Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles 77 grain SMK vs Hornady 75 BTHP?

I’m off to the range I loaded up some of these 75’s we have a match coming up a reduced yardage match. Need to get a cheap load developed to use at this shoot. So far it’s looking like it will be a go, for this shoot.

Keep us posted on how they do and load data.

What’s your guess you on velocity for that load?

As of now 24.2gr rl15 out of a 18 inch barrel 2630 FPS that’s seated at 2.250.

That sounds real reasonable. J, the MK-262 MOD 1 load runs 2750 out of an 18" barrel. Do you find you get better accuracy at 2630 vs. 2750? Also, I think I was warned about the cci400 being soft and not liking a high pressure load. I noticed that today with the loads I ran through my Noveske. Primers were cratered pretty good. I only ran 10, because I knew they were over pressure, especially after I went and picked the brass up and inspected it.... Didn't want to shoot any more after that.... Do you think the CCI 450's would be better for this application?

This load was 24.2 grs RL15, cci400 I tried 3 seating depths, 2.260, 2.250 and 2.240. The avg was 2630 overall. But accuracy not their unless one is happy with 1 1/4 groups. These cci 400 were fine not crater but were flat. With that I’m going to switch either to rem 71/2 or cci 450. I have a bunch.. also continue with seating 2.240 and drop the charge to 24.0. I know two drastic changes but I noticed extreme velocity spread as well. But with all this rambling 2.240 gave the best groups today. Funny thing I shot my 77gr tmk with my Varget load and as usual moa. One last note I need to put my 10x on this upper to really get the accuracy my 4x scope at 100yds I feel I’m giving up something. Lol

Good points buddy. Great info. I think tyrone was telling us to load them a little shorter as well. I may just try a cci450 as well. I've always used BR4 and CCI400 without any issues, but these were pretty cratered. Actually sharp when I ran my finger across them. I also lost one primer out of a loose pocket piece of brass. I had it marked, like I said I do in the other thread concerning loose primer pockets, but I guess it was just too loose and like I said, overpressured loads... I'm glad I was shooting righty for my irons. Not that it did anything weird, just that I know if I had been shooting left handed I would have been more aware of the overpressure problem. You probably know what I'm talking about, since you shoot lefty.

Give the CCI #41 a thought, I believe they are a magnum primer but more important, thay have a harder cup for use in the 5.56.

I also forgot to mention I was using LC brass as well, I also checked runout. I also ran a slight crimp.

450’s and 41 are the same primer.. also people are pretty sure black hills is running rem 7 1/2 in their mk262 load as well..

Thanks vic. I'll see if I can find some. Have any of you guys tried the federal ar match primers (GM205MAR)? I saw where they were only $38.00/1000 at midsouth, where I bought the 75gr hornady match bullets. Seemed like a great deal. Of course I would buy 4 thousand or so to make the hazmat even out...

rost also made the suggestion to try the 7 1/2 primers. Right now, it's getting harder to find good primers, so if I run across any of these suggestions, I'll probably end up buying and trying them..

I have some but haven't tried them. I have 3k rem 7 1/2 and 3k cci 450. My preferred primer wsr I can't find. But I have has good luck with 7 1/2. They say one of the best primers were the wolf SR primer. But you can't even find those anymore.

L-train I could never get the new lots of RL 15 load over 2700 FPS. I always been in 2600 plus range. I had an old jug of rl15 I was getting over 2700 plus with it. This stuff was 5 plus yrs old. I just found some pictures, looks like I messed with those federal 205MAR primers and shot a .806 5 shot group with them and the 75gr hpbt. The load was 24.5grs of rl 15, bullet seated at 2.255.

Thanks J. That primer is one you don't hear about here for some reason???? I didn't even know it existed, until the other day my boss was looking for some match primers for one of his friends and he wanted to know about the federal AR match primers. I thought $38.00 was a damn good deal if they were any good. Around here, the damn match primers are like $56.00, if you can find them...

They'll run anywhere from about 2650 to 2750fps out of a 20" barrel with 24gr, depending upon your barrel & chamber. 75s and 77s both seem to shoot better closer to 2650fps. Just about all the quoted RE15 loads you'll see are between 23.5 and 24.5gr. Pretty much the same with Varget.

I do need to get a 20 inch barrel one of these days..

That big primer sale sportsman's had, I paid $27 bucks for the ones I got. But I buy SR primers when I see them, because i remember the hard times of 2012-2014.

You wont find br4"s for that price. You guys are going to get a kick out of the speeds I was getting with that 2520 powder. I'm just now coming back home from the range. But I'll post those results

All primers were marked down I bought 1k 210 for $23, 1K WLR for $22 and 1K rem 9 1/2 mag for $23 and those fed 205 for $27. I was missed out on the cci 450’s cci br and Winchester SR primers. CCI BR were going for 27-28 bucks. I’m out doing yard work, I want to head to the range. Maybe Tuesday or weds..