DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

[hmmngwy]

Looking for feedback on a Sweet 16. I have a 24" Shaw barreled AR that is a tack driver.

I am interested in something just as accurate, but with a shorter barrel.

Is 16" too short? Does anyone have experience with one? What kind of accuracy do you get? Looking for something to shoot sub-moa out to about 400 yards.

Thanks.

 

[Alaskaman11]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

16 inch is a up close barrel, you want 400 sub moa you need to be looking at a 20 inch rig. Remember, what is the M4 used for, Army trains for a man size target at 300 meters. Can you do better yes, will most of the rigs with 16 inch barrels shoot sub moa at 400 meters, yes in a vice. You are asking a putter to be a Driver. Use the right tool for the right job.

If you want shorter go with the 20 inch

 

[Metalhead0483]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

I've got a 16" low pro upper (heavy barrel) on one of my lowers. It shoots well enough. It'll usually do about 1.5 MOA (average) with Federal XM193. I've only shot it out to 200 yards though, so I can't speak for any of the longer ranges.

 

[ker2222]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Alaskaman 11</div><div class="ubbcode-body">16 inch is a up close barrel, you want 400 sub moa you need to be looking at a 20 inch rig. Remember, what is the M4 used for, Army trains for a man size target at 300 meters. Can you do better yes, will most of the rigs with 16 inch barrels shoot sub moa at 400 meters, yes in a vice. You are asking a putter to be a Driver. Use the right tool for the right job.

If you want shorter go with the 20 inch </div></div>


um...................not so much.

barrel length has nothing to do (basically) with accuracy. The extra 4inches will likely buy you about 100fps of muzzle velocity which will give you a bit more "margin of error" on your wind call and keep your round supersonic a bit longer. Otherwise, that is it. There are lots of guys shooting 16inch (and shorter) barrels very well out to 600yrds......without a vice

 

[rman]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

My partner and I both shoot "sweet 16's" for our service rifle matches...we use the 75 gr Hornady HPBT match bullet and Varget. Without any difficulty sub 2" or better at 200 m. We shoot back to 500m without any difficulty. The bull is a gracious 12 inches(with a smaller V bull) at 500 m and possibles are the norm at that distance. These rifles shoot...no question. Carefull load development is key. With a good trigger they are a real treat to shoot. 20-24" is not required..DPMS does a great job in putting these rifles together..nothing but good things to say about them.

 

[hmmngwy]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

Thank you for all of your input.

Who makes their barrels?

 

[ker2222]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

used to talk to Dusty and the guys who ran the company pretty regular before they got bought out.....they would frequent the minnesota gun shows and you could get some killer deals. They always claimed they made their own barrels.....never really believed them to tell you the truth but that is what they claimed. I think we had different definitions of "make".... I am sure they contour their own barrels, might even do the barrel extensions....don't think they are boring their own though.

I have shot a ton of their stuff. Never had any problems whatsover. Their 223 barrels have a reputation for being tightly chambered, especially their earlier barrels. Tight meaning don't shoot 5.56 ammo in them. Their newer 5.56 barrels do not have this reputation. I have had some very accurate barrels (MOA and below) and some average ones (1-1.5MOA) All in all they are a decent barrel. Probably somewhere between ER Shaw and Wilson in my opinon and maybe even equal to the wilsons.

I honestly don't know how the show is run now that they were bought out.

Also, as with most stuff, pay attention to what you are actually getting. DPMS makes barrels that are chrome lined and not chrome lined, 1:9 and 1:7, 223 and 5.56....

 

[sone]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

The one I used to own such a tight chamber on it, it would not extract most of the time, it was very accurate though

 

[Rovieairto]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

I would go for a 1-7 to 1-8 twist and a stainless wilson barrel if money is tight.
Go with the wilde chamber and forgo tight chamber and extraction issues.
A Kreiger or other cut rifled barrel would be even better.
My 16" rifle has shot very well out to 600 yards.
You are limited to about 700 yards with a 16" barrel in .223 with 68-77 grain mag length loads.
You will lose about 150 yards of shootable distance going from 24"-16"
I get 2800 ft/sec out of my 16" with 69 SMK's and that does the trick.
Usually the shorter barrel is more accurate but has less effective range.
Small, lightweight rifles are harder to shoot well at distance but make for excellent practice.
IMHO

 

[JRockman]

Re: DPMS Sweet 16 Accuracy?

I have a Sweet 16 upper mounted to an LMT lower. I've got to say it is awesome. I've tried about 20 different flavors of .223 and never have had any FTF or FTEs, it cycles very smoothly, and mounts up tight to my LMT lower. It loves the 69 gr BT match from Prvi - groups right at 0.425 MOA, or perhaps better when I don't have coffee in the morning!