Light weight patrol rifle build

[Alaskapopo]

Range Report on new patrol rifle build 8-24-14

We I just put this rifle together. The parts are listed in the picture. I have been using a SCAR 17 as a patrol rifle for a few years now and on gun call about 4 months back I could not help but think how heavy that gun was and I have decided to go back to 5.56 and having something lighter. I also wanted to have something that was similar in set up to my three gun rifles that I shoot all the time in competition so my muscle memory would stay the same.
I took the gun out today and sighted it in with both optics. I sighted the scope in at 100 yards and the off set red dot at 25 yards. The gun did not shoot as accurately as I would have liked but this is a pencil barrel so what can I expect. It still shot within reasonable levels for the mission of this gun. I wish I had a scale to weight it but the rifle feels like it comes in at around 8 pounds unloaded. It handled nicely. I shot a rifle qualification with it and scored 149 out of 150.

[E_Johnson]

Good looking build! Never seen a red dot placed in that spot, does it interfere with charging handle manipulation for you? What advantage do you gain by placing it there? I'm not trying to critique it by any means, just hoping to learn something new.

[Alaskapopo]

Thanks.
The advantage of this arrangement on the red dot is that it removes the main optic from your field of view. I was find it slower to shoot with both eyes open when I was using a Larue 30 degree off set mount with a H1 before because my left eye had a scope in it. I did not have a full field of view. Now with this optic mount it gets the rifle more flat and your field of view is un obstructed. Its a three gun accessory that I like for the real world as well. Downsides to this mount is it requires the use of a rifle stock it does not work with collapsible stocks. I have not found it to get in the way and I have been shooting this set up on my three gun rifles for a while now. Another down side is since the mount is hooked to the lower receiver if you have a sloppy upper to lower fit it will not be as accurate.
Pat

[El Cid]

Pat, your photo of the 5 shot group says it's the Federal 62 grain duty ammo. If it's the bullet with the exposed lead tip, I'd recommend trying a different type to see if it's really the rifle. Several folks I know have seen their groups start spreading significantly at 100 with that duty ammo. The explanation I got from people smarter than me is that the lead tip is getting randomly reshaped as it hits the feed ramp.

Nice looking rifle!

[E_Johnson]

Thanks.
The advantage of this arrangement on the red dot is that it removes the main optic from your field of view. I was find it slower to shoot with both eyes open when I was using a Larue 30 degree off set mount with a H1 before because my left eye had a scope in it. I did not have a full field of view. Now with this optic mount it gets the rifle more flat and your field of view is un obstructed. Its a three gun accessory that I like for the real world as well. Downsides to this mount is it requires the use of a rifle stock it does not work with collapsible stocks. I have not found it to get in the way and I have been shooting this set up on my three gun rifles for a while now. Another down side is since the mount is hooked to the lower receiver if you have a sloppy upper to lower fit it will not be as accurate.
Pat

Makes sense to me, thanks for the explanation.

[HeavyDuty]

Pat, that fits your cruiser's gun lock OK? We tried a Troy rail equipped AR in one of our SO cars a few years ago and the fit wasn't great.

[BrigandTwoFour]

I dig the MOE rifle stock. I'm going the same way on a project at the moment. Did you go that way due to the offset RDS requirement, or some other reason?

[signal4l]

How did that Federal load group with your prior rifle?

[Alaskapopo]

I dig the MOE rifle stock. I'm going the same way on a project at the moment. Did you go that way due to the offset RDS requirement, or some other reason?

Originally I did it because of the off set RDS now I like the scope a lot. Its simple, affordable and gives a good cheek weld. signnal4j as to the ammo this is a new duty load we are just issuing based on Dr. Roberts suggestion so I don't have anything to compare it with. My ball ammo reloads in my other builds generally groups 1.5 moa but those are builds are A JP and one with a Nordic both stainless match barrels so its not a fair comparison. I plan on shooting this gun with my match reloads today.
Pat

[Alaskapopo]

Due to my optics I have never had the rifle fit in the rack I have had to carry them in the trunk and the shotgun up front.
Pat