“Neither is a good starting point for a sniper rifle (600 yards plus)”
At MCRD back in the 80s I was required to hit man sized targets at 500 yards with a rack grade M16A1 just to qualify as a rifleman. I scored 240 out of a possible 250 to earn Expert.
I know 500 yards isn’t 600 yards. But considering we were using rack grade 1970s vintage rifles, that’s pretty damned close.
Most modern firearms are capable of much greater accuracy than folks give them credit for. AKs included.
L
Remember, a sniper rifle STARTS at 600 yards and is often engaged up to 1,000. The .223 makes a poor choice for such distance. I am not saying that an M16 in the proper hands, can’t touch a person at 600 yards. I am saying that with a ballistic coefficient in the 0.23 to 0.26 range, and 55 grain bullet weight, there is not much ooomph left at 600 yards. In fact, the energy is down to a .22LR and the drop is approaching 120” at 600 yards.
http://gundata.org/blog/post/223-ballistics-chart/
Not that I would want to be hit by a .223 at 600 yards.