were my zeroing targets for my double-lugged M14.
So, let the game begin!
