Shooting PINs with an AR. Ultimate Frustration

[Amputee Marksman]

Yesterday I went to MA Rifle to shoot PINs at 50 yards with center fire rifle. I took my AR and standard M193 ammo (55gr. FMJ).

I was so frustrated it was not even funny. I kept hitting the PINs and the M193 ammo was not effective. It penetrated the PIN and the PIN didn't even move. Just stood there. Every now and then you could see them wobble but not fall. By the 3rd. string I kind of had it down where you shoot for the edges and not the center. I know I was hitting because at the end of the day we shot cans of seltzer water and I had no problems hitting them.

Next time I 'm going to bring some 62gr. FMJ and/or some M855 and see if that performs any better.

 

[paul73]

those pins were light plastic? no wonder a 3000fps .223 was going through them like a rail gun. 62 or 855 will not be better.
when i would do a first stage of zeroing at 50yds on a new scope - they have milk jugs hanging there at harvard on the right side of 50yds - you shoot them with an AR - those things do not even twitch, it goes right through the plastic. horses for courses.

so, people there with a 22lr pin shoot did not make any fuss with you doing it with an AR?

ps. i have an cmmg ar upper in 22lr i do not need, if you're interested, i can give it away cheap, as i am not going to use it.

 

[CWulf]

Should this be in the First-World Problem Horror Story thread?

 

[MSant]

sometimes fat and slow is better. I did pins at my friends club one time and 44 in a lever gun did the job nicely

 

[Amputee Marksman]

those pins were light plastic? no wonder a 3000fps .223 was going through them like a rail gun. 62 or 855 will not be better.
when i would do a first stage of zeroing at 50yds on a new scope - they have milk jugs hanging there at harvard on the right side of 50yds - you shoot them with an AR - those things do not even twitch, it goes right through the plastic. horses for courses.

so, people there with a 22lr pin shoot did not make any fuss with you doing it with an AR?

They are real bowling pins. Plastic outside and wood inside.

I was told by some observers that a few times it went right through the PIN into the berm and other times it penetrated the PIN didn't go through. The condition of the PIN probably played into this.

This was center fire rifle only. We had AR, M1A, Lever action Marlin in 357, 9mm PC Carbine ...

 

[rcwhat]

At 50yds I’d be using a PCC. Your shooting too light of a projectile way too fast like you found out.

 

[boilermaker]

This was center fire rifle only. We had AR, M1A, Lever action Marlin in 357, 9mm PC Carbine ...

How did the 9mm do? I mean its approved for bear so should be able to handle pins?

 

[Amputee Marksman]

How did the 9mm do? I mean its approved for bear so should be able to handle pins?

The PC Carbines are very effective. The best was watching the guy with the Marlin lever action. He loaded 38spl. He used iron sights and he was knocking those pins down consistently with 1 shot. He could load 10 in the tube and 1 in the chamber. There were 10 pins. It was cool to watch him knock all 10 down without reloading.

 

[FalArAk]

A 74 and 7n6 will cure that

 

[PappyM3]

How did the 9mm do? I mean its approved for bear so should be able to handle pins?

I did it once with my SP5, using 147gr. Made very quick work. I had never done pin shoots before, but the 9mm PCC made it so easy I placed 3rd in the first round and 1st in the second round.

 

[PappyM3]

Next time I 'm going to bring some 62gr. FMJ and/or some M855 and see if that performs any better.

62gr FMJ / M855 isn’t likely going to be any better.

I wonder if frangible may work. Or try a tipped bullet. Both may obliterate the pins a lot faster though.

 

[moojpg2]

M855 will punch right through also. You'd be better off with really light expanding varmint bullets or frangible bullets that will dump their energy into the pins or something around 75gr and a soft point or expanding bullet. 5.56 is about the worst round you could pick for bowling pins.

Big and slow wins the race for those. At 50yds I'd use a 1911, G20, or my 7.5" super Blackhawk in .44 mag. Any other pistol in .45acp, .44 special, .44 mag, .45 colt, 147 gr 9mm, 180gr .40sw, 200gr 10mm, etc. would work.

I've never used a long gun for bowling pins at 50yds,that's kind of cheating. If I had to use a center fire rifle, I'd use my 760 pump in .35 Remington, or some soft shooting .405 gr .45-70 out of my 1895.

 

[milktree]

They are real bowling pins. Plastic outside and wood inside.

Yea, real gen-U-ine 10 pin bowling pins. Oak center and thick plastic cover. Eventually the oak goes away as it gets shot out.

I was told by some observers that a few times it went right through the PIN into the berm and other times it penetrated the PIN didn't go through. The condition of the PIN probably played into this.

The bolded part isn't right. If it didn't go through, all the energy would have to end up *IN THE PIN*, and it would go flying.

I've seen "straight through" often enough to bet that's what's going on.

 

[milktree]

The PC Carbines are very effective. The best was watching the guy with the Marlin lever action. He loaded 38spl. He used iron sights and he was knocking those pins down consistently with 1 shot. He could load 10 in the tube and 1 in the chamber. There were 10 pins. It was cool to watch him knock all 10 down without reloading.

You're too kind. I have managed to get them all in 10 shots, but not yesterday.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Pins love .45 ACP. 44 mags were allowed only at the end of the match when I was shooting pins.

Reminds me I have about 100 pounds of pins waiting to be shot at.

 

[whacko]

Pins love .45 ACP. 44 mags were allowed only at the end of the match when I was shooting pins.

Reminds me I have about 100 pounds of pins waiting to be shot at.

At our pin shoots they allow any pistol cal from 9mm up to 44 mag. Last time I went I made some 240 grain cast flat points with a heavy dose of unique for 44 mag and I was blowing the pins back 25 feet before they even hit the ground.

To the op......not sure why your frustrated with the performance of your AR you picked literally the worst tool for the job.

 

[JRT]

This is my pin gun, 10mm banshee with hot loads will knock the pin down even if you just get close.

 

[Amputee Marksman]

To the op......not sure why your frustrated with the performance of your AR you picked literally the worst tool for the job.

Not frustrated with the AR. Frustrated that I didn't bring something different to shoot. Frustrated that I was not able to compete.

Next time I'm bringing my M1 Carbine just to be different.

 

[Amputee Marksman]

you picked literally the worst tool for the job.

Next time I'm going throw rocks. I'll probably do better.

 

[milktree]

Not frustrated with the AR. Frustrated that I didn't bring something different to shoot. Frustrated that I was not able to compete.

Next time I'm bringing my M1 Carbine just to be different.

I'll bring mine too!

 

[Amputee Marksman]

I'll bring mine too!

I haven't shot my M1 Carbine in years. Time to dig it out, dust it off, sight it in and get ready.

 

[allen-1]

One of the pleasures of being in Connecticut is that I can shoot pins twice a week up here.

Sundays at one club are very casual. Three tables set up, two with pins, one with pinheads. Shoot whatever you want on tables one and two, .22 only on the pinheads on table three. Three runs on each table against the clock. Yesterday I shot my G34, GP100 and BuckMark.

Tonight's pin league at the other club. Revolvers on the left, semi's on the right. Three runs on each side against the clock. This is medium bore, so anything under .40 and no magnum. I've got some flatnose 147 grain 9mm and 158 grain .38spcl for medium bore - they both do the job

Big bore league starts in two weeks - anything goes. I'll run 158 357Mag and 230 .45 for big bore. I've got friends who break out the .460, .44mag and occasionally the .50 DE for that league.

I tried .357Sig a couple of times, but it doesn't do a good energy dump into the pin, and the recoil makes it hard to get back for the next pin quickly. .45's about perfect.

 

[SKumar]

Next time bring the AK

 

[Sweeney]

Try this instead.

 

[bfm]

A 74 and 7n6 will cure that

I prefer a 7 and 7 after too many 7-10 splits.

 

[Amputee Marksman]

Next time bring the AK

There was a guy there with an AK

 

[rcwhat]

There was a guy there with an AK

How’d he do?

 

[gerrycaruso]

I've tried many calibers for pins and found that small and fast doesn't knock them over. The bullets just zip right through. Big and slow does the trick. Even small and slow will knock them over but big and slow will push them off the table.

 

[murf4321]

Try to throw empty beer cans at them if the intent is merely to knock pins down. Gets more difficult the more empty cans you throw

 

[Caveman]

I learned the effects of a 55gr 556 as a youngin shooting woodchucks with a 20” HBAR. Pinhole on one side. Pinhole on the other. And they just roll over without moving.