If You Were Going to Build a Precision 5.56 AR Upper...

[zghorner]

Sold my 6.5 Grendel and looking to replace it with a .223/5.56 upper. Im not that well informed on precision shooting so any advice will be appreciated.

Goal: General group shooting and ring steel plates out to +/- 600yd...possibly hunt WTD but target shooting takes preference to hunting.

What would you do? Barrel length & twist? other specific accuracy improving parts?

Assume scope, rings and trigger will be of good quality but feel free to make suggestions here also.

 

[adamsredlines]

Heavy and long!

 

[Shinneryfarmer]

I would have kept the 6.5 Grendel for long range shooting. The 6.5 Gren is more than capable at that distance and beyond. Just my 2 cents.

 

[tRidiot]

I've got a 24" Wilson bull barrel in .223 Wylde. It's nice, I think it's 1:7, but a 1:8 should be fine, too, for all but the heaviest bullets. I've never shot mine out super far, but I think something in 20" or longer ought to be good.

 

[zghorner]

I would have kept the 6.5 Grendel for long range shooting. The 6.5 Gren is more than capable at that distance and beyond. Just my 2 cents.

I know it is...But I have a ton of .223, don’t reload, and Grendel ammo is scarce. Plus I was just never really into that upper for some reason.

This isn’t going to be an ultra serious build and will probably only get used a handful of times a year. I enjoy pistol and carbine type stuff more than distance shooting but I would like to have a longish range setup for s&g’s

 

[swampratt]

https://whiteoakprecision.com/
Or these guys.
https://compasslake.com/

I am a tight wad and would probably just get a Douglas or Krieger barrel and put on my upper and make some hand loads for it.

 

[Timmy59]

https://www.larue.com/category/uppers/

 

[GlockPride]

6.5G may be more expensive or scarce, but it really checks the boxes you were/are looking for as explained in the op. People don’t think BC like it is, but it do. 6.5G when compared to 5.56, depending on loads, has almost twice the ballistic coefficient of 5.56. That’s hard to beat, especially when getting out past 300 yards.

 

[zghorner]

6.5G may be more expensive or scarce, but it really checks the boxes you were/are looking for as explained in the op. People don’t think BC like it is, but it do. 6.5G when compared to 5.56, depending on loads, has almost twice the ballistic coefficient of 5.56. That’s hard to beat, especially when getting out past 300 yards.

I here ya its a better caliber for this task. Thank you.

 

[indi]

My 20” rock river lar-15 does great out to 600yards (furthest ive shot it). 1/9 twist with Hornady 75gr bthp on some vvn140 gives me great results. Ive shot factory loaded ammo out to 600 as well. It has a RRA NM trigger. I’m not a precision shooter, just a fortunate one.