Is it possible to become a really skilled long range shooter with a semi-auto?

#51
As Tictacticaltimmy said, get a rimfire for starters, and I’ll add- get out there and shoot MARS, PRS, or NRL22 to really learn how to drive the gun under a wide array of positions. That humble .22LR will teach you loads about the little tweaks that vastly affect your impacts at 300-400yds. It’s not just about trigger control and follow through, it’s about not twisting the frikken gun, not rushing the shot. You don’t have to rebuild your grip position every shot, but you do have to ensure that the minute forces that shifted through the last shot don’t cause you to decide to apply incorrect pressure to the gun rather than reinforcing that natural point of aim. We live in a time of unprecedented rimfire accuracy, particularly in factory autoloaders. Grab a Bergara, Kidd, Volquartsen, or some other 10/22 clone with a decent barrel and a case of good ammo and get to shooting.
Grab a Kriss, JP, or one of the other reliable and accurate AR rimfire conversions out there or build your own and become one with the same ergonomics of your chosen centerfire.
 
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#52
Just ask the Navy SEALS!
Knight's MK11 Mod0 started the whole thing during the Afgan War.
It's an SR25 to NAVY SEALS spec.
20" barrel
I ordered mine direct from Knight's back then.
Mine is factory spec. The Seals used a Bartlien barrel and Leupold M4 3.5-10 with unique reticle.
I jus got the standard 5R barrel and Leupold M4 scope.
Knight's rings and offset iron sights.
2" groups at 200 yds.
Seal package was $7KUSD, With scope I spent 4KUSD.
If I was in the market today with Knight's pricing being was it is, I would go with an LMT.
I'm quite impressed with their 556 rifles!
-Richard
 
#53
If someone tells you that shooting large frame ARs is difficult because of this, that, and all the other excuses, don’t listen to them. They are special and make things more difficult for themselves.
 
#55
Wizard1183 said:
You have to understand as well, in the military ammunition is free so shooting time is a luxury with unlimited firing time to become one with a rifle. Civilian is much different unless you have money pouring out of your ass
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Your experience and my experience in the military (I served in two different branches) differ wildly. I never once recall unlimited time to become one with a rifle. Maybe in SF, but regular Army and Marines both we never got enough time to shoot. Every unit has its own budget and training allotment and it’s not actually that much. I remember when we didn’t even have enough blanks for training and had to run around making gun noises (butta butta jam!)
 
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#56
As others have said, yes it's possible to become skilled at shooting long range with an AR10. But it's harder than with a bolt gun and requires skill and practice. I shoot a fair amount and I feel like I'm still not there yet. Based more on my AR15 shooting than an AR10 I find a good scope, a decent trigger (think LaRue or Geissele) a solid tripod, and a Magul PRS style stock all help. But 95% of us will generally get better results with a bolt gun, both because they are easier to shoot and because finding a bolt gun that's inherently capable of shooting 1/2 MOA and under is a lot easier than finding an AR capable of that kind of accuracy.
 
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#57
Speaking of triggers, I had a Mil-Spec trigger/hammer in the .260 after I raped the Geissele from it for one of my Grendels.

My boy didn’t notice when connecting with it at 780yds his 1st time.

I noticed, and just applied solid trigger and sight picture discipline. I’ll throw a LaRue or Geissele back in it. I have several trick triggers in boxes I haven’t even opened.

The swinging hammer of the AR-15 & AR-10 is one of the main things that makes it a bit more unforgiving of position and other fundamentals, whereas a bolt gun has the firing pin in-line.
 
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#58
Circling back to this thread. Went shooting yesterday for a minute. Ran the bolt gun for a bit firing some hand loaded hornady 168’s. They were lights out through the bolt action so I thought I’d run the last few out of the ar10. Interesting-they were about 1 moa through the gas gun. Moral of the story-find ammo your gas gun likes.
 
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#59
vvarvnn said:
Hello Everyone,

I’ve been researching mid- to long-range shooting and I’m curious about the potential for developing skill with a semi-automatic .308 match-grade rifle. My understanding is that bolt-action rifles are generally preferred for long-range accuracy due to their inherent stability and consistency, but I’m interested in knowing if it’s possible to achieve similar levels of proficiency with a semi-auto platform, especially in the mid- to long-range (300 to 1,000 yards).

Specifically, I’d like to know:
  1. Is it possible to consistently hit targets at these distances (300-1,000 yards) with a semi-auto .308, given that I would be using match-grade ammunition?
  2. What are the key factors that would contribute to becoming skilled in this discipline with a semi-auto rifle? (e.g., barrel quality, trigger control, optics, training, etc.)
  3. How much of a challenge is it to manage recoil, follow-up shots, and maintain accuracy with a semi-auto compared to bolt-action rifles at long range?
I’m looking to understand whether it’s realistic to pursue this type of shooting with a semi-auto rifle, and if so, what would be the best practices for improving accuracy and consistency over longer distances. Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your input!
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Yes.
 
#61
My answer is yes some can if they have the right platform and practice enough. ymmv . Choose the wrong setup and you will get discouraged , I started in the 70's with a Remington nylon 66 with a low power weaver scope and more than a few bricks ....to a browning A bolt 300 win mag ......not too much long distance for these old eyes anymore , i just drag out the AK's and mag dump them all day long with 50 year old russian military surplus ammo lol . good luck n have fun
 
#67
DM1975 said:
Ironically the only weapon I ever had malfunction on me in Iraq was an AK.
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Can, does and will happen but generally the AK platform is one of the most dependable fielded weapons , my Serbian is like a russian tank it aint the best but it just runs . My US made AK gave me a spot of trouble but now no issues ....there is nothing else I would reach for if society ever melts down , 75 years from now when the police issue is proton pulse weapons the AK will be doing what is does worse on a hot summer night in chicago wielded by some hoodrat . It has made its name in history that no maker will top before the end of gunpowder powered weapons as we know them . imho
 
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