Which .223 Ammo To Use At The Smm3g?

[bthp]

I will be using a 16 inch barrel, 1 in 9 twist. Which commercially available round should I use for this match? I have always liked the Federal Gold Medal 69 grn, but someone recently suggested that there were primer issues with this round in a semi-auto .223. What else is better for the match?

[Jim Norman]

Give Federal 62 grain a try. It seems to be accurate from a 16" as well as maintaining apparent power. I have not had any failures with it as far as ignition or feeding.

Jim

[ChandlerSniper158]

I use Black Hills (reman) 68 gr match. Runs well thru my rifle and is very accurate. I tried both the reman and new, and the reman is more accurate then the new stuff for some reason.

CS#158

[John Dunn]

Jim,

Is the Federal 62 gr. load the green tip stuff with the steel penetrator? Most matches frown on that for steel, every time I see a 62 gr. load I get nervous.

[BillL223]

You are going to have to knock down steel @ 300 yds on one stage. I was sucessful with Blackhills 52 gr Bluebox in moderate wind. When I shoot the match again, I will use either a 68 gr or more likely 69gr Sierra Match King.

[rhino]

You can't go wrong with Black Hills 68 heavy match in the blue box (remanuf.). Fulton Armory has a pretty good deal on it by the case.

It's good for just about everything ... excellent terminal ballistics for defense, very, very accurate in just about any AR, and a little extra mass of smack steel downrange when you need some oomph in the gun games.

[xsrdx]

Federal AE223 55gr - everybody disses light bullets these days, but 55gr ammo shoots relatively flat - an advantage in this game.

A 200yd zero with 55gr M193 will let you hold COM with reasonable assurance of hit anywhere out to and beyond 300yd; the 68gr trajectory is a little less forgiving. 55gr also recoils less, FWIW.

This thread pretty much beats the issue to death, lots of different opinions from some great riflemen:

Which ammo for 3 Gun?

[kellyn]

No power factor = 40 grain bullets UNLESS you have to knock over steel.

Last year I shot 40s up close and 69s at the farther shots. The rifle was zeroed for the 69s. I had no problem using the 40s with the same zero. BUT that's my rifle AND I checked it out first.

[PacMan]

I've been using the good old 55 gr. soft point boat tails from Sierra, loaded to 3100 fps. No problems knocking steel flash targets out to 400 yds (farthest I've shot to date.)

[Bronco]

I'm running 55's up close ( PMP ) South African I think. 77 SMK reloads at the longer ranges worked well last year. What ever you use KNOW were it hits from contact to 300 yd.