AR initial shooting report

[Graybeard]

Yesterday Matt and I took a couple of the ARs out to shoot for the first time.

We took the Remington R15 with 18" barrel which wears an EOTech camo Holosight and the Charles Daly A3 with detachable carry handle rear sight and permanent front sight. Ammo was PMC 55 FMJ.

I sighted in the R15 with the Holosight and most of the shooting was done with it. I used a piece of tin left over from cutting off the 11.5' sheet for the roughly 9' side wall for a target. Matt put a cross made of electrical tape on it for a target. It didn't take much adjustment to get it sighted in them Matt got to playing with it. Our targets for the day were a flower pot and a 20 oz. drink bottle as this was real informal plinking.

I tried to sight in the CD but read that coarse adjustment vertically should be made with front sight and I not have a front sight adjustment tool yet. It needed what I felt was some coarse adjustment so I held off on that one until I get an adjustment tool. I was able to hit the bottle and pot with it tho by aiming a bit low. There might have been enough adjustment in the rear but no sense in using it all up when from what I've read that's what the front sight adjustment is for.

Today I tried to scope the 22" R15 but the tallest rings I have are too low and I can't get my head low enough on the butt to see thru the scope so I'll have to buy some taller rings it seems. I plan to put a Leupold scope on it hopefully in QD rings and will likely also buy an Aimpoint for it but first I want to see what Bugflipper has on his rifles when I pay him a visit and decide just what I want on it before I jump.

I've about settled on what kinda upper to get from Model 1 Sales for the Armalite lower but haven't jumped yet as again I want to visit with Bugflipper first and then after some discussion with him looking at his rifles I'll finalize a decision. I expect to set it up as an A3 flat top with 20'' AR15 Standard Upper Half, Government Profile Barrel, 5.56 NATO, chrome lined chamber & bore 1-7" twist with A2 flash hider, 4 rail gas block, with MI flip front sight, rear sight might also be an MI flip up and chrome bolt and carrier with standard charging handle.

I'm also toying with getting Troy flip sights and have not finalized that decision yet.

I expect I will likely mount an Aimpoint Comp M2 on it for primary sighting system.

[CannonKrazy]

GB post some pictures of your rifles when you have the time. I would like to see your set ups. I have been putting a list together of things I might try later on. Currently I am looking for a project gun, something I can build to my specs. I decided to leave my Bushmaster as is and do all my tinkering on another one.

[cjclemens]

I use a riser block under my scope.  It fits on the picatinny rail on the top of my receiver and has a weaver rail for standard scope rings.  I think you can also find rings that have the riser built in, but the separate block gives you a little more ajdustability.  Either way, that extra 1" makes it possible to use the plain medium height weaver rings that everyone has.

[Savage]

Front sight adjusting tool? Yeah, I've heard of those.  Never got around to picking one up tho. The accepted field method is to use the bullet tip on a loaded round to depress the detent while rotating the front sight with the bullet tip of another loaded round. Helps if you have someone to hold the rifle while you perform this operation, or have a gunvise handy. Enjoy your AR!
Savage

[SharonAnne]

I made a front sight adjustment tool from heavy wire bent in a U-shape.

Greybeard, you have 18" AND 22" R15s? Will you scope them to shoot groups?

[44 Man]

Graybeard, you need a riser for the scope, then your rings will fit.  Yep, more money to make a simple thing work.  Invest in that and you are well on your way to 'AR gadgititis'!  Once that starts, it never stops until you have a 13 lb AR in which you have invested $3200 and has 43 gizmos hanging off from it!  Then you will get bored and sell it (for $800) and start over on another.  Congrats on your AR.  The fun is just beginning!  44 Man

[myronman3]

forget the tool.   take a plastic pen, the end you dont write with.  heat it up with a lighter.   press it down over the front sight while it is hot.  remove it and let it cool.  when cool, place the hole you burned into it over the sight, depress the pin that holds the sight from turning down with a bullet, or a punch, then twist the pen to adjust up or down.  no need to spend money on a silly tool.   unless you have so much money you are itching to throw it away.

[CannonKrazy]

Good idea. Common sence pays off again. Myronman just saved me 20 bucks. Thanks

[Graybeard]

Greybeard, you have 18" AND 22" R15s? Will you scope them to shoot groups?

Yes that's the plan. I will likely leave the 22" R15 scoped at all times tho might use a scope with lower magnification range for wider FOV to make it more suitable for self defense use as well. I hope to have it set up with QD rings to allow me to switch between low power variable and a higher power variable varmint type scope. I likely will or at least might scope the 18" also just for groups but the EOTech Holosight is the optic it will wear normally.

I'll get some photos of them when I can. With my camera I really need to do it outside in decent lighting rather than inside.

The sight adjustment tools can be had for less than $10 so are not a big deal if ordered with something else as they'd add no shipping charges. I think I saw them as cheap as $6 tho the work arounds mentioned might work as well. I don't really expect to be changing it often and perhaps only the one time unless I later put a different rear on it which will of course happen if I go to a holosight or Aimpoint on the CD.

[myronman3]

my point exactly, why spend any money when a pen you have their does every bit as well.   to each their own.   

[44 Man]

I was thinking an ACOG for mine but decided to put a Trijicon Accu-Point 1 1/4 x 4 scope on it.  Turned down it will be fine for defence and turned up for hunting.  Of course I cannot squeeze all that a 223 can give with just a 4 power, so maybe your idea is a good one Graybeard.  I'll just put the Accu-Point over onto my 6.8 Ruger Ranch Rifle.  44 Man

[cwlongshot]

You will LOVE the Aimpoint comp!! Alltho mine isn't on an AR its on one of my bullseye pistol's, its a great, quality site!!



CW

[jsoukup]

I went deer hunting this weekend, took my wife and 4 year old daughter. I carried both my regular rifle and my AR. When we were loading up, I decided to burn up a few rounds through the AR before leaving. I walked about a 100 yards from our camper to an old stock pond and proceeded to shoot as fast as I could pull the trigger. (only a few rounds in the mag) When I finished I heard my daughter yell,...

"Daddy, that was awesome!"


Makes you get that warm fuzzy feelin' all over.

[CannonKrazy]

Yep jsoukup, I know what you mean. My youngest daughter (20) wants an AR now. I already have a hard enough time keeping ammo for myself.