Current production PMC X-Tac?

[Circle_10]

Lately I’ve been buying a lot of PMC’s M193 “clone” - X-Tac 55gr ball - due to its price and availability, however I haven’t been totally thrilled with it.
I don’t scrupulously clean my ARs after each range trip and for years it’s never been a problem but I’ve noticed now that I’m primarily shooting current production PMC that after firing a bunch of this stuff if I let my ARs sit for a day or so (with an empty chamber) the bolts basically “seize up” and I often have to go to the length of mortaring the gun to get the action open. I don’t have any cycling issues *while* shooting however. It’s only when trying to open the action after the gun has been sitting for a day or two. Some of my guns get this worse than others. I have a BCM and a Sionics upper that stick particularly badly and then two guns with Colt barrels that seem to be more tolerant (although they will eventually start sticking too if I let it go long enough) so I’m assuming some of my guns have closer tolerances than others. And again, none of these guns fail during *shooting*, and this has never happened with any other ammo (including older PMC) so the issue does not seem to be the guns themselves, the common denominator in these sticky bolt issues definitely seems to be the PMC ammunition. So I’m assuming that PMC must have changed something about their propellant or something that is causing this.

In the past I’ve also found PMC X-Tac to have pretty good accuracy for an M193-type load. While I won’t say the accuracy is “bad” now per se it doesn’t seem “as good” as it used to be.
The other thing I’ve noticed is the velocities don’t seem as good as some other supposed M193 “clones”. I don’t have my own chronograph but last fall a guy I know was at the range with one of those Magnetospeed underbarrel chronographs, we attached it to one of my 20” uppers and PMC 55gr X-Tac was barely getting over 3000fps in most cases, occasionally dipping into the 2990s. Granted it was somewhat cold out but that still seemed like pretty weak sauce velocity. I’ve since seen some other people chronograph it online and the velocities seem a little better but still not up to true M193 spec.

I don’t know how the current production runs of their M855 clone are as I don’t generally buy M855.

Has anyone else had similar experiences with the current X-Tac offerings?

[opngrnd]

I'm pretty sure I experienced the same "sticky bolt" after shooting the 62gr XTAC recently. It's been in the back of my mind for a little while, I'll see if it does it again.

[markm]

That velocity is weak. When I used to reload 55 gr bullets, I'd try to get to 3100 fps so I was running hot, but with a little cushion for safety.

We've had the AR10s (LMT MWS) which often seize up like that, but they're really filthy with a crazy mixture of ammo/powders.

Do you run a pretty wet bolt? I have good luck with Froglube keeping fouling suspended in the lube.

[opngrnd]

I tend to keep mine wet. I'll see if the problem replicates itself after the next outing.

[georgeib]

I have quite a bit of X-Tac sitting around. A lot of it is newer production. I'll see if I can duplicate this next week. How much ammo did you guys shoot before you experienced the sticky bolt?

[opngrnd]

I have quite a bit of X-Tac sitting around. A lot of it is newer production. I'll see if I can duplicate this next week. How much ammo did you guys shoot before you experienced the sticky bolt?

It wasn't much for me. Maybe a mag.

[georgeib]

It wasn't much for me. Maybe a mag.

Wow, ok. Was this suppressed? I'll do a few more than that to be sure.

[OutofBatt3ry]

During the great ammo famine of 2020, it's all that was available in my area. I shot roughly 1000 rounds mixed 193/855 over the next few months without issue and more than likely, very little, if any cleaning of the guns over that time. I'm a once a year, whether it needs it or not, type of guy when it comes to cleaning ARs (unless I'm out in the desert, larping, and getting a bunch of sand all over them; then I clean them as soon as I get home)

[SkiDevil]

PMC X-TAC 5.56 55 FMJ

I have fired several hundred rounds out of an LMT standard 5.56 16" carbine. No issues. I purchased another case because I was satisfied with the ammunition. Accuracy is decent for ball ammo. I've averaged around 2-3 MOA at 100 yards. CBC 5.56 or German MEN 55 gr FMJ shoots much better but not easily sourced.

[Circle_10]

It wasn't much for me. Maybe a mag.

Yeah it was happening for me after fairly low round counts with some guns, other guns seemed like they would tolerate a higher volume of it before they really started sticking. This is all unsuppressed too.

I do tend to run all my guns fairly wet. Pretty basic cleaning/lubing after firing seems to prevent the sticking issue at least, but with my guns that are more susceptible to the issue the cleaning/lubing has to be done every time, and like I said above I’m not someone who typically cleans my ARs after every range session so I find having to do this to be kind of annoying.