04-29-2011, 04:50 PM
I have a 16" AA Tactical Upper. Accuracy is about 2-3MOA which is acceptable for hunting. I chronographed some loads out of it this Wednesday using an Oehler chronograph.
My hunting load is 28.0g IMR 8208XBR, Lapua Brass, Wolf 223 primers, 120gr Barnes TTSX, OAL 2.285". Out of the 16" barrel, this gets 2425fps. Out of my 22" JP Grendel, it gets 2450fps. For hunting, I see no advantage to carrying a longer barrel if the average V0 delta is only 25fps. If this weren't a 3 screen Oehler, I wouldn't have believed this. This is a compressed load that does loosen primer pockets a bit, so I don't advise you duplicate it.
Surprisingly, I found that there is a greater velocity difference (150-200 fps) between my 16" and 22" barrels with lighter 107gr Sierra Matchking bullets.
--Rootshot
p.s. Going pig hunting next weekend
My hunting load is 28.0g IMR 8208XBR, Lapua Brass, Wolf 223 primers, 120gr Barnes TTSX, OAL 2.285". Out of the 16" barrel, this gets 2425fps. Out of my 22" JP Grendel, it gets 2450fps. For hunting, I see no advantage to carrying a longer barrel if the average V0 delta is only 25fps. If this weren't a 3 screen Oehler, I wouldn't have believed this. This is a compressed load that does loosen primer pockets a bit, so I don't advise you duplicate it.
Surprisingly, I found that there is a greater velocity difference (150-200 fps) between my 16" and 22" barrels with lighter 107gr Sierra Matchking bullets.
--Rootshot
p.s. Going pig hunting next weekend