Man vs. Machine — Comparative Rifle Accuracy at 600 Yards
Can a human being, hand-holding a rifle, out-shoot a mechanical test rest? Who would win in this battle between man and machine? You might just be surprised. At 600 yards, with an AR-platform rifle, the results can be remarkably close, based on targets provided by the USAMU. When clamped in a test rig, a USAMU M16A2 produced a 200-18X group with handloads. The USAMU says this was “one of our better 20-shot groups at 600 yards, testing ammo from a machine rest”. Can a human do better?
Remarkably, a human soldier came very close to matching the group shot from the machine rest. The photo below shows a 20-shot group shot by a USAMU marksman with sling and iron sights, using USAMU-loaded ammunition. The score, 200-16X, was nearly the same. As you can see, the USAMU rifleman didn’t give up much to the machine rest, even at 600 yards!
In fairness, this was no ordinary human performance. The 200-16X score was a new National Record set in December, 1994. This was fired by PFC Coleman in an Interservice Match at Okeechobee, Florida. Nice shootin’ soldier!
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Tags: .223 Rem, AR15, high power, M16, Machine Rest, National Record, Test Bed, USAMU
One group from a machine rest vs. one group from a shooter. Not really enough data to do any kind of meaningful comparison. But since its the Internet, what the heck.
This test was very unscientific. Test were done on different ranges,dates,conditions.
Editor: Nobody is claiming this was a simultaneous side-by-side test. But it is interesting to see that a human has come very close to machine rest performance, using just iron sights and sling. It is likewise interesting to note that it did take a “super-human” National Record-level performance to get close to the machine rest….
Obviously, it’s possible….. isn’t it?
As I say when people question my use of a Ransom Rest. Sure a person may be able to outshoot it but could a person outshoot it 24/7. Before I got it I used to test my ammo by hand and that is when you realize the focus and concentration you need and how it fatigues you. Mechanical rests don’t get tired or lose focus.
I wish the article gave more facts about the AMU ammunition. What bullet was used, what powder, how much?
This is nonsense. A stock m16 with military issued ammo cannot shoot this sized group at 600 yards… bull.
Editor: That’s a tuned and accurized M16 with USAMU premium hand-loaded ammo (as the card states on the target). And, yes a human did in fact shot that bottom group. This was shot, scored, recorded and witnessed in competition and the target was preserved by the USAMU. Is it out of the ordinary? Of course. That’s why it was a National Record!
There no doubt a properly done AR can shoot X`s all day and im not surprised the AMU shooter near mirrored the results from the rest.
As far as getting their load,,,haha, not going to happen.
Lets see ten 20 shot groups on the same range, same day. I think the result will be far different. The Machine rest will do this repeatedly in a uniform condition. The shooter? Nope.
Now a service rifle with GOOD load with a GOOD barrel will shoot at 1 MOA or less at 600 and beyond. Both these groups are about 1 MOA or.a little less. The X ring is 6” after all. This is a GREAT score with irons its fantastic. I shot a 10 shot string clean in a service rifle match Sunday but. Low x count. But I dropped 4 in the last 10 shots. Yeah 4.5 power scope. Heavy bullet, single loaded, powder weighed to < than .1 grain. And I am in my 70s and don’t have the resources that the military teams have in training, equipment and ammo. I can’t test my ammo in a machine rest.