View Full Version : My Factory Ammo 77gr SMK issues....
It's possible that you have 4 rifles that do hate the load. I have a RRA 1/8 twist 20 inch heavy barrel that hates 75gr Hornady BTHPs, throws them in about a 4-5 inch pattern at 100 yards through a 9 power scope while throwing 55gr Hornady BTHP into MOA or better if I do my part with the same scope and set up. Hell, I can generally shoot M193 into tighter groups with irons with a old Bushmaster I have than that thing will group magnified with the 75gr Hornady loads, but both my BCMs shoot the 75gr Hornady loads great.
That said, what groups are you getting out of the 77gr SMKs that you feel are shitty? I understand over MOA but by how much?
Its hard to say exactly what you have going on. My 18.5 inch Sionics Stainless 1/8 barrel shoots lights out with 77 SMK's. I did a precision rifle class 2 weeks ago at The Site in Illinios with IraqGunz and I was getting about half MOA with the CBC MK262 ammo that I got on sale for 52 cents a round. Hitting a 10x10 steel plate at 600 yards was easy. Some of the other shooters were really impressed to get that kind of accuracy at that range with NON Match ammo. For full disclosure, my gun is running a G2S Geissele trigger and is topped with a Vortex Viper PST 2.5x10 and I was using a Harris bipod and a sand sock in the rear. We were shooting in pretty good wind, to the point I was using a 3-4 MOA holdover for it at 600.
I hand loaded some 69 SMK's yesterday with 25.8 grains of Varget over CCI 400 primers using the leftover CBC brass from the class and I was shooting .25 inch groups at 100. So much for load development.... I guess I was lucky to find a load that my gun likes right off the bat. Keep trying, you'll hit pay dirt sooner or later.
What kind of glass and mounts are you running?
I know this may sound odd...but....Could it be, that I happen to get 4 different brand barrels that all hate 77gr SMK's ...but love Horn. 75gr ?
That's wild. I've never been able to get those 75 gr hornady bullets to shoot sub MOA.
Have you had someone else get on any of the guns to give it a try?
joedirt199
11-12-14, 07:29
I load my hornady 75 match bullets over 24 grains of varget and they shoot under out of my BCM 14.5" middy and blackhole weaponry 20" with 1-8 twist. My bullets were a box of 500 factory seconds that midway offered a while back. I hear alliant reloader 15 really works well for the heavy bullets. My overall length is 2.255"
That's wild. I've never been able to get those 75 gr hornady bullets to shoot sub MOA.
Have you had someone else get on any of the guns to give it a try?
I have some of the Hornady 75's and loaded them with I4895. They were ok, some sub minute groups but not nearly as consistent as the SMK's. They did do well on different penetration tests that I did and I would like to shoot my deer this year with both the 69 & 77 SMK as well as one of the Hornady 75's to see the results.
I'd love to get a bulk pack of the Hornady 75s for SHTF stash. No doubt they're a good combat bullet... But for target shooting, the SMK, like you said is just so much more consistent.
If you're hand loading... I'd suggest this....
Try some Russian primers (wolf or tula) with whatever stick powder you have available. And add a light crimp to the rounds. Removing either of those two pieces in my loads yielded obvious accuracy loss.
Typically crimping hurts accuracy for me. I have good luck with 75 Hornady and ok luck with Sierra. If you can shoot the Hornady, forget Sierra. Hornady is cheaper and has a better BC.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My load is LC '12 brass that has full prep, trim the length to square the mouth, uniform the pockets and deburr the flash hole, FL size, healthy beck tension (I think 0.05" but it's been a while), CCI 450, 24.3 gr Varget, 75 gr BTHP.
If you get five consecutive five round groups at 1.0 MOA or less, that's all you need. Don't fall into the trap if chasing your tail on loads or buying into people's claim of 1/4 MOA ARs. They may get a single .25 MOA three-round wallet group but it isn't repeatable time after time. If that were the case, they would be teaching BR shooters how to load.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Typically crimping hurts accuracy for me.
It must have something to do with differences in processes/equip. Removing the light crimp from my 77s took my groups to damned near 2 MOA. I was shocked.
What kind of sizing die? Could be just a matter if neck tension being too light causing inconsistent stretching of rounds as it cycles... The crimp could be keeping your length the same from round to round. Especially critical with high load density loads.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well... my set up has evolved over the years. It's a carbide Dillon resizing die with the expander ball removed. So I run an RCBS neck expander die as a separate step. Then seat, and finally give it the LEE factory crimp die.
That's probably it if you're expanding necks. I use a Redding FL S-Type and tweak the bushing for the particular brass in using.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Steel head
11-16-14, 17:44
The only factory 77 load that seems accurate to me is Fed GM with 77's though I like the FGM 69smk load better.
My handloads with 77smk's and Hor 75bthps are under MOA consistently.
That's probably it if you're expanding necks. I use a Redding FL S-Type and tweak the bushing for the particular brass in using.
I mix almost all of my .223 brass. So a bushing die is out. I tried bushing dies in .308 and 300 WM, and it just wasn't for me.
Ah certainly don't want them with mixed brass. I have found the control with bushing dies to be excellent. I use then in .260, .308, and 5.56 But if you're having good results don't mix it up---more than one way to skin a cat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.