HM Defense update?

[SteyrAUG]

Like I said earlier, I'm not going to purchase anything from HM. Just want to go for the free dinner. Might be fun to call them on their BS if they start the heavy sales job.

Probably not worth the effort. It's like taking the time to point out Tapco and CAA stuff is crap. Doesn't matter because people will always line up to buy crap. Probably not even worth the free dinner.

Like Stick said, Colt is the baseline. Yes you can get a better rifle but you almost have to spend twice as much and you aren't really saving money by going cheaper than Colt. Can probably get away with S&W M&P and be fine but how much did you really save?

The only reason to NOT buy a Colt is because you are building some kind of special configuration not offered by Colt or because money is no object and you have no problem spending $2,500 or more on something else like KAC.

The budget grade shops nobody has ever heard of? Why bother.

[Ned Christiansen]

I always have to give a second look to innovators. I mean you can innovate new ways to do something useless but the HM bolt is a real advancement, certainly in theory and as to execution, the one I have is holding up but I'll grant you I am somewhere under 30,000 rounds on it (like, maybe 4,000). When I talk about broken bolts in class I always mention the HM bolt and the Knight's, both of which have taken measures to make bolts more crack-resistant at the cam pin hole. Downside for both, you have to use the respective proprietary cam pins. Upside on the HM, you can use a regular cam pin but you'd have to shorten it. Further downside on the Knight's, to use their bolt you have to also use their firing pin, extractor, extractor springs, and barrel extension which pretty much means using their barrel. Good stuff no doubt but it limits your supply options. A good friend also digs the HM bolt (having broken a few other bolts in his time). He's gonna have a lot more rounds on his than I do.

I also have one of their monobloc barrels and it has been very good. That's one gas block that's not going to come loose, where it seems that out of 2-300 rifles I look at in a year, the majority of gas blocks are just set screwed on and not cross-pinned. My word for that is "inadequate". The barrel is nitrided and it shoots very well, it's the one I have used for most of my 500 yard shooting and has given me 1.3 MOA at that distance, not every time but rarely if ever over 2 MOA. At 100 it's better of course. Had it to 750 once and I couldn't tell you the exact results other than, I remember feeling very happy with them. I might be able to dig out a picture. I love shooting at 500 but I'm not going to try and portray myself as an expert at it--we're talking maybe a couple hundred rounds a year at that distance, not thousands.

As to who makes the barrels or if they are making them in house, I always assumed they were making them but I confess I don't know, nor care really, because the one I have is extremely satisfactory.

[Ned Christiansen]

HM barrel, 300 yards, group sizes noted on steel:



...and, at 660. That's 5 of 5, none lost off the side, honest. Didn't record the group size here but the plate is 42", this looks to me like 8" or less. I believe the black painted "downies" are at 10.8" center to center.

[Stickman]

HM barrel, 300 yards, group sizes noted on steel:



...and, at 660. That's 5 of 5, none lost off the side, honest. Didn't record the group size here but the plate is 42", this looks to me like 8" or less. I believe the black painted "downies" are at 10.8" center to center.

This is why I like words and images better than video. Ned C just answered a lot of questions for us all.

Thanks!!

[Ned Christiansen]

Doing a little calculatin' here-- I think that second group is 6.5", so just under an MOA at 660 yards, maybe the best 500 yard-ing (at 660) I've done. Not bad for a carbine length gun! Other guns and shooters can certainly do much better but it doesn't suck "bigly".