Fozzy_Bear
03-11-08, 09:40
I just finished assembling my first Black Rifle and I took it to the range this weekend.
--Just for reference; It's a DPMS receiver with a RRA LPK (Hogue grip upgrade), Bushmaster complete upper (20 inch, A2 ), and a cheap eBay stock (it was the last piece I needed and I couldn't wait for a good deal on a stock to come around... Also, I used a Colt-manufactured 30 round magazine)--
I wanted to test everything out, and I wanted to see what worked well in my rifle, so I shot 3 different types of ammo. I figured I'd share the info here.
But, PLEASE NOTE:::: I am new to the whole Black Rifle culture (not firearms in general though) and I am not trying to get into the religious war that is Ammo selection, I'm just passing on direct First Hand experience about how MY weapon functioned.
That being said, I used
20 rounds - of PMC Bronze 55gr FMJBT sold as .223
19 rounds of Wolf 62gr FMJ sold as .223
and
19 rounds of Winchester 55gr FMJ sold as 5.56 ( could tell the higher pressure)
( I disassembled one of the Wolf and Winchester to compare them...)
total round count : 58.
So on with the info:
The rounds marked as 5.56 were clearly higher powered than either of the .223 marked rounds. I was aware that was how it should be, but I was actually surprised that I was able to notice such a difference.
The 20 rounds of PMC were consistent and at least as accurate as I am.
My personal goal is to have a pattern no bigger than the area of my fist --if I put my fist on the target, all the holes should be covered. - I figure if I were standing next to something and punched it, that would be my pattern and if my firearm is as good as my fist... That's good enough for me, since I don't have a job, or life, where I am depending on my weapon. --
The Winchester was more accurate, and definitely more powerful. - I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I were to actually NEED my weapon.
Of the 19 rounds of Wolf ammo I fired, 13 of them functioned correctly. 6 failed to load properly. After manually cycling the charging handle, all 6 caught the second time though.
I did NOT fire all of the ammo in order (stacking the deck by giving one manufacturer a dirty gun); I loaded a magazine with 4 rounds of each ammo (wolf, then PMC, then Win for the first few, then reverse order to see if the Wolf were getting a bad rap by following the others... - nope.) and fired at a different circle on a 4-bulls-eye target for the 4 shot group (5 paper targets total)
So there you have it. - My first Black Rifle experience. I'm quite please that the first weapon I built from parts is more accurate than I am, and that as long as I feed it brass shells, it seems to work flawlessly.
The only issue I had was that I found a place where I didn't lube the weapon well enough. I noticed the slight beginnings of wear on the side of the BCG gas-key. I got the BCG really well, but I guess I didn't get enough on the top of it (or I was using something too thin (hopes gun oil) and it rolled down... I'll be sure to get that well before the next trip to the range.
That being said, I wouldn't just use this to bash Wolf. The BCG admittedly had a lubrication issue (allbeit very small), and the buffer and buffer spring were the cheapest money could buy. - It's possibly that in a fully top-tier weapon that there would have been no problems... But, all things being as they were (are) I will not be buying any more myself.
Next time I hope to put some M193 head-to-head with some of the Winchester ammo and possibly some 855 ammo so I can get a feel between true 5.56 loads.
.
--Just for reference; It's a DPMS receiver with a RRA LPK (Hogue grip upgrade), Bushmaster complete upper (20 inch, A2 ), and a cheap eBay stock (it was the last piece I needed and I couldn't wait for a good deal on a stock to come around... Also, I used a Colt-manufactured 30 round magazine)--
I wanted to test everything out, and I wanted to see what worked well in my rifle, so I shot 3 different types of ammo. I figured I'd share the info here.
But, PLEASE NOTE:::: I am new to the whole Black Rifle culture (not firearms in general though) and I am not trying to get into the religious war that is Ammo selection, I'm just passing on direct First Hand experience about how MY weapon functioned.
That being said, I used
20 rounds - of PMC Bronze 55gr FMJBT sold as .223
19 rounds of Wolf 62gr FMJ sold as .223
and
19 rounds of Winchester 55gr FMJ sold as 5.56 ( could tell the higher pressure)
( I disassembled one of the Wolf and Winchester to compare them...)
total round count : 58.
So on with the info:
The rounds marked as 5.56 were clearly higher powered than either of the .223 marked rounds. I was aware that was how it should be, but I was actually surprised that I was able to notice such a difference.
The 20 rounds of PMC were consistent and at least as accurate as I am.
My personal goal is to have a pattern no bigger than the area of my fist --if I put my fist on the target, all the holes should be covered. - I figure if I were standing next to something and punched it, that would be my pattern and if my firearm is as good as my fist... That's good enough for me, since I don't have a job, or life, where I am depending on my weapon. --
The Winchester was more accurate, and definitely more powerful. - I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I were to actually NEED my weapon.
Of the 19 rounds of Wolf ammo I fired, 13 of them functioned correctly. 6 failed to load properly. After manually cycling the charging handle, all 6 caught the second time though.
I did NOT fire all of the ammo in order (stacking the deck by giving one manufacturer a dirty gun); I loaded a magazine with 4 rounds of each ammo (wolf, then PMC, then Win for the first few, then reverse order to see if the Wolf were getting a bad rap by following the others... - nope.) and fired at a different circle on a 4-bulls-eye target for the 4 shot group (5 paper targets total)
So there you have it. - My first Black Rifle experience. I'm quite please that the first weapon I built from parts is more accurate than I am, and that as long as I feed it brass shells, it seems to work flawlessly.
The only issue I had was that I found a place where I didn't lube the weapon well enough. I noticed the slight beginnings of wear on the side of the BCG gas-key. I got the BCG really well, but I guess I didn't get enough on the top of it (or I was using something too thin (hopes gun oil) and it rolled down... I'll be sure to get that well before the next trip to the range.
That being said, I wouldn't just use this to bash Wolf. The BCG admittedly had a lubrication issue (allbeit very small), and the buffer and buffer spring were the cheapest money could buy. - It's possibly that in a fully top-tier weapon that there would have been no problems... But, all things being as they were (are) I will not be buying any more myself.
Next time I hope to put some M193 head-to-head with some of the Winchester ammo and possibly some 855 ammo so I can get a feel between true 5.56 loads.
.