Does a precision AR-15/M-16 rifle require a special magazine? I suppose the underlying issue has to do with feeding the cartridge as straight into the chamber as possible on all the axes, but that’s just a guess.
I need to find a short magazine for the bench for a new rifle, so as long as I’m going to start searching for a magazine during the panic, I need to focus my search as narrowly as possible. If the magazine makes a difference, I’d appreciate advice on what brand or model I should be searching for.
I don’t see how a magazine would affect anything as long as headspace was correct. Ordinary PMags should be just fine. What is the purpose of your precision AR?
There’s only one exception where a different magazine would be considered for a unique niche of precision rifle - if you need really long, heavy (80+gr) .224 bullets, it’s possible to run them in custom single stack magazines with the right receiver extension for those barrels. That’s basically the only case where any old reliable magazine isn’t a perfectly good choice.
i shot 80 grainers from the 600 yard line in CMP/NRA HP for many years, hand feeding them single shot into the action (since rules prohibit you from loading more than one round at a time in slow fire) and always used the same colt 20 round mags i used in rapid fire. don’t recall any problems.
honestly, i don’t even know what the single shot mags are supposed to do for you.
Did you load your 80’s to magazine length? Most shooters load their 80’s a little too long to fit into the magazine so you use a sled so the round doesn’t just sit on top of the magazine as you drop the bolt. If you hand feed to round into the chamber before you drop the bolt you really don’t need a sled.