DoxaPar wrote:If I've already got a .308 "hunting" rifle (FNAR) how would the S&W M&P 15 Sport be for 3-gun / plinking?
The "
Sport" (
vs. "ORC"), IIRC, has no foward-assist or dust-cover ... obviously not an issue fer plinking ... and, IMO, not an issue fer 3-gun ... if ya need to use the forward-assist during a run, ya probly tanked the stage, anyhow! ... and otherwise got other issues with the gun/ammo that need resolving!
That said, some 3-gun requires 200yd+ shooting ... not necessarily MOA ... but, IMO, the shooter magnifies what the gun's capable of ... IOW, if, locked in a vise, the gun's capable of 1.0 moa, but in yer hands, the best it'll do (
let's say, kneeling) is 3.0 moa, then yer magnifying the gun's accuracy by a factor of 3x ... at which, if another gun were only capable of 2.0 moa, at 100yd yer group'd be 6in ... 12in at 200yd ... 18in at 300yd! ... whereas, if the gun's otherwise capable of 0.5 moa, ya'd be 1.5in at 100yd, 3in at 200yd, and 4.5in at 300yd! Moreover, if yer gun is 0.5 moa, and yer competition's gun is 1.0 moa, and he's twice as good a shot, as you (
half magnification), yer actually even!
It's been my experience, a free-floated handguard is the 1st order of business, as to shrinking a gun's moa! That said, I personally don't think it's any big trick to change a bbl-nut and free-float an AR! ... however, some folks seem to lose a great deal of sleep, over the matter?! Depending on where ya shake out, on such things ... and how serious ya are 'bout yer plinking and yer 3-gun ... ya may wish to invest in a free-floated handguard, a really nice trigger, and a decent (
mid-weight+) bbl, from the start?! Moreover, havin' looked around this morning, I'm of the opinion that, as a matter of percentages, the higher end guns (
those with "nice" free-floated handguards, really nice triggers, and decent bbl's) are significantly less overpriced (
vs. pre-December), than the lower end guns!
If ya otherwise ain't got that kinda money, IMO, the nice things 'bout AR's is, ya can get into one, and then change whatever, over the months/years, as ya like! IIRC, the "
Sport" used to go fer as little as around $600?! If yer ok with payin' more than that, fer the same gun ... at the very least, it's a S&W!
ETA: if ya reload, I'd also consider runnin' the FNAR in 3-gun ... it'd be "
major" ... inside 100yd, and if there's a lotta rounds, it's probly a wash, 'er worse ... but at 200yd+ with a lower match round count ... might not be a bad way to go?! ... IIRC, that, and a pump 12ga, and a single-stack .45 is req'd fer "
He-Man" 'er "
Heavy Metal" division?!
