.223 updates and testing

[KevinB]

Interesting - tag for further info/follow up.

[Marcus L.]

Doc,

Have you completed your testing of the Speer 64 grain Gold Dot? Any specifics that you can report?

Molon

I am also interested in the Gold Dot test. I need to order several cases of duty ammo and I'm looking for something cheaper than the Tactical Bonded stuff. I've tried to get the chief to let me order the Federal stuff before, but the price of it would cut our ammo stocks in half and I'd rather keep more on hand for training.

[DRT]

Doc - How does the remington 62gr bonded compare vs the ATK 64gr gold dot?

[DocGKR]

Hopefully this picture will illustrate what occurs with the all copper Barnes bullets when fired through auto windshields--as stated, the jacket "petals" collapse against the nose, fold back against the core, or the "petals" are torn off; this results in a caliber size projectile configured a lot like a full wadcutter, leading to deep penetration. It occurs in both light and heavy Barnes .223 projectiles:

Barnes 53 gr TSX BG/auto window & Barnes 70 gr TSX BG/auto window fired from 16" 1/7 barrel at 10 feet:


For that matter, it occurs with larger caliber Barnes projectiles, as well:

[KevinB]

Doc, what sort of reliabilty degrading are you getting (if any, and for others as well) with these rounds from standard ball or OTM's?

[DocGKR]

Since the reformulation of the Mk262 powder a few years ago for better sustained high ambient temperature tolerance, we have not seen any substantial reliability issues with quality LE/mil FMJ or OTM rifle ammo from ATK, BH, Hornady, or Winchester. I would caution folks about 5.56 mm JSP ammo, as we have observed that they will run great for up to 200-300 rounds, but then mysterious feeding failures will begin as a result of lead build-up on the feed ramps. I have personally seen this occur with a variety of JSP's including 55 gr, 60 gr, and 64 gr in LE training courses. As soon as FMJ or OTM was substituted, all the feeding failures ceased. If you occasionally scrub off the ramps, this is a non issue...

[KevinB]

Doc, thanks, as that issue has been my major concern with JSP designs

[DocGKR]

Below--Nosler 60 gr Partition in bare gel at 10 ft from 16" barrel:


.223 BH loaded Nosler 60 gr Partition JSP, vel=2685 fps from a 16” 1/7
BG: pen=18.5”, NL=3.5cm, Max TC diam=11.5cm@11.5cm from 3.5-20cm, RD=0.41”, RL=0.43", RW=52.5gr
Glass: pen=18.9", NL=0cm, Max TC diam=8.5cm@10cm from 0-15cm, RD=0.32", RL=0.34", RW=35.4gr

.223 Fed 62 gr JSP Tactical (LE223T3), vel= 2681 fps from a 16" 1/7
BG: pen=15.4”, NL=1.5cm, MAX TC diam=11cm@10cm from 1.5-18cm, RD=0.48”, RL=0.36", RW=61.8gr
Glass: pen=14.0", NL=0cm, Max TC diam=9cm@10cm from 0-16.5cm; RD=0.46", RL=0.36", RW=46.9gr

.223 Rem 62 gr bonded JSP, vel=2704 fps from a 16" 1/7
BG: 13.0", NL=0.5cm, Max TC=7.5cm@9.5cm from 0.5-16cm; RD=0.57”, RL=0.32”, RW=61.6gr
Glass: 12.0", NL=0cm, Max TC=7@9cm from 0-15cm; RD=0.49”, RL=0.28”, RW=56.6gr

.223 Speer 64 gr JSP Gold Dot, vel=2549 fps from a 16" 1/7
BG: pen=15.4", NL=2cm, Max TC diam=9.5cm@12cm from 2-21cm, RD=0.50”, RL=0.35”, RW=59.2gr
Glass: pen=16.5", NL=0cm, Max TC diam=8cm@7.5cm from 0-16cm, RD=0.44", RL=0.33”, RW=35.5gr

Below--Speer 64 gr GD in bare gel at 10 ft from 16" barrel:

[Molon]

Outstanding information Doc! Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

[hk51pdx]

Thanks Doc.

Now for the neophytes (me), does this indicate these other rounds are in the same league as the Federal LE223T3 for barrier penetration? This has been very helpful for me as some of these types of ammo are difficult to get a hold of, so i might need to go with comparable loads, if not the 'best'.

Jim