Supporting our Second Amendment rights

A buddy of mine was an engineer at Eotech. Their newer products (designs and builds) are not as good as their older products.
That said, his work just fine.

 

I inherited a Mini-14 from my father. Unfortunately it was one of the originals from the mid-70's, and the barrel is inadequately thin, which affects accuracy. I've seen braces made to counter this, but haven't got around to tracking one down.

 

Well I bit the bullet anyway and ordered an EoTech 512 today. As it turns out, I have enough guns (too many to clean TBH), but I'm severely lacking in quality optics. This is a start. I like the idea that it's battle tested, runs on AA batteries for a long time, waterproof to 10 feet and just tough as nails...plus the 1 MOA dot.

I did learn something today when researching it. The Burris has a 3 MOA and 8 MOA sight. I didn't know this, being new to this tech, but it makes sense that the larger MOA is best for quick acquisition at close range (e.g. pistols, shotguns) while the smaller MOA is best for longer ranges. For my AR, the 1 MOA is perfect. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new, but it was a good day for me.

 

Good days are good days

 

Have you shot it much? At what range does the accuracy drop off? Thinner is great for weight, but as you mentioned, not good for long range shooting. That said, the 5.56mm/.223 isn't great as a long range hunting rifle...unless you're shooting varmints. The accuracy of the M-16 has improved greatly from my day, at least by a few hundred yards. I shot both the M-14 and the M16A1. The A1 was a great disappointment over 300 yards. Now, from what I've read, it's great out to 500+ yards. Still, it's a 55-62 grain bullet. It's one thing to incapacitate an enemy with a hit, but another to actually put down a large animal before it runs off.

 

Yes they are!

Now I have a few long guns I need to take to the range and sight in. Good thing I stocked up on ammo.

 

A buddy of mine works at Burris. I'm looking to pick up something for an AR pistol.

 

I don't attempt to shoot it long range. The thin barrel heats up quickly and throws off the accuracy, even at closer ranges, say, out to 50 yards. Like I said, there are a few aftermarket braces that stiffen up the barrel, I just don't shoot it enough to warrant the cost.

 

The 75/77 grain projectiles handle long range in an AR platform much better than the service rounds, and with the introduction of the 224 Valkyrie long range shooting with an AR-15 got a lot more interesting. The Valkyrie round fits in a standard AR-15 magazine and can stay supersonic past 1300 ft. Shooting at 5000 ft above sea level helps, too.

 

The Mini-14 was intended as a ranch rifle. No need to empty the magazine on a groundhog. One clean shot won't heat up the barrel. For hunting and self-defense, I'm an AK fan. It's not as light as the AR, doesn't have all the options available and isn't as accurate, but you can shoot it all week and drag it through the mud without cleaning it and it'll still fire. For hunting hogs out to 200 yards, the 7.62X39 is perfect; cheap to shoot and readily available in SP and HP...which most rifle ranges require for shooting.

Do you shoot for fun or do you have a purpose? I don't hunt much, but want to do more. Mostly hogs since they are tasty, plentiful and easy to hunt.

 

My dad was a rancher and went cowboy after retiring from the Army. He had 3 Winchester model 94 lever actions in .30-30. I gave my brother his choice of the 3 and I kept the other two (well, I am the oldest!)

I've never owned or fired a .22 Mag, but have literally shot hundreds and hundreds of rounds of .22 long rifle both as a kid, on the JROTC rifle team and as an adult. Got a pic of the rifle or a make and model number?

 

It's getting too hot to shoot, but I need to keep my GF sharp. I shoot for fun, and to keep myself sharp.

 

Agreed, especially for hunting (there's no season on hogs).

The desert is cool in the morning and evening. I used to go shooting in the high desert of California near Victorville, but it was about a 90 minute drive from Santa Ana.

 

I didn't, but I do now.

I'll take better pics during the day sometime, Indoor lighting is so dissatisfying.