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Have an AR with a barrel of about 12.5 inches long. It was horribly inaccurate until a gunsmith found corrosion at the very, very end of the barrel. I couldn't see the corrosion because it's hidden at the other end of the permanently-attached muzzle device. Before the gunsmith removed the corrosion, the rifle couldn't print five shots into a six-inch circle from 33 yards. After the corrosion was removed, the 'smith says he put four shots into a one-inch circle from 25 yards. Another member here and I took the rifle out, sighted it in at 25-some yards and then went for 100-yard groups. He did the shooting; he was able to get "minute of enemy torso" groups across several attempts but nothing less than three inches. He believes the short barrel is the problem. I'm thinking the problem is still the corrosion: Some may still be there and still be screwing-up the trajectory.

I have a rifle with the A2 stock, which has a lead slug in the butt. Have another with the 1005 Tactical two-stage trigger. I'm thinking I'll cobble these together and come-up with a stocked rifle with a two-stage trigger. I'll rest the rifle in my Sinclair machine rest and rear bunny bag. If the weather ever warms-up around here, we'll somehow find the time to go out there again and try again.

shorty 01 - 480 wide.jpg shorty-02.JPG
 
I carried an bone stock Colt AR for most of my LE career. Others at my agency also carried Colts, and for those who had them issued, they were Bushmasters. Although we did not train or qualify using a bench, we could usually get a pretty decent hold when shooting prone. At the time, most rifles were equipped with the Leupold CQ/T, an ACOG, or an Elcan. In most every case, the rifles produced 2" to 3" groups @ 100 yards using the typical 55gr ball, and Federal TRU ammo. Clearly there are AR's that are capable of better grouping, some that I own too. But if your rifle is more of a "mil-spec" variety, from my experience, your results are probably not too far off of what a typical AR like this will do. There's always exceptions, but that's based upon my experience over the years. No doubt that corrosion can effect the accuracy, and removal of that corrosion may still leave behind some pitting or irregularities. Barrel length in itself should not be the cause of accuracy. Worst case, mil-spec type/grade barrels can be had for $100+/-. Rather than having the length of the barrel being made up of a muzzle device, it could be an actual barrel that would gain you a little velocity without sacrificing weight. I'd try temporarily swapping out the optics and/or mount as a test before buying new parts. I'm also presuming that you already tried a few different ammo brands and bullet weights. From reading your other posts in the past, you've already been around the block a time or two so you probably know most, if not all of this stuff already!
 
No doubt that corrosion can affect the accuracy, and removal of that corrosion may still leave behind some pitting or irregularities. Barrel length in itself should not be the cause of accuracy. I'd try temporarily swapping out the optics and/or mount as a test before buying new parts. I'm also presuming that you already tried a few different ammo brands and bullet weights.
The ammo we shot was reloaded several years ago-- maybe as long as ten to twelve years ago. I included no load data in the containers, but I do know that the loads are not screamin' hot. I also threw a bunch into another bunch in a larger container, so we have an ammo recipe known only to God. I wasn't too worried about that; I just wanted groups that were three inches from 100 yards-- which is an exponential improvement over six-inch groups from 33 yards. Now that the rifle will print groups small enough to all hit on the target, I will fine-tune the scope at a later date.

It was a sunny day and not overly cold, but we had winds out there of varying velocities from various directions. I'd say the conditions were not so terrible that we should have just stayed home and drank microbrews. It was my first time being out there since May 2021 short of about a week ago when I was out there and popped-off about ten at a tufa rock formation almost 600 yards away. I, of course, could not see the impacts, but I definitely heard the whump!

The barrel in the rifle depicted has a Wyndham Weaponry heavy barrel from their HBC carbine and believe me, it is heavy under the forearm. The tubular forearm is from Model 1 Sales and fully-floats the barrel. The muzzle device is the Stalker from NM Customs. I like its looks, so it will stay right where it is. The forward sight/gasblock is the Yankee Hill Machine YHM-9394. I like its looks as well, so it will stay right where it is.

I think what needs to be done now is to load-up a bunch of ammo with a near-maximum powder charge for 55-grain FMJ bullets. I looked around the 'net and saw that near-max loads seem to deliver good accuracy when used with powders designed for the .223Rem cartridge.

 
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Personally I would ditch that barrel and put a regular 16" barrel on it. You can get quality barrels for not a lot of money, and then get a good muzzle device. One of the guys who does videos for Brownells gets good groupings with a 12" barrel, but his stuff is pretty high end. There is literally no need for a barrel that short unless you are building an SBR.




 
Personally, I would ditch that barrel and put a regular 16" barrel on it...
Opinion duly noted. I like that the Stalker "silencer" so minimizes the report that a toddler sleeping in the same small room in which the rifle is fired will not be awakened. I like the "barrel shroud." It increases the muzzle energy of the 55-grain FMJ such that the energy upon impact can sink the USS Missouri in one shot. I like that the front sight/gasblock has a bayonet lug. It allows me to be ready to fight back in-kind if I am ever involved in a "drive-by bayonetting." I like that the rifle can accept a "500-bullet clip" like can the rifle used by Kyle Rittenhouse. Lastly, I like that the lines and looks of the rifle causes lily-livered liberals to lose control of their bowels in public places. That's always a hoot!
 

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