Best AR ammo?

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  • Hop

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    Best AR ammo to do what? I'm surprised they don't like MK262 Mod1 77 grain OT SMK which is my go to over the counter round in just about every AR I have.
     

    natdscott

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    Best AR ammo to do what? I'm surprised they don't like MK262 Mod1 77 grain OT SMK which is my go to over the counter round in just about every AR I have.

    Yup. 100% need that answer.
     

    55fairlane

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    Best ammo for what? Range plinking or competition? Store bought or reloads?

    And for what it's worth, wolf gold (brass cases) have held up good for me to reload several times
     

    Dean C.

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    As long as you have a 1:7 twist and a 5.56 rated rifle then MK262 Mod 1 topped with a 77gr Sierra Match King is at least in my opinion probably the best 5.56 round currently available.

    Black Hills ammo invented the round, but IMI makes an almost indentical load which can be bought for around 60 cents a round when on sale. I stockpile that particular loading for all of my rifles
     

    natdscott

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    Black Hills ammo invented the round...

    Hardly. The 77 SMK has been in use in nearly every iteration possible in competition for decades. That includes all the 5.56x45 NATO Team ammo and Civilian loads that were the precursors to Crane NSWC's little pet project that turned a really positive new leaf for the 5.56 in combat.

    Black Hills was chosen as the facility to research powders for, and then eventually received a contract to produce, the 262 Mod 0.

    At this point, I can confirm 100% that the Service Rifle Teams are using 262 at 200 & 300 yards, out of the brown boxes.

    -Nate
     

    ru44mag

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    Best AR ammo to do what? I'm surprised they don't like MK262 Mod1 77 grain OT SMK which is my go to over the counter round in just about every AR I have.

    Yup. 100% need that answer.

    Best ammo for what? Range plinking or competition? Store bought or reloads?

    And for what it's worth, wolf gold (brass cases) have held up good for me to reload several times

    The first line in the article said "Range ammo and home defense."
     

    Hop

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    Hardly. The 77 SMK has been in use in nearly every iteration possible in competition for decades. That includes all the 5.56x45 NATO Team ammo and Civilian loads that were the precursors to Crane NSWC's little pet project that turned a really positive new leaf for the 5.56 in combat.

    Black Hills was chosen as the facility to research powders for, and then eventually received a contract to produce, the 262 Mod 0.

    At this point, I can confirm 100% that the Service Rifle Teams are using 262 at 200 & 300 yards, out of the brown boxes.

    -Nate

    BH researchers got more fps & higher temperature stability out of it + asked Sierra to put a cannelure on the bullet.
     

    natdscott

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    The first line in the article said "Range ammo and home defense."

    Buddy, ya kinda have to forgive us collectively for answering what we thought was a somewhat completely-verbalized question by you within this forum, rather than reading between the lines, reading the article, and then attempting to correctly perceive your real intent.

    My answer, without knowing anymore than a vague "Range..." and "...defense..." description, remains Mk 262 or equivalent. That would include loads with the Hornady 75.

    BH researchers got more fps & higher temperature stability out of it + asked Sierra to put a cannelure on the bullet.

    Kinda what I meant about the powder research part. I don't know what they use, but it's tough to get there with RE15, I can tell you that. 2000MR or N540 would do it I bet..but when I was asked to load a bunch of it, 2000MR was not a thing, and I didn't have 540 in my knowledge bank yet. C'est la vie...

    ...they shoot better at 2,675 anyway.

    I didn't know that BH was directly responsible for the 77 SMK G...neat. The military wanted a cannelure, and they got a "cannelure". Sorta.
     

    Hop

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    I'm burning through a case of Magtech MK262 Mod 1 and got my 1st failure last week. I'm about 500 rounds in. Bullet hit the ramp and was rammed into the case causing a ftf. I guess everyone can make a lemon once in a while.
     

    Hohn

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    Best AR ammo to do what? I'm surprised they don't like MK262 Mod1 77 grain OT SMK which is my go to over the counter round in just about every AR I have.

    Buddy, ya kinda have to forgive us collectively for answering what we thought was a somewhat completely-verbalized question by you within this forum, rather than reading between the lines, reading the article, and then attempting to correctly perceive your real intent.

    My answer, without knowing anymore than a vague "Range..." and "...defense..." description, remains Mk 262 or equivalent. That would include loads with the Hornady 75.



    Kinda what I meant about the powder research part. I don't know what they use, but it's tough to get there with RE15, I can tell you that. 2000MR or N540 would do it I bet..but when I was asked to load a bunch of it, 2000MR was not a thing, and I didn't have 540 in my knowledge bank yet. C'est la vie...

    ...they shoot better at 2,675 anyway.

    I didn't know that BH was directly responsible for the 77 SMK G...neat. The military wanted a cannelure, and they got a "cannelure". Sorta.

    JRB to the rescue.

    https://youtu.be/eweaf2FHvk8
     

    63PGP

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    On the Wolf Gold, I've purchased about 6000 rounds in the last two years for for my wife's 3 gun comps and can't recall a single ammo related issue.
     
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    rosejm

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    Not a real big fan of the OP's linked article.
    Only 2 criteria stand out: Cost & FTF rate

    Cost can be a factor I suppose, but lack of FTF should be a requirement. Who buys ammo that won't fire reliably?
     

    IndyTom

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    As I've mentioned elsewhere, the only problem Wolf Gold has given me was filling up my brass catcher too quickly and partially blocking the ejection port with spent brass. Otherwise, no FTF/FTE issues.
     

    Usmccookie

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    y'all seems way smarter than me at this. How does the ingo panel feel about hornady black 223 75 gr bthp? I've recently bought 6 boxes of the stuff to see how I like it. Up to now I've shot the basic offering m855 or xm191. I went through the black and was pleased with it out to 100 yds.Is the price difference really worth going with smk and such for the average shooter? I don't feel like it is, but I have no experience with it. Black is the "best" ammo I have ran.

    By average, I'm thinking <100yds. 1-2k rounds a year
     
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