Why is the AR15 more accurate than the M1A in High Power competitions? (Well, at least everything I’ve been reading has indicated those shooting AR15s have been consistently beating those shooting M1As.) It is the design of the rifle, or is the ballistics of the .223? How would an AR10 perform if thrown in the mix?
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Why is AR15 more accurate than M1A???
- Thread starter Q-Man
- Start date
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
The design of the rifle (less the gas system) is simply better. The trigger was a sore point for years, but that tide has changed.
I enjoy my AR's, but the smack of a .308 reminds you bof what a rifle is designed for - lead on target.
The AR-10 is a neat rifle, but until they start using FAL mags, I'll stick with the FAL.
Giz
I enjoy my AR's, but the smack of a .308 reminds you bof what a rifle is designed for - lead on target.
The AR-10 is a neat rifle, but until they start using FAL mags, I'll stick with the FAL.
Giz
Rokchukrslave
New member
An AR will not beat itself silly and get loose on you. Plus, an AR does not throw the shooter around in rapid fires, therefore giving the shooter more time to concentrate on sight alignment and trigger control. Mag changes are faster too since you don't have to "rock" AR mags.
AR15 More Accurate?
I can't say that an AR15 is more accurate than an M14. When built by a knowledgable armorer to National Match specs, I'd say that the M14 is at least equal to an equally prepared AR15 in the accuracy department.
True, once "built," the AR will hold its tune longer than the older rifle. This is due, mainly, to the lack of recoil combined with a completely synthetic stock. But the main reason that the AR "Wins" is due more to its ease of use, rather than any inherrantly better accuracy. The AR does require more skill on the part of the marksman at medium ranges (600 yds, long range being 1,000+ yds.) to deal with wind "doping," than does the larger caliber.
In the end, the M14 is a better long range weapon, and the M16 is a better close cambat arm.
Yr. Obt. Svnt.
I can't say that an AR15 is more accurate than an M14. When built by a knowledgable armorer to National Match specs, I'd say that the M14 is at least equal to an equally prepared AR15 in the accuracy department.
True, once "built," the AR will hold its tune longer than the older rifle. This is due, mainly, to the lack of recoil combined with a completely synthetic stock. But the main reason that the AR "Wins" is due more to its ease of use, rather than any inherrantly better accuracy. The AR does require more skill on the part of the marksman at medium ranges (600 yds, long range being 1,000+ yds.) to deal with wind "doping," than does the larger caliber.
In the end, the M14 is a better long range weapon, and the M16 is a better close cambat arm.
Yr. Obt. Svnt.
Q-man, the aluminum receiver is why one can match-tune an AR without doing all that epoxy work called "glass bedding."
Free-floating the barrel, using the altered handguard system, makes the final results more predictable than the standardized DOWNWARD pressure on the barrel obtained after properly bedding an M14/M1 series receiver.
If I understand correctly, it's a bit easier to get sub-MOA accuracy out of a .223/5.56mm round (I KNOW they're not quite exactly the same!) than out of the .308/7.62 (same!).
I've heard firsthand (mid-1980s) from one M14 series builder than simply changing gas pistons and/or op rods (as in matching a pair) can take a match-built M14 system gun from 1.25 MOA to .5 MOA. Not always that good, but always improved the performance.
He claimed to not know why this was so, but he kept a dozen or more of each on his bench for the final stage of building the guns. He also said that lapping the gas piston/op rod interfaces to be perfectly square was NOT a predicable way to get such results.
For being not quite perfect, the AR series has been product improved into a very nice and reliable system.
Free-floating the barrel, using the altered handguard system, makes the final results more predictable than the standardized DOWNWARD pressure on the barrel obtained after properly bedding an M14/M1 series receiver.
If I understand correctly, it's a bit easier to get sub-MOA accuracy out of a .223/5.56mm round (I KNOW they're not quite exactly the same!) than out of the .308/7.62 (same!).
I've heard firsthand (mid-1980s) from one M14 series builder than simply changing gas pistons and/or op rods (as in matching a pair) can take a match-built M14 system gun from 1.25 MOA to .5 MOA. Not always that good, but always improved the performance.
He claimed to not know why this was so, but he kept a dozen or more of each on his bench for the final stage of building the guns. He also said that lapping the gas piston/op rod interfaces to be perfectly square was NOT a predicable way to get such results.
For being not quite perfect, the AR series has been product improved into a very nice and reliable system.