69gr v 77gr - Want to see what I can achieve

[ggammell]

Basically, I'm looking to see exactly what the barrels on my ARs can do. Strictly making holes in paper, from 100-300. Just for the sake of knowing.

Barrels are a 16" BCM, 14.5" Colt and an 11.5" BCM in the near future.

I was thinking Black Hills 69gr OTM. 77gr also pops up a lot. Should I be looking there? OTM or Tipped? Or anything else (other mfg's for instance)? Does it really matter between the two grain weights?

[Krazykarl]

Don't rule out Sierra 53 gr match Kings. Great bullet!

Should have asked reloading venture or factory fodder....

[gunnerblue]

For paper out to 300 yards the weight difference will not be the determining factor. Try both and perhaps your rifles will prefer one over the other.

[dmd08]

I have a BCM standard 16" upper that is shockingly accurate with the Australian Outback 69 gr. Smk load. And I buy it at cabelas for 12 bucks a box.

[markm]

77s have pretty much always out performed 69s in my experience. TMKs don't seem to be quite as accurate, so inside of 300, I wouldn't pick those.

[ggammell]

77s have pretty much always out performed 69s in my experience. TMKs don't seem to be quite as accurate, so inside of 300, I wouldn't pick those.

I grabbed a couple boxes of 69 & 77 OTM.

Thanks

[markm]

Hornady Vmax in 50-55 gr are insanely accurate too. Haven't shot them in a while, but those things were silly accurate.

[jwfuhrman]

Hornady Vmax in 50-55 gr are insanely accurate too. Haven't shot them in a while, but those things were silly accurate.

I had a BCM 16in SS410 barrel on a 3gun Rifle. With the 1-6 I was running, it REALLLLLYYTYTT liked the Superformance 53gr Vmax stuff. That stuff was lights out to 600, matched perfectly with 77’s all the way out. I used those 53’s because the extra velocity made them smack the indicator targets that much better and there was no questions on whether it was a hit or wind blowing the target around

[brycewise]

Basically, I'm looking to see exactly what the barrels on my ARs can do. Strictly making holes in paper, from 100-300. Just for the sake of knowing.

Barrels are a 16" BCM, 14.5" Colt and an 11.5" BCM in the near future.

I was thinking Black Hills 69gr OTM. 77gr also pops up a lot. Should I be looking there? OTM or Tipped? Or anything else (other mfg's for instance)? Does it really matter between the two grain weights?

The TMK's have a significantly higher B.C. so they will hold velocity better then their respective OTM counter parts. the 69 grain TMK has a BC of .375 at 2700 fps which is higher then the 77 grain OTM at .362 and it will have a higher muzzle velocity also.

If you are looking for OTM's only the 68 grain Hornady OTM has a higher B.C. then the 69 grain SMK (.350 vs .317), Also barnes offers a 85 grain match round loaded to 5.56 pressures with a B.C. of .41 giving it similar BC to the BH 77 grain TMK and maybe less expensive if you decide to go that route.

I would recommend checking out Molon's range report of the rounds you are considering. He is very detailed and if you have a question about a particular round that his range reports didn't answer, then there probably isn't an answer.

Follow this link and scroll down about half way to where you see "References to Molon's ammo reviews" in red. Click on any of the rounds you are interested in and it will send you to his range report

https://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=210

[ggammell]

The TMK's have a significantly higher B.C. so they will hold velocity better then their respective OTM counter parts. the 69 grain TMK has a BC of .375 at 2700 fps which is higher then the 77 grain OTM at .362 and it will have a higher muzzle velocity also.

If you are looking for OTM's only the 68 grain Hornady OTM has a higher B.C. then the 69 grain SMK (.350 vs .317), Also barnes offers a 85 grain match round loaded to 5.56 pressures with a B.C. of .41 giving it similar BC to the BH 77 grain TMK and maybe less expensive if you decide to go that route.

I would recommend checking out Molon's range report of the rounds you are considering. He is very detailed and if you have a question about a particular round that his range reports didn't answer, then there probably isn't an answer.

Follow this link and scroll down about half way to where you see "References to Molon's ammo reviews" in red. Click on any of the rounds you are interested in and it will send you to his range report

https://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=210

You couldn’t reference his posts on this site? And I’ve read them. Almost all of them.