I bought a Spike's Tactical 16" Mid-Length upper for the Ar-15 a few weeks ago and just finished her first time on the range. It's (I think) an A3 upper and has an A3 UTG rear sight. Caliber is marked "5.56mm" on the hang-tag from the store.
Function was fine. No hiccups other than one faulty mag that would not present its final round for feeding about half the time.
This is the first time I've used a shorty upper on my rifle with good results. Previously, I've had nothing but failures to feed and battered FCG with 16" barrels, but it seems the mid-length gas tube system has got a handle on taming the violent action problems common to the short systems.
Disappointment came with the accuracy, but I was firing Silver Bear and Wolf Classic. I didn't expect much and didn't get it, but the rifle did get a battlesight zero and could hit our local range's 200 yard gong most of the time.
The UTG rear sight gave me a surprise.... it flew off three times during sight-in. Finally I had to take out the BIG OLD SCREWDRIVER and tighten the SN@T out of it. Problem solved.
Now a question...... This thing has a 1/7" twist rifling rate and might like a heavier projectile than the 55 grain FMJs that I used today. Would any one recommend a good factory load or component bullet that they have knowledge of working well in this twist rate ?
I think I'm going to keep this upper unit, and it deserves every chance to perform well. I have experience reloading for accuracy in this caliber, but never with this barrel length or twist rate. Should I just not waste effort trying to make the 55 grainers work, and go straight to a 68 grain for my next efforts ?
Thanks for putting up with long-winded old me.
JCK
Function was fine. No hiccups other than one faulty mag that would not present its final round for feeding about half the time.
This is the first time I've used a shorty upper on my rifle with good results. Previously, I've had nothing but failures to feed and battered FCG with 16" barrels, but it seems the mid-length gas tube system has got a handle on taming the violent action problems common to the short systems.
Disappointment came with the accuracy, but I was firing Silver Bear and Wolf Classic. I didn't expect much and didn't get it, but the rifle did get a battlesight zero and could hit our local range's 200 yard gong most of the time.
The UTG rear sight gave me a surprise.... it flew off three times during sight-in. Finally I had to take out the BIG OLD SCREWDRIVER and tighten the SN@T out of it. Problem solved.
Now a question...... This thing has a 1/7" twist rifling rate and might like a heavier projectile than the 55 grain FMJs that I used today. Would any one recommend a good factory load or component bullet that they have knowledge of working well in this twist rate ?
I think I'm going to keep this upper unit, and it deserves every chance to perform well. I have experience reloading for accuracy in this caliber, but never with this barrel length or twist rate. Should I just not waste effort trying to make the 55 grainers work, and go straight to a 68 grain for my next efforts ?
Thanks for putting up with long-winded old me.
JCK
