Best Set-Up for a Long-Range AR

All gun enthusiasts get excited about personalizing and modifying their weapons. It is something that makes the weapon specific to you and your needs or desires. There’s a variety of AR rifle modifications to choose from featured here. Weapon mods are well known like getting a new upper receiver or special optics for your AR-15.

If you are looking to modify your AR to be specific to long-range, what are the best things to add to your rifle to make it work for you? These specifications may vary from marksman to marksman but here are some popular suggestions in making a great set-up for a long-range AR.

Most long-range shooters typically fire at targets falling somewhere between the 200- and 800-yard distances. If you are newer to the sport, you may have your targets closer to you than you will in a few years, and that is okay. What you mainly want to focus on is fixing your rifle to your specifications to help you succeed.

The Trigger Is Extremely Important

One of the first things you will want to consider when customizing your rifle is what type of trigger you will want to use. The choice between a single-stage trigger and a double-stage trigger will help you to make the shooting process unique to you from start to finish.

A single-stage trigger is exactly what it sounds like: once you put pressure on this trigger, the rifle fires. This is considered best for precision because you know exactly when your firearm will go off. However, in home defense, this could be difficult because single-stage triggers do not do as well in close quarter defense.

The double-stage trigger requires you to pull extra on the trigger for the weapon to fire. It is possible in a two-stage to pull the trigger and let go before firing the weapon. This can be an extra precautionary measure.

It has been found that a double-stage trigger performs best during long-range shooting. The choice of trigger will be up to you as the shooter, but the two-stage trigger has become popular in many arenas such as law enforcement and sport shooting.

What Optics Should You Choose

One of the most important things for any rifle is going to be your optics. If you have a scope that is only useful at close range, then you will have difficult with long-range shooting, and vice versa. There are different scopes for mid-range if you are just dipping your toes in the water, and there are scopes for long-range.

Mid-range would be about 150- to 400-yards, while long-rage would be anything longer than 400-yards. For mid-range shooting, a 1-6x power scope or a 2-7x power scope would be the best choice. This will help you in the beginning, but if you want to shoot at a longer range, then you will want to get a 3-9x power scope or a 4-12x power scope.

These are not quite as popular among those who have AR-15’s around for home defense, but they are the best option if you are planning to participate in long-range competitions.

A Muzzle Brake Will Get You On target Faster

Muzzle devices are easy to upgrade and change out, but they provide a big punch in terms of personalization. If you do your research and find a muzzle device that meets your specific needs, you will be above the other competitors.

Muzzle compensators and muzzle brakes assist you in controlling the recoil and muzzle climb that often hinders an AR-15 shooter.

These devices help increase your accuracy, putting you in a better position to win competitions, and it allows you to fire faster consecutive rounds.

The Barrel Will Get You To Those Far Targets

One of the more important things you can customize is the barrel of your rifle. The barrel length is what controls the velocity of the bullet when it is fired. Different barrels have different twist rates. A twist rate is the number of times the bullet turns per inch of the barrel.

You will want to pay attention to the twist ratio to decide what is best for you and your needs. In addition, if you are planning to make your AR-15 into a long-range rifle, you may want to consider switching to a barrel that has a stainless-steel lining instead of the common chrome lining.

It is often said that a chrome lining is easier to clean and will last longer.

However, the chrome lining often decreases accuracy the farther down range you go.

A stainless-steel lining, on the other hand, will last just as long if it is stored properly, and it increases the accuracy one has when shooting long-range.

Choosing a barrel can be the difference between winning and losing when you are competing. This may seem like a minor change, but it has large consequences.

The Grip Needs To Be Comfortable To You

What is the thing you do most when using any type of firearm? You hold it! The grip of your rifle is just as important as any other personalization made to the weapon. The grip helps you keep you comfortable.

Comfort is especially important in high stress situations such as competitions. A good grip with lots of comfort will help you to relax and this will increase your accuracy as you line up each shot. Choosing a grip that fits your hands and fingers is important, as everyone has different preferences.

If you get a grip that distracts you from aiming properly, then your shot will suffer. It is best to shop around and try a few different grips before choosing the one you want. For more information about rifle equipment including reticles, please visit Zerotech Optics.

Conclusion

Long-range shooting is great and the AR-15 is the perfect firearm to use in these situations. Not only is this rifle accurate, easily accessible, and fully reliable, but it is easy to customize it to fit your needs.

Follow these suggestions when modifying your AR, and you will achieve remarkable success on whatever range you choose to shoot on.

Keep these things in mind for each rifle and for each competition, as your preferences can change as your abilities increase.