12-01-2014, 03:18 AM
I currently have two ar's that shoot sub-caliber groups with hand loads, and a third which makes even tulammo shoot at 1 moa. All have had the upper receiver trued, one barrel was bedded (because the fit was not as tight as the other two) and all have had their gas systems carefully aligned and BCG's checked for interference. As Joseph5 says, mechanical accuracy begins with straight, stiff barrel to receiver fit and, from there, goes on to the smoothness of the moving parts.
Some additional gains can be made by fine tuning various components (ejector polishing, lug lapping, etc.), but this is the domain of the "last 2-5%" .
Once your weapon is mechanically sound, a quality mount is needed to keep your optic rigid and true. Rings or one piece mount, they need to be free of any movement and should not introduce any uneven pressure on the scope tube.
Ammunition is very much a component of an accurate weapon. Factory ammo is, well, factory. Some rifles can shoot it quite well, but most will agree that hand loading unleashes almost very rifles potential. Since you've already got the barrel, it's up to you to discover what ammunition it likes the most. If it is a liberty barrel, you should investigate whether or not it has a compound throat or is one of the GII throated barrels. This will determine seating depth, which will help you select the bullets to load.
.02
Some additional gains can be made by fine tuning various components (ejector polishing, lug lapping, etc.), but this is the domain of the "last 2-5%" .
Once your weapon is mechanically sound, a quality mount is needed to keep your optic rigid and true. Rings or one piece mount, they need to be free of any movement and should not introduce any uneven pressure on the scope tube.
Ammunition is very much a component of an accurate weapon. Factory ammo is, well, factory. Some rifles can shoot it quite well, but most will agree that hand loading unleashes almost very rifles potential. Since you've already got the barrel, it's up to you to discover what ammunition it likes the most. If it is a liberty barrel, you should investigate whether or not it has a compound throat or is one of the GII throated barrels. This will determine seating depth, which will help you select the bullets to load.
.02