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Accuracy issues

5K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  Chowwow 
#1 ·
Hey guys I'm new here and am very excited to be able to chat with other xcr owners.

I just received my rifle about a month ago and sadly only able to shoot it twice with disappointing results. I'm a fairly decent shot with my other platforms like my Sig 716, but I cannot get this rifle to group. I've run maybe 3 different kinds of 55grains and 2 different 62 grains (I do have a 1/8 twist barrel on it) with one brand working much better than the rest but not to my standards of accuracy. I have the same issue accuracy wise with the 6.5 conversion i have as well. Maybe it's me? Being a new platform I just need more trigger time?

My question is has anyone else recently received their rifle (I ordered on 10/8 and received it on 5/7) and run into this problem as well?

Also I was surprised to see my barrel marked 223 wylde instead of 556. Is this normal? I understand that essentially it's the best of both worlds for this caliber but definitely had no prior knowledge this was a option. Never saw that when ordering.

I'd appreciate any and all advice
Thanks so much
 
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#2 ·
Hey guys I'm new here and am very excited to be able to chat with other xcr owners.

I just received my rifle about a month ago and sadly only able to shoot it twice with disappointing results. I'm a fairly decent shot with my other platforms like my Sig 716, but I cannot get this rifle to group. I've run maybe 3 different kinds of 55grains and 2 different 62 grains (I do have a 1/8 twist barrel on it) with one brand working much better than the rest but not to my standards of accuracy. I have the same issue accuracy wise with the 6.5 conversion i have as well. Maybe it's me? Being a new platform I just need more trigger time?

My question is has anyone else recently received their rifle (I ordered on 10/8 and received it on 5/7) and run into this problem as well?

Also I was surprised to see my barrel marked 223 wylde instead of 556. Is this normal? I understand that essentially it's the best of both worlds for this caliber but definitely had no prior knowledge this was a option. Never saw that when ordering.

I'd appreciate any and all advice
Thanks so much
What size are your your groups at what range? How many rounds have you put through the rifle? What gas setting?
The XCR isn't going to group as tight as an AR but I can usually keep it to about an inch at 100 yards
I believe all barrels for 5.56 are Wylde.
Sean will be by soon with better info
 
#3 · (Edited)
I just received my rifle about a month ago and sadly only able to shoot it twice with disappointing results. I'm a fairly decent shot with my other platforms like my Sig 716, but I cannot get this rifle to group. I've run maybe 3 different kinds of 55grains and 2 different 62 grains (I do have a 1/8 twist barrel on it) with one brand working much better than the rest but not to my standards of accuracy. I have the same issue accuracy wise with the 6.5 conversion i have as well. Maybe it's me? Being a new platform I just need more trigger time?
Did you have the barrel bolt tightened to 200 in/lbs before you started shooting it? You mentioned changing to another caliber after the 5.56 barrel, did you make sure to tighten the barrel bolt? I know that having that bolt a bit loose can have serious effects on bullet trajectory.

EDIT: My XCR-L is a 16" competition length with a 1:9 twist barrel. I used all 55 grain PMC X-TAC 5.56 for all my range sessions.

I haven't shot my XCR often enough to be sure but I have noticed my shots to wander around a bit between shooting sessions; when zeroed in I've been able to get my XCR to shoot like a laser at 50 yards, while in the next session I had to rezero the sight because I was hitting about 10 MOA below my aim point at 50 yards. It could have been my scope that was causing my issues or just the wind, but it seems my problem is that I can't get the zero to remain consistent between range sessions. I'm trying to get as much range time as I can to figure things out.

Pictured is one of my last range sessions with my XCR at 50 yards. After getting it zeroed in, I moved over horizontally to the right where the paper was clear and managed to fire a group in the red circle. I was aiming for the edge of the back circle and the group landed about an inch of each other (with one outlier within 1.5 inches). I haven't changed calibers yet but I haven't maintained the barrel bolt yet either.
 

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#4 ·
XCRs typically aren't as accurate as ARs for most folks who don't roll their own ammo. It's usually a 1.25 MOA gun for most people, though there are folks getting 1 MOA or better (though I don't know that they are using a 3 shot or a 5 shot group to make that determination).

XCRs are more 'combat' accurate which is generally 2-3 MOA with mil-surp ammo. If you're looking to print tiny groups, this probably isn't the platform for you though there are guys that get very good groups....so maybe they are just that much better shooters (though it's fairly commonplace for XCR shooters/owners to report they get significantly tighter groups with ARs than their XCRs) or maybe they have the secret sauce recipe for squeezing out better accuracy out of this particular platform.

There are a few videos floating around the web of XCR-Ls shooting 5-800 yards at man sized targets and hits....so it's doable....but not sure how common, either.
 
#5 ·
Hey guys thanks for replying I really do appreciate it.

Here is my best grouping sitting, shooting from sand bags off a bench at 50yds. The second picture is my 55gr grouping from the same shooting conditions (awful) All of these shots were shot before I converted to 6.5 with everything (gas and barrel bolt) at factory settings. I have 120-150 rounds through her and this was my last grouping. If this seems normal for the platform then I will chalk it up to I just need more trigger time on her.

Chow- this was from the factory before I converted. I did not know that and that might explain my 6.5 grouping. Thanks so much for letting me know I won't make that mistake again.

I was hoping (when purchasing) to have this be my longer range weapon system and maybe just my wishes to shoot at long distances (in 556 from further than 100yds) just got me to jump to conclusions. I plan on going to my property to shoot this Thursday and will put more work in on her with a more open mind.


1st Pic xtac m855 62gr
2nd Pic federal 55gr
15323
15324


Again thanks so much guys for replying I feel a little better about the situation already. Appreciate you guys

Lucas
 
#6 ·
That's pretty bad for the 55gr. I've seen a few of my XCRs prefer bullet weights but nothing like that.

Like Sean said, they're "battle" rifles. I've got an 18" that's consistently just over a MOA without doing anything special and seen several other XCR barrels that are close to that. Hand loading, 2-3 shot groups(I do ,also unscientific, 5 shot) and only paying attention to the "good" groups can help tremendously. I love my XCRs but I've not seen any of mine be anything better than 1 MOA.

I chopped my 18" Grendel because I wasn't real happy with the accuracy. It was an early chromed barrel. That may have been part of it. It's now a 12" that only gets the wolf. It's been great keeping in mind the quality of that ammo.

I'd be interested in how a couple other loads work. Where you at?
 
#13 ·
That's pretty bad for the 55gr. I've seen a few of my XCRs prefer bullet weights but nothing like that.

Like Sean said, they're "battle" rifles. I've got an 18" that's consistently just over a MOA without doing anything special and seen several other XCR barrels that are close to that. Hand loading, 2-3 shot groups(I do ,also unscientific, 5 shot) and only paying attention to the "good" groups can help tremendously. I love my XCRs but I've not seen any of mine be anything better than 1 MOA.

I chopped my 18" Grendel because I wasn't real happy with the accuracy. It was an early chromed barrel. That may have been part of it. It's now a 12" that only gets the wolf. It's been great keeping in mind the quality of that ammo.

I'd be interested in how a couple other loads work. Where you at?
So was the barrel bolt tightened to 200 inch-lbs? If it was, I'm with Sean and something is not right with that barrel. Maybe the chrome lining or rifling or possible the chamber is not cut to spec?
It was as it was sent to me at that point. So I can only assume it was at 200lbs? But possibly not as I did not check. I feel dumb about that now. I'm hoping my neighbor smith will be able to look at it and let me know what he thinks before I contact RA about it. Also worry about how long it will take for them to fix it or send a new one as my order took twice as long as quoted to get to me. 3 months turned into 6 and they never once initiated a email. Also it would take multiple emails to get a response. I was hoping it was just the time we were in (pandemic and election) but because of that I was in the back of my mind worried about build quality.

Hopefully I can get it figured out. All of you guys have been a huge help and I'd buy each and every one of you who's taken time to leave your opinions and questions a beer if I could.
 
#7 ·
Yeah, that's really bad for 55 grain....feel like you might need to let someone else shoot it (preferably someone who shoots better than you) and see how they do. I did have one XCR bbl that was defective from the factory. It turned out it had chattering in the rifling that caused it to be horribly inaccurate at 50 yards...sort of like what you're seeing there. That might not be it, and before sending the bbl back to Rob Arms for eval, I'd let someone else shoot it and see if it's the gun or you.
 
#8 ·
Also, optic vs. no optic? If irons or an optic mount, is the mounting secure? What brand optic? I doubt it's shifting on you....especially between ammo weights, but just trying to eliminate variables.
 
#10 ·
Did you also shoot those holes that were outside of the target in the second photo too?

In my particular case, the XCR is my only rifle (that I have shot so far) so I have no base lines. I just know that as long as my optic is true the bullets go where they need to @50 yd even with my inexperienced hands. The 1:9 twist I use is optimal for 55gr but I didn't realize there was such an accuracy difference between grains; I ought to try more 62gr some time.

Your 1:8 twist should be the best for both grains but I've heard its optimal for 62gr, might consider sticking to that. The other thing I might ask is did you or a gun smith clean out the factory oil and re-grease and refit everything? It's often overlooked that new guns need to be thoroughly greased and broken in a bit before they can function optimally. All of my guns faced jams, feeding issues, and even light primer strikes when I first got them and it wasn't until I had them cleaned and re-oiled that things were more smooth. I don't think that affected my accuracy but did fix fitment issues that got worse as the gun quickly got more dirty. You might be getting more barrel flex/loosening the barrel nut as you are shooting more and more and that's independent of the grain of bullet you are firing.
 
#11 ·
Sorry guys I'm struggling with the forum on my phone.

Sean, I don't really have anyone in my circle that shoots better than me (I'm not at all bragging just am by far the one with the most trigger time) and I don't go to public ranges anymore. I did order and get a lead sled to try and take me out of the equation. Also just found our a neighbor is a smith and am going to go talk to him and see if he can take a look at it for me.

Also I had bought a atibal 1x10 with Bobro mount for the gun and first shot with that but when things weren't going well immediately switched it with my PA 1x6 (their mount) that I've been running on my 716 for years. Also put the 1x10 on the 716 and shot 450yrds with it ringing steel so I don't think it's a optic thing.

Texas- this is really my first shot at the 556 cal. Could use my pops 516 to use as a ammo control make sure it isn't the ammo itself. To be honest I've always hated trendy shit so when it came to the ar15 platform I stayed away. More of a ak guy. But hell yes the 55 group was cringe af.

Chow- if so only in a frustrated mag dump lol. Ive been working with my parents on shooting so alot of the plywood flyers are them. So after my first shot attempts with the xcr and deciding to try and switch optics I did go ahead and clean the gun. I haven't run into any malfunctions yet.
 
#14 ·
Sorry guys I'm struggling with the forum on my phone.

Sean, I don't really have anyone in my circle that shoots better than me (I'm not at all bragging just am by far the one with the most trigger time) and I don't go to public ranges anymore. I did order and get a lead sled to try and take me out of the equation. Also just found our a neighbor is a smith and am going to go talk to him and see if he can take a look at it for me.

Also I had bought a atibal 1x10 with Bobro mount for the gun and first shot with that but when things weren't going well immediately switched it with my PA 1x6 (their mount) that I've been running on my 716 for years. Also put the 1x10 on the 716 and shot 450yrds with it ringing steel so I don't think it's a optic thing.

Texas- this is really my first shot at the 556 cal. Could use my pops 516 to use as a ammo control make sure it isn't the ammo itself. To be honest I've always hated trendy shit so when it came to the ar15 platform I stayed away. More of a ak guy. But hell yes the 55 group was cringe af.

Chow- if so only in a frustrated mag dump lol. Ive been working with my parents on shooting so alot of the plywood flyers are them. So after my first shot attempts with the xcr and deciding to try and switch optics I did go ahead and clean the gun. I haven't run into any malfunctions yet.
The lead sled should help diagnose then. Have you put your 716 in it to ensure the rig and your technique is sound? Doesn't get better than Bobro....and the Atibal's have a good reputation. I'm inclined to believe you've got something wrong in that bbl but a few more outings should tell the tale and let you know if you should send the bbl or whole rifle in for evaluation.

Good luck with it and let us know how it goes.
 
#12 ·
So was the barrel bolt tightened to 200 inch-lbs? If it was, I'm with Sean and something is not right with that barrel. Maybe the chrome lining or rifling or possible the chamber is not cut to spec?
 
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