A Stag AR-15/Leupold Mark AR Varmint Rig Roy Welch
rate AR-15 rifl es suitable for extended shooting sessions at both targets and varmints. In most instances, the .223 Remington cartridge is the cartridge of choice. The .223 Remington – or 5.56x45mm in its military form – is the most widely used centerfi re varmint cartridge on the market today. De- rived from the .222 Remington/.222 Remington Magnum cartridge line, the .223 Remington drives 36- and 40-grain bullets to velocities in excess of 3,700 feet per second (fps) and 75-, 80-, and 90-grain bullets at 2,800 to 2,400 fps. Standard 50- and 55-grain varmint bullets leave the muzzle at velocities of 3,400 to 3,200 fps and are generally considered suitable for shots at 300 to 350 yards on prairie dogs, woodchucks, and coyotes. In order to accommodate diverse
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applications, the majority of AR-15 rifl es chambered for the .223 Remington cartridge are fi tted with barrels hav- ing twist rates that range from 1-in-7 to 1-in-12 inches. Fast twists of 1-in-7, 1-in-8, and 1-in-9 inches will stabilize bullets with maximum weights of ap- proximately 80 to 90 grains, 75 to 80 grains, and 70 to 75 grains, respectively. A twist of 1-in-12 inches is intended for use with bullets of 40 to 65 grains, and will not satisfactorily stabilize the heavier bullets. Although there is some controversy regarding twists, a 1-in-8 or 1-in-9 inch twist barrel is a good choice for varmint hunting applications. This article focuses on the target and fi eld performance of a Stag Arms AR-15 Model 6 Super Varminter with a 1-in-8 inch twist barrel chambered for the .223 Remington cartridge (technically, a 5.56 NATO chamber) and the new Leupold Mark AR 6-18x40mm scope (see photo in upper right). SETTING UP THE SUPER VARMINTER Key features of the Stag Model
6 Super Varminter include a heavy 24-inch stainless-steel barrel, fl at-top receiver with a Picatinny rail, and a target-grade, two-stage trigger with a pull weight of 2.75 lbs. The rifl e comes
ecent years have seen the development of highly accu-
The Leupold Mark AR 6-18x40mm scope in QRW rings attached to the Leapers riser mount which, in turn, is attached to the fl at-top Picatinny rail of the Super Varminter. The optical axis of the scope is 3.25 inches above the bore centerline. Note the Stag 10-round magazine in this photograph.
The author shooting the Stag Model 6 Super Varminter off Stoney Point shooting sticks at the edge of a South Dakota prairie dog town. Note the 24-inch heavy barrel, ProMag 20-round magazine, and Leupold Mark AR 6-18x40mm scope in Leupold QRW high rings attached to a Leapers Picatinny- style riser mount. The high rings attached to the riser allow the scope to be mounted so as to ensure a comfortable cheek weld and adequate eye relief.
with a 10-round magazine and is clearly intended for use off a bench or from a bipod or cross sticks. The synthetic A2 stock on the Su-
per Varminter has a 13.5-inch length of pull and is a bit short for a tall shooter with long arms. This problem can be solved by adding a one-half inch thick
www.varminthunter.org Page 109
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