TEST GUN: AR-15 with 20-inch Chrome-lined Heavy Barrel, Single-stage trigger
REST: PROTEKTOR
AMMO: FEDERAL XM193 (223) AMMO lightly coated with Hoppe's Moly aerosol; BC .287 @ 3,080 FPS AR-15 CHRONOGRAPHS
MOUNT: Smith Enterprise Heavy-Duty High-Rise 30mm Rings #SE-7018 with 1" steel inserts #SE-7002
CONDITIONS: 8 - 30 MPH VARYING WIND from 11-3 o'clock directions; 45% Rel. Humidity, 55°F; Mostly Cloudy to Partly Sunny; Elevation: 1,000' above sea level.
BULLET PATH/DROP CALCULATOR:
OEHLER BALLISTICS EXPLORER
BUY
100-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed
7/16" right and 5/16" low; 2nd shot landed 1-7/8"
left and 3/16 high
MAGNIFICATION USED: 9X; POINT-OF-AIM: 1" red bulls-eye: POSITION: Standing behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
200-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 3/8"
left and 1-3/4" low; 2nd shot landed 2-3/8"
left and 1-1/2" high
7 ELEVATION CLICKS UP: MAG 11X; POINT-OF-AIM: 1" red bulls-eye; POSITION: Standing behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
300-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 1/8"
left and 4-5/8" low; 2nd shot landed 2-5/8"
left
and 4-1/2" low
16 Elevation Clicks Up wasn't enough (23 total); Mag 14X; POINT-OF-AIM: 1" red bulls-eye; POSITION: Standing behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
400-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 3-1/16" left
and 2-1/4" low; 2nd shot landed 4-1/4 left and
7-3/4 low
23 Elevation Clicks Up (46 total); Mag 16X; POINT-OF-AIM: Right edge of black circle; POSITION: Standing behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
500-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 1-1/4
left and 1-3/4 low; 2nd shot landed 4-1/2" left
and 3" high
45 Elevation Clicks Up (101 total); Mag 16x; POINT-OF-AIM: Right edge of target; POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
600-YARD SHOT: The highly variable 8 - 30 mpg wind was just too much for a 55-grain bullet
50 Elevation Clicks up (151 total); Mag 16x; POINT-OF-AIM: Right edge of target box; POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
2nd 500-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed
5-3/16 right and 3/8" high; 2nd shot landed 2-3/8" left
and 2" high
50 Elevation Clicks Down (101 total); Mag 16X; POINT-OF-AIM: Right edge of target: POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
2nd 400-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 2" left
and 4-1/2" low; 2nd shot landed 4-3/4" left and
2-1/2" low
45 Elevation Clicks Down (46 total); Mag 16X; POINT-OF-AIM: Right edge of black circle: POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
2nd 300-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 1-3/4" left
and 4-3/8" low; 2nd shot landed 5-9/16 left and 1/2" low
23 Elevation Clicks down (23 total); Mag 16X: POINT-OF-AIM: 1" red bulls-eye; POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 resting on Protektor rest.
2nd 200-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 1/2"
left and 3-3/4" high; 2nd shot landed 1-3/4" left
and 4-1/2" high
Incorrectly used 7 Elevation Clicks down (16 total); Mag 16X; POINT-OF-AIM: 1" red bulls-eye; POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 Resting on Protektor rest.
3rd 200-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 5'8" left
and 9/16" high; 2nd shot landed 1/2" left and 3"
high
9 Elevation Clicks Down (7 total); Mag 16X; POINT-OF-AIM: 1" red bulls-eye; POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 Resting on Protektor rest.
2nd 100-YARD 2-SHOT: 1st shot landed 1/2" left
and 7/8" high; 2nd shot landed 1-15/16" left and 1/8" low.
7 Elevation Clicks Down (0 total); Mag 16X; POINT-OF-AIM; 1" red bulls-eye; POSITION: Lying down behind AR-15 Resting on Protektor rest.
SHOOTING OBSERVATIONS: Although the varying wind scattered the group, the 4-16x50AO tracked extremely well, as evident by the last 100-yard 2-shots being centered. It seemed to shoot true every time (no fliers when I didn't pull it)...probably because I used the Parallax Adjustable Objective Lens feature and I also exceeded eye relief to shrink the image and then center the shrunken image on the glass. The Smith Enterprise Heavy-Duty High-rise Rings #SE-7018 are EXTREMELY RUGGED and held tight; they fit the AR-15 and 4-16x50AO perfectly. The reticle adjustments were a pleasure to use, as was the smooth magnification adjuster, as was the Parallax Adjustable Objective Lens adjustment. During bright sunlight you have to be a bit further away to get good focus at high magnification (around 150 yards for 16X), but by the time I came back down to the 2nd 100-yards (last target) it was late afternoon, and I was able to get beautiful focus even on 16x at 100-yards. After sun down I went pig hunting and stayed out probably a full 1hr. 45min after sundown viewing through the scope...it got dark to the point that I couldn't see the large feeder 150 yards away using only my eyes, but I could see it fairly well through the 4-16x50AO scope set on 4X magnification (the 11 reticle-dot brightness settings ensure the perfect dot brightness for any light condition).