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Well, got home too late to get to the range. So went to my mother in law's ranch. Didn't have a solid bench, just my shooting chair, which does not have elbow support. (I need to get a portable shooting table with elbow support.)
Anyway, shot the R15 with the EOTech. Had a helluva time with windage. I kept shooting an inch to the left at 100 yards, and it would jump two inches to the right when I made one click (which should be a half inch). Finally tried dialing out a full turn, then coming back to the next detent over. That worked better. Some optics are like that, and apparently my EOTech is one of them. Elevation adjustment was positive.
I set the EOTech up for a six o'clock hold at 100 yards. The impact point is a couple of inches above the dot.
Best three shot group was under an inch, which wasn't easy because my shooting chair is not rock solid. (It was cutting edge when it was designed some 20 years ago.) I'd really like to see what this gun will do when solidly anchored.
I tried two different type of .223 ammo. Rem UMC 55gr MC (Metal Case) L223R3. Better known as plain ol' full metal jacket. This cut a hair over an inch group. I wanted to try some Ballistic Tips, but my dealer was out of them. So I bought some Hornaday 55gr TAP defense ammo. Happily, it and the Rem UMC shot to the same point of aim. I mean exactly to the same point of aim. Even at 300 yards (and we used a 100 yard spool tape measure to confirm the distance.)
Groups at 300 yards were softball diameter. To do better is going to require a solid rest and optics a lot finer than the EOTech. Still, that's a minute of coyote. At this range I'm putting the EOTech dot right on the target. Because the EOTech has no magnification, it is critical to get the dot alignment right. Even so, I was busting fist size rocks and small pieces of wood at that distance fairly easily and consistently. I'm really curious now about the 3x magnifier designed for the EOTech. It swings to the side when not needed.
The EOTech is not a small varmint optic. But I think it will work well for coyote size critters out to 300 yards.
Because of the 1:9 twist, I wanted to try some 60 grainers, but mislaid them, and because I already had some, I didn't buy any more. Doh. Just as well, the cattle moved into the field and we would not have been able to test it anyway.
I didn't try any 40 or 45 grainers. I never liked those weights for coyotes. I've used them for varmints, but prefer 55 grainers.
As for recoil, cycling, etc., what can I say? It's an AR15.
I really like this setup. I installed the EOTech for expediency. I wanted a low power scope with a lighted reticle that could be used under a full moon. I might just stick with the EOTech. I don't plan for this to be a long range coyote rifle. If I'm in open country, I'd prefer a cartridge with more oomph, like the 22-250, 243 or 25-06. I have suitable rifles in 22-250 and 25-06.
Also tested the Hornaday TAP with my son's Savage .223 Predator Hunter. His is set up so the POI is 1" above the crosshair at 100 yards, and at 12x the POI is on the point of the lower thick duplex post at 300 yards. The Savage is a heckuva coyote rifle with good optics. I'm tempted by the newer models that have a detachable magazine. Right now I'd like a 22-250 or 243, but if Savage comes out with a 308 down the road, it would be a real universal hunting rifle.
Anyway... we're hoping to take it to the next step this weekend, and try it on a called coyote.
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