Flatland Shooter Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) Recently installed a new Nordic Components 16" Stainless 1:8 AR15 Rifle Barrel with .223 Wylde chamber (made by Wilson Arms to Nordic's specs) on a new build. Though most say its unnecessary, the first 60 rds were fired 5 rds at a time with a good cleaning of the barrel between each group. As usual, I did my accuracy testing from sandbags using an 18x scope. So far I've tried every factory load I can locate as well as several different reloads all with poor (1.5" to 2.25") groups at 100 yards. If anyone has one of these barrels and has a "pet" load, factory or otherwise, please advise what it is and how well it shoots. Thanks. Bill Edited September 25, 2014 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacticalCOWBOY Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I just got a Nordic 18" and was told it will settle in after 100 rounds. So get another 50 rounds down range and let us know if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 With all my experimenting I'm well over 250 rds down the tube. I guess I can go back and try a few of the loads that run well in my other guns. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I'm roughly in the same boat. I'm not having any luck with my 18" Nordic. 1.5-2", no problem, getting it around 1" is proving hard. It seems to like lighter match bullets and disliking 70+ gr bullets. It also REALLY hates Tac for some reason, same bullet with Varget groups around 1.1-1.4", move to Tac and we open up to 3". I now have over 1000 rounds through this barrel so whatever settling it wants to do, its done with. I'm having some luck with Hornady 68's over 25gr of W748 at 2.250 so I need to play a bit more with that. Overall, I'm not happy with Nordic's accuracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtaylor996 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Call Nordic and see what they say. A lot of people report about 1 MOA with federal ae223 in the 18" barrels. I have a 16" Nordic waiting for a next project in my closet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc1094 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Not to sound like you dont know what your doing, but is the barrel nut torqued down properly? Maybe it got cross threaded. Just tryn to throw stuff out there to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 Call Nordic and see what they say. A lot of people report about 1 MOA with federal ae223 in the 18" barrels. Federal AE223 is one of the factory loads that I tried without success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 (edited) Not to sound like you dont know what your doing, but is the barrel nut torqued down properly? Maybe it got cross threaded. Just tryn to throw stuff out there to help. Valid point, but in this case it was not cross threaded and it was properly torqued. The only difference between this build and several past builds is I used an AP Carbon Fiber handguard and an upper from Tooth n Nail that uses a knob on the left side of the upper rather than a charging handle. Checked both closely and they appear to be a quality products and I seriously doubt they are causing the problem. Bill Edited September 26, 2014 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 It seems to like lighter match bullets and disliking 70+ gr bullets. Overall, I'm not happy with Nordic's accuracy. The lightest bullet I tried is some reloads with Nosler 50 gr soft points. The heaviest bullet I've tried is Nosler 75 gr CC HPBT. The latter is my "accuracy" load in 18" barreled gun and I was able to get a group or two right at 1.5" with the Nordic barrel. I've run lots of 55 gr and 62 gr reloads and factory loads with no improvement. XM193 gave me a consistent 1.8" group. I shot what was left of a box of Winchester Match Rounds loaded with 69 SMKs. These were over 2" at 100 yards. This forum was sort of a last ditch effort before the barrel heads to the parts bin. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Same here, already stripped and checked everything, scope mounts, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Vlad, what comp are you running? In my load testing with multiple Nordic barrels, I easily get under 1MOA from 50 to 69 grains, using TAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gondo Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Call Nordic and see what they say. A lot of people report about 1 MOA with federal ae223 in the 18" barrels. I have a 16" Nordic waiting for a next project in my closet ditto on this, i shoot fed ar223 in my nordic all day sub moa with eotech... what you got in mind for the 16"? i am thinking of getting one for my next build as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmshozer1 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Recently installed a new Nordic Components 16" Stainless 1:8 AR15 Rifle Barrel with .223 Wylde chamber (made by Wilson Arms to Nordic's specs) on a new build. Though most say its unnecessary, the first 60 rds were fired 5 rds at a time with a good cleaning of the barrel between each group. As usual, I did my accuracy testing from sandbags using an 18x scope. So far I've tried every factory load I can locate as well as several different reloads all with poor (1.5" to 2.25") groups at 100 yards. If anyone has one of these barrels and has a "pet" load, factory or otherwise, please advise what it is and how well it shoots. Thanks. Bill I have the same barrel, On a good day from a rest I get 2 to 3" 5 shot groups at 300 yds. 200 are 1-1/2 all day long. 55 gr Nosler ballistic tip bullets, 1.245 oal, 26 grains of H335, Rem 7-1/2 primers. Bulk Horandy, 193 55 gr bulk, 24 grains of H335, 1.245 oal groups 1-1/2 at 100 yds. These loads have been good in three different brand barrels. Have you shot it with out a comp? How does the crown look? Is the gas key hitting the gas tube when going into battery? Did the barrel fit tight into the receiver? Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gondo Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 It seems to like lighter match bullets and disliking 70+ gr bullets. Overall, I'm not happy with Nordic's accuracy. The lightest bullet I tried is some reloads with Nosler 50 gr soft points. The heaviest bullet I've tried is Nosler 75 gr CC HPBT. The latter is my "accuracy" load in 18" barreled gun and I was able to get a group or two right at 1.5" with the Nordic barrel. I've run lots of 55 gr and 62 gr reloads and factory loads with no improvement. XM193 gave me a consistent 1.8" group. I shot what was left of a box of Winchester Match Rounds loaded with 69 SMKs. These were over 2" at 100 yards. This forum was sort of a last ditch effort before the barrel heads to the parts bin. Bill pm me if you want to unload the barrel for a cheap price since it doesnt shoot well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Gas key hitting the gas tube? I was unaware that was a real issue. Alright, I got my learning hat on, teach me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 If it is vertically stringing there is a bind on the gas tube, maybe at the carrier key. I always bend the end of the gas tube around with a flat blade screw driver until it just bearly touches as the key slides over the tube, if it drags AT ALL it will hurt accuracy. Bob Krieger told me long ago, if you run a muzzle device only tighten it hand tight against a square shoulder and use hi temp loc-tite. Hey it can't hurt, he detested crush washers! Now every barrel is different, and I dont want to sound like Denny Downer, but if a barrel doesn't shoot well right away if everything is put together right, I don't waste time on them. Send em back or sell them off and get another....life is way too short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StravIs09 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I am a fan of Wolf Gold in the nordic 16" not as good as my noveske 16" but easily 1Moa and super cheap. I only have a 6x scope but i am sure it can actually be better than 1moa. my 55 hornady hand loads with 2230 and with h322 are just under an 1moa if i try. my 75s with r15 is about the same as the wolf gold but I trust them more at range. For me I cant really beat the wolf gold at 100y. I have about 2k rounds thru the nordic barrel and save the noveske barreled gun for the bigger matchs. Just what I have seen and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtaylor996 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 (edited) Call Nordic and see what they say. A lot of people report about 1 MOA with federal ae223 in the 18" barrels. I have a 16" Nordic waiting for a next project in my closet ditto on this, i shoot fed ar223 in my nordic all day sub moa with eotech... what you got in mind for the 16"? i am thinking of getting one for my next build as well...Nothing in mind, really. I just snagged if off the group buy. I'm just finishing a 3G build with an 18" nordic, and getting a 15-22 for training up to speed. Too many other things need completion to start something else right now. I've got some parts stockpiled, but the need for a handguard is killing me. I can't get over the fact that a good handguard is the most expensive thing in a rifle. Just... WTF. Someone seriously needs to make a light, free float, flat on the bottom, long handguard for $30-50. I don't give a damn if it's polymer, or flexes a little, either. /rant Edited September 26, 2014 by jtaylor996 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Vlad, what comp are you running? In my load testing with multiple Nordic barrels, I easily get under 1MOA from 50 to 69 grains, using TAC. The DR I got from you at the same time as the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 (edited) Thank you to everyone for the help. Its appreciated. Early on in my testing I pulled the comp to see if it was the problem. It wasn't. Crown looks good. I already put the Miculek comp back on but in the future I'll install with loc-tite. I didn't think about the gas tube hitting and will check that out. The grouping is a random pattern (not stringing). I also switched out the BCG to see if that helped. If I can find some Nosler 55 Ballistic Tip bullets I'll give them a try. Before I retire this barrel, I'll pull it off and put it on another upper. Since its going into Winter, I still have a little time to play with it. Worst case scenario I can get a lot of short range practice without concern over wearing out the barrel. Bill Edited September 26, 2014 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrdstmax Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 (edited) I use XBR 8208 in my loads and it shoots great.... I was using varget until i started loading for my 6.5 Grendel... Now I simply use 8208 and I couldn't be happier.. Edited September 26, 2014 by hrdstmax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddKS Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 The load that has worked for me pretty universally is 69gr SMK, 24.0gr H335, Lake City brass (trimmed and sorted by weight), Remington 7 1/2 primer (critical component), loaded to 2.260 which just barely fits in a PMag. That load has grouped well from every AR I have ever shot it from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 If either one of you want to ship me your upper, I'd be happy to take a look, make sure there is not a burr at the gas port, throat or crown and try a few of the better loads. I have had a few uppers where I could not find anything wrong, took apart and re-assembled and cut group sizes in half. One I had in the shop last week did have some issues, but we got it to 0.6 MOA by cleaning up the gas port and increasing the torque from 42 pounds to 82 pounds when it was shooting 3 MOA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I may take you up on that Mark, after NC Recon which pretty much the end of the season for me this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Morcillo Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Free float tube? Got pressure on the barrel? If using sandbags, are you resting the barrel or the hand guard. If the barrel touches anything, it distorts the harmonics and shifts the point of aim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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