PRS Gas Gun light division barrel length question.

[Vespid_Wasp]

For you guys who are shooting PRS Gas Gun in the light division with 223/5.56.  What is the most common barrel length?

 

I was thinking of a 22 or 24 inch barrel to squeeze all the velocity I reasonably could out of a 73 ELD, but I'm wondering where the trade off point is that the rifle becomes cumbersome.  I am not put off by a rifle with some heft.  I haven't weighed it but I suspect my 3-gun rifle is ballpark of 11lbs.

 

My optic should arrive next week.  I plan to initially put that optic on my 3-gun rifle to start learning the optic and making wind calls.  I'm not in a hurry to finish this build.

 

I am primarily a 3-gunner but I would like to hit a few of the PRS type matches down at RockCastle in 2018. 

I do not forsee a foray into real deal bolt gun PRS at ANY time in the near future.  

 

I would even be content attending my first match or two using the new optic, just placed on my 3-gun rifle.  It's an 18" rifle gas.  Shoots well enough but I have never had more then 6x magnification so I have spent very little time doing any kind of shooting for groups.  500-600 yard steel is doable with my 1-6 Razor, so long as it is on the large side.  Question mark is I'm not sure how much life I have left on that barrel, it's been 3-gunning for a few years.....

I was leaning towards JP for the new barrel but I am also considering Criterion and Larue.  I would entertain suggestions for a maker as well as a length, so long as it is a turn-key solution.    Additional plus if I can buy a matched barrel and bolt.  Cost for a JP is about the upper end of what I am willing to spend.

[Vespid_Wasp]

Wound up going with a LaRue Stealth, 20".

[IHMSA15151]

I was in a similar situation as you. Shoot 3 gun, steel and USPSA. Didn't have the time or money to go "full bore" into the PRS thing but I was dying to shoot a few matches and try it out. I built an upper with a 20" barrel and it worked fine for the level I was shooting. I was only running the 69gr. not the 73gr. but it was plenty of gun out to the ranges of the club I shot at which went out to 550. I did go with a higher power scope, but I'm old and blind and needed all the help I could get just finding the targets.

[Vespid_Wasp]

I bought a PST Gen2 3-15x.  I'm going to put this new upper on my 3-gun lower.  I probably could have just used my 3-gun upper and swapped optics but that barrel is probably close to being toast.  

[bushmeat]

Friend of mine has done well with his Larue Stealth past few years. He pushes the 77TMKs scary hard. 

[Vespid_Wasp]

On 1/19/2018 at 11:04 AM, bushmeat said:

Friend of mine has done well with his Larue Stealth past few years. He pushes the 77TMKs scary hard. 

 

 

I didn't have any match grade ammo on hand but I did get the rifle together.  Went out and shot some 55 and 50 gr through it, just to get on paper with the optic and to tune the gas system a bit.  Rifle shoots VERY nice.  Didn't have a proper bench available so I was shooting standing, leaning on a wire spool with the front on a sandbag, and managed to shoot a 5 round group that measured .636 center to center.  With some factory ammo, Federal loaded with a ballistic tip bullet.  So preliminary indications are good that this rifle will be easy to load for.  It also shot all of the ammo that I tried close enough to the same point of impact that I couldn't see a difference between them, but I was not setup at a proper bench or prone like I would have liked.  Next range trip will be more properly structured.

 

A friend of mine who had never shot an AR-15 stopped by.  He went 4 for 4 on steel from 100 to 220 yards away, and then we drove back and he made a first round hit on an full size IPSC steel at 503 yards holding for wind and elevation.    

 

I was able to easily see my bullet holes in paper at 100, and easily see my hits on steel at 500 from where the paint was knocked off.  Tracking appeared to be perfect but I didn't do any extensive testing.

 

 

 

[forrest84]

I shoot an 18” with magtech 77 smk’s @ 58 cents a round no problem to 900 in PRs matches. So do several other guys in my club

[Jerrymarsh]

Im useing a Stag 24 heavy /8 twist works great as long your not moving

[38superman]

I am very happy with my 22" JP barrel.

 

Even with heavy bullets, the 223 doesn't make much of a splash on targets beyond 500-600 yds.

It makes it hard for the RO to see hits.

 

You'll need all the velocity you can get.

I shot open division with a 26" barrel for a several seasons so I can't say I find the .223 cumbersome or heavy.

 

Tony

 

[leam]

On 3/20/2018 at 3:43 PM, forrest84 said:

I shoot an 18” with magtech 77 smk’s @ 58 cents a round no problem to 900 in PRs matches. So do several other guys in my club

 

I appreciate that comment. A friend loaned me an AR to start PRS, I was worried about the shorter barrel since it was a 3Gun machine. Since I can't yet hit 900 I'll not worry about the barrel just yet.  

[davsco]

On 1/21/2018 at 11:52 AM, Vespid_Wasp said:

 

 

I didn't have any match grade ammo on hand.  Didn't have a proper bench available so I was shooting standing, leaning on a wire spool with the front on a sandbag, and managed to shoot a 5 round group that measured .636 center to center. 

 

 

 

yeah i'd say you, and your rifle, are doing pretty good!!!