Range Report 10.5" 5.56 w/ 15X scope?

[sevenplagues]

Was wondering about getting a little more umpf out of my SBR (10.5" 1:7 twist w/ 75 GR or 77 GR ammo, suppressed..) and throwing on lets say maybe a Nightforce 4-16x42 ATAC-R?

How stupid is this? What is good and what is bad about it?
What reticle would be best?

 

[Centuriator]

As per the usual, it is your money and you are free to do whatever you want with it. Having said that, I use my SBRs for shorter distance engagements and just throw a 3x magnifier on them with my Aimpoint or Eotech when I want to get further out.

I do not have access to a stupid scale, but I do think you may well be at Dumbcon 1 with this idea.

 

[Basher]

I’m not sure why you’d want to do that, honestly. Unless you needed an exceptionally compact package for short-range precision work, you’re better off getting another upper to serve your precision needs. I’d think a red dot or maybe a 1-6x would be far better suited to an SBR, but maybe that’s just me.

Can you do it? Sure. Practical? Not really.

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

Screw the haters, go for it!

It'll throw the balance way off, it'll give you a crazy restrictive field of view for the usual SBR uses, and it will get you all kinda attention at the local rifle range. Win, win, win.

Then again, my SBRs run red dots or 1-6s (and almost never leave "1x"), and I've never been running an SBR and thought, "I really need 16X", other than maybe for the occasional "hey ya'll, watch this..."

If you really want to go full "operator as fuck", mount a red dot in an offset for the close range stuff. And maybe find a pic rail attachment for a toaster, for when you get a little hungry, but only just a little.

Red dot on a 20-pound 338 Lapua = 4-16X on an SBR. Roughly.


Hope that helps.

 

[sevenplagues]

Screw the haters, go for it!

It'll throw the balance way off, it'll give you a crazy restrictive field of view for the usual SBR uses, and it will get you all kinda attention at the local rifle range. Win, win, win.

Then again, my SBRs run red dots or 1-6s (and almost never leave "1x"), and I've never been running an SBR and thought, "I really need 16X", other than maybe for the occasional "hey ya'll, watch this..."

If you really want to go full "operator as fuck", mount a red dot in an offset for the close range stuff. And maybe find a pic rail attachment for a toaster, for when you get a little hungry, but only just a little.

Red dot on a 20-pound 338 Lapua = 4-16X on an SBR. Roughly.


Hope that helps.

Yes i have the red dot offset setup already, thanks

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

In all seriousness, I have said many times - and probably will many more: set the gun up for the shot you will take, not the shot you might take.

Personally, I want a compact SBR that swings easily and balances well. Most 3-15X scopes don't fit that description. If you need an impact wrench but all you have is a pair of pliers, the idea isn't to make the pliers as impact wrench-like as possible - or that isn't my idea.

 

[sevenplagues]

In all seriousness, I have said many times - and probably will many more: set the gun up for the shot you will take, not the shot you might take.

Personally, I want a compact SBR that swings easily and balances well. Most 3-15X scopes don't fit that description. If you need an impact wrench but all you have is a pair of pliers, the idea isn't to make the pliers as impact wrench-like as possible - or that isn't my idea.

I understand.
Guess I was asking how far could I push my Recce Rifle / SBR hybrid.

Thanks for all the answers , I’ll go take apart my gun now and cry.

 

[MK20]

I have personally pushed a DD MK18 out to 550m with an unmagnified EOtech and green tip and made consistent and reliable hits on a IPSC target.
You don’t need 15x.

 

[sevenplagues]

I have personally pushed a DD MK18 out to 550m with an unmagnified EOtech and green tip and made consistent and reliable hits on a IPSC target.
You don’t need 15x.

lol i have an AIMPOINT that im using now, works just fine. I can also hit out to great distances with it. However, i feel a magnified optic is way to go for taking these shots. (personally) Because there's something to be said for ease of use and consistency.
Maybe ill do a 1-8 or a 2-10

 

[MK20]

Steiner P4xi 1-4. Best carbine optic I have ever handled.

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

You seem to be extrapolating. Putting a more precision optic on a 2 MOA gun doesn't make the gun more precise. If you have a red dot in the 2 MOA range, you have what makes the most sense for that rifle - as shots should cluster inside/near the dot, but probably not tighter.
If you add a 15X scope, yes you will have a more precise aiming point, but you are still launching rounds from a 10.5" pecker and probably not doing so from a super-stable shooting position.

Maybe we should take a huge step back and ask what you are doing with this SBR? Are you shooting off-hand, improvised positions, run-n-gun; or are you setting up in a good prone position with support and building a shot with time and effort?

Regarding the "ease of use and consistency", again, you seem to be setting up 2 tools that don't commonly go together - and for good reason.

To me, it sounds like you need another gun, might I suggest a 6.5Grendel if staying in the AR15 family, or a 6.5Creedmoor if willing to bump up to AR10. Or, split the difference (which might be your perfect choice) and get an AR10 in 16" barrel, top that with a 2-10 or even smaller 3-15X with offset red dot. I have that very same setup and it is the go-to gun for 0-600 yards with movement involved. It isn't an SBR, but it won't be called upon to sweep corners and clear rooms.

 

[MontanaMarine]

You only have to make you grin. Do whatever that takes.



Myself I put a 5X prism on mine to see what it could do for accuracy.

I decided to keep it light with irons. Still shoots well enough, and pretty flat to 200 yards with a 40 yard zero.

With a 40 yard zero, the carry handle sights run pretty close out to 500 with M855, here at 4K elevation.

 

[Centuriator]

Have you come down on the Dumbcon scale to join the rest of us at Dumbcon 5, or maybe 4?

 

[021411]

For grins I chrono’ed my 10.3” build with American Eagle 223 and they were averaging 2579 FPS.

 

[Centuriator]

People do tend to underestimate the effectiveness of a SBR in 10.5" or 11.5" (my preference is 11.5"), just as there has been way too much made of how "ineffective" a 16" barrel is with .308. But to think that it is a good idea to throw a 4-16 optic on it is a whole 'nuther kettle of fish. Of course, if you have a higher powered optic on another rifle and want to give it a whirl for fun, sure....but seriously...it would be truly Dumbcon 1 to acquire something like that for a SBR.

 

[Luke]

With the wide variety of 1-4, 1-6, and 1-8 power optics out there I think any of them would be better suited to the rifle than a 4-16...

 

[Niles Coyote]

I ran a 6-24x for load work ups on a couple 10.5's. One now wears a 1-4x and the other a 2.5-10x...

Mama always said, stupid is as stupid does. But life is like a box of chocolates, ya never know what your going to get...

Curious, what kind of shoes do you wear? You can tell alot about a person from the shoes they wear! Where their going, where they have been... I've worn lots of shoes.

 

[sevenplagues]

I ran a 6-24x for load work ups on a couple 10.5's. One now wears a 1-4x and the other a 2.5-10x...

Mama always said, stupid is as stupid does. But life is like a box of chocolates, ya never know what your going to get...

Curious, what kind of shoes do you wear? You can tell alot about a person from the shoes they wear! Where their going, where they have been... I've worn lots of shoes.

How’s the 2.5-10 on the 10.5?

 

[Niles Coyote]

Works well and I dont plan to change it, same rifle but the 2.5-10 sticks out another couple inches. It's just enough to still be good for load work at 100 on .5-1 moa stick on bullseyes.

 

[j-huskey]

I have a 6.5-20 on a U.S. Optics rail from way back, that slides on a flat-top. We use it on every single AR we get to accuracy test the system and the loads.
We have a few pistols and sbr's that wore it. It's fun shooting a 10.5 to 600 yards and listen for the "tink" when it hits steel.
Doesnt take long to get bored with that, especially in 95-100° heat. Much more fun shooting fast moving pigs with the 10.5's with a 1-4 behind a thermal or NV.
I personally havent found the high X to be useful on a sbr, but it's like somebody earlier said, it all depends on what u want to do, and that's totally up to you.

But, in your words, "a little more umpff... " with your 10.5 and ammo, big scope doesnt add umpff. It just let's u see better where the 10.5 and your load shits the bed (loses that umpff) and isnt useful any further.