LMT MWS What ammo is accurate 4 U

[ALCOAR]

From my personal first hand experience, there is a big difference b/t Mike Rock's CL and SS barrels for the MRPs and I would have to think MWS's. They are spun on the same machine by the same barrel maker using the same processes.

While any MRP/MWS barrel should have above avg. accuracy, the CL's just cannot match his SS's imho.

Here is the test group from the mag. writeup and the Brits requested a gun that did not require a "boutique round". Open to interpretation I guess but gun rags are pretty useless anyway on stats and whatnot.

[ALCOAR]

Even so, are those 1" squares in the pics from Cold Dead Hands? If so even with kinda crappy ammo those results are disappointing, and some of that ammo is decent stuff.

Not calling anybodies shooting out but the shooter has something to do with an accuracy evaluation along with the gun and ammo.

[m1ajunkie]

That is an impressive group. I would like to see a range report with someone who has one of the SS versions. I believe there are some in the hands of forum members from various forums.

[Fighting Tenth]

If that paster is 1" in diameter, there is no way those holes are .308"....



I slapped a Nightforce 2.5x10 NXS and a PWS break on mine.
Unfortunately, I haven't had much of an opportunity to get aquanted with it quite just yet.
All groups are 5 rounds from prone using a bagged front rest for support.
The pasters in the photos are 3/4" diameter.

First group was a confirmation of my earlier use of Hertenburger surplus. Results were about on par for this stuff. Very underwhelming.



Next up is the excellent brass-in-waiting of a batch of 70s IVI.



After this I settled on some handloads I had made up last year to test in my TRG 22. The night before I had to crunch them down .05" so they'd fit in the Pmags... Brass is virgin Lapua, fed 210m primers and either AA2520 or Varget with 168gr. SMKs

AA2520:


Varget:


Conclusions:
No real suprises - Surplus ammo is that for a reason. I'll happily run this stuff through my M14, but this LMT deserves much better.
Since I can't afford to run factory match ammo like RUAG or GMM, handloading is my only real (and in fact best) option.
I need to start working up handloads for this rifle specifically - not using handload hand-me-downs from my boltguns - something that is on par with my experience of loading for AR15s.

Next up is some tailored handloads, maybe a bit more glass and some shooting from some distance

[ALCOAR]

Great reply Fighting.....that last group with varget is as good as it gets almost in terms of a 16" CL barrel. Just imagine what these future true match grade SS barrels will plot with a shooter and quality loads. These guns in time will beyond prove their amazing accuracy potential once we can get out mits on some Rock SS fine china.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Yep, 1 inch squares. I wish I could go prone at that range, it is sitting at wooden benches or I think one stall is for offhand . I don't like shooting from a bench, and I think the MWS exposes weaknesses in my technique that I can get away with when I shoot 556.

Want to get it out and work on some steel. I really don't care what it does at 100, I want to see 400.

I would shoot the Mil-surp and it would look like a shotgun, go to the Hornady rounds and at least get something of a group, and back to mil-surp and it looks like a shotgun. Before I shot I tweaked the barrel screws with the included torque wrench. They tightened a bit.

This is why I like 10 round groups. Even though the mil-surp looks like crap here, I could get a three round group that would be underaninch . Might take a box of ammo to do it.

That XM80 is rough looking stuff. The PMC bronze looks like nice ammo- bright shiny cases and nice bullets- it shot worse to me.

For blasting the 175gr PRVI seems to be accurate enough, the AMAX 168 gr would be my choice for precision. Like to see how each groups at long range. Like to get some more time with the FGMM, and a 18inch SS barrel

[ALCOAR]

Yep, 1 inch squares. I wish I could go prone at that range, it is sitting at wooden benches or I think one stall is for offhand . I don't like shooting from a bench, and I think the MWS exposes weaknesses in my technique that I can get away with when I shoot 556.

Want to get it out and work on some steel. I really don't care what it does at 100, I want to see 400.

I would shoot the Mil-surp and it would look like a shotgun, go to the Hornady rounds and at least get something of a group, and back to mil-surp and it looks like a shotgun. Before I shot I tweaked the barrel screws with the included torque wrench. They tightened a bit.

This is why I like 10 round groups. Even though the mil-surp looks like crap here, I could get a three round group that would be underaninch . Might take a box of ammo to do it.

That XM80 is rough looking stuff. The PMC bronze looks like nice ammo- bright shiny cases and nice bullets- it shot worse to me.

For blasting the 175gr PRVI seems to be accurate enough, the AMAX 168 gr would be my choice for precision. Like to see how each groups at long range. Like to get some more time with the FGMM, and a 18inch SS barrel

Another great reply and when true accuracy evaluations are as transparent and honest as the last two reply's have been, lots can be learned and this thread is going in a fantastic direction. I cannot wait to contribute hopefully as nicely as some have already in this thread.

Damn straight about the internet commando 3rd. special....I am not a big fan of 5rds. but its certainly more than 3. I honestly suck on the bench and most AR enthusiast prob. due as well.

[Utah1]

From my personal first hand experience, there is a big difference b/t Mike Rock's CL and SS barrels for the MRPs and I would have to think MWS's. They are spun on the same machine by the same barrel maker using the same processes.

While any MRP/MWS barrel should have above avg. accuracy, the CL's just cannot match his SS's imho.

Here is the test group from the mag. writeup and the Brits requested a gun that did not require a "boutique round". Open to interpretation I guess but gun rags are pretty useless anyway on stats and whatnot.

The yellow paster target in the magazine measures 1" and the group measures about .82". However, those are not .308 bullet holes they measure about .18" in the photo. I called the author out on this on a post on another board and he did respond and promised to look into it, find his orignal target and respond. That was months ago and he has not. He stated that he used, I believe, Whinchester white box for the shoot. Radway Green is what the Brits used and intend to use. In fairness the caption states that this target "represents" the group. I'm sure we all know what five .308 bullets in a one inch paster look like. There is not much left of the paster. I hope the SS barrel is capable of putting five winchester white box rounds into .82" at 100 yards. I've shot enough generic and surpuls ammo through quality bolt guns to know that this would truly be exceptional. However, I expected the CL MWS to be a MOA shooter and it met my expectations. As stated before I am interested in more of a DM application than a precision application. If I can consistantly hit an IPSC target at 800 yards, from the prone, under normal shooting conditions I'm happy. My round count is now over 500 and includes shooting at distance. I believe my CL barrel is capable of doing what I want it to do. I'll post pictures of my next outing.

[Utah1]

This photo answers the question I asked above regarding the Priv 175 grain match load. The box clearly states it is a FMJ bullet. I don't know of any other FMJ bullet that claims to be a match bullet. I found some bullets reported to be Priv at a gun show. Just found this to be interesting.


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[Fighting Tenth]

Spent some more time with the MWS today after spending the evening last night loading up some ammunition for it. Load is 155gr. SMK Palma match bullets, FL sized Rem. Brass, Federal 210m primers with 45 gr. of Varget loaded to 2.800" oal and finished off with a crimp via a Lee factory crimp die.
Ammo was loaded on a Dillon 550b with Redding Competition dies.
(no powder trickling or meplate uniforming here)
I chose to up the optics a bit for this testing and switched out the Nightforce 2.5x10 for a 3.5x15. All shooting was done from the prone supported with support being provided by front bag and rear bean bag - not exactly ideal, but close enough for my use. The day was clear with slight breeze, temp. around 4 degrees Celsius.

So here are some photos and results.

The setup (at the 500m point):


A couple of 10 round groups at 100m:



From the 400m point (approx. 7 1/4" across):


From 500m (approx. 9" across):


And finally from the 800m firing point (approx. 14" across):


Impressions:
Considering my shooting position, I'm very happy this thing printed inside 2moa - consistantly. I'm certain the mechanical accuracy is much better.
I'm loving this gun more and more. Have more load development to do as I want to give some Vihtavuori powders a try, but really impressed with what this will do. For my intended use, I think I'll throw the 2.5x10 NXS back on.:cheers: