Range Report: 69gr Sierra MK vs 68gr Hornady Match

joeg26er · May 31, 2009, 10:17 PM

Range Report: 69gr Sierra MK vs 68gr Hornady Match

1/9 twist CL 16" middy, 3x magnifier, 2 MOA Aimpoint

100 yards

23.8gr W748
WSRP
S&B case
2.212 COL

68gr hornady - one round very high and right - 9 other rounds - WKW (who knows where)
velocity 2500fps

69gr Sierra Match King - rounds 1" low and left
10 rounds about 2"
velocity 2500fps

control group was 55gr Win bulk FMJ BTWC
27 gr W748
velocity avg 2900 fps
group sizes approx 1 MOA

Anyone know WTH is wrong with the Hornady loads
how to improve either of these 68gr and 69gr loads?

1/9 should stabilize up to 77gr according to general research...

Airborne Falcon · June 1, 2009, 09:55 AM

With regards to your "up to 77 gr" comment at the end - I've never been able to load anything worth a hoot for accuracy above 69s in an M4 1:9 - and even that is pushing it imho.

I do like loading 68s and 69s though, when I have some laying around. I think the last batch of 69s I loaded were maybe some Noslers that I picked up in 250 count boxes ... bought a couple of thousand of those and they are in a can somewhere - loaded and ready for whatever. But I had no real problems that I recall. Seems you want to load them a little hotter to push them - I wouldn't really expect moa out of a shorty at 100 meters with that load (68s and 69s) if it were me. Still, I'd load them in the 2800-3100 fps range if it were me.

You may want to try something other that 748 - although I've used a lot of it to load 5.56, I prefer TAC, Varget or H335 for my M4s because those give me a little more leeway in terms of working-up a load for anything in the 5.56 class.

Scorch · June 1, 2009, 12:37 PM

I load the Hornady 68 gr MBTHP for shooting matches. They have a LD profile, the ogive is a very pointy 8r, as compared to the Sierra 6r ogive. You need to seat them out farther to 2.230" (will just barely fit in the magazine) and increase the charge to get the velocity up. These long, pointy bullets are right on the edge stability-wise in a 1:9" barrel, so you need as much velocity as you can get, and you are running a minimum charge. I load mine with 26.0 gr of 748 (MAX!!) in a WW case with WSR primer.

joeg26er · June 1, 2009, 01:38 PM

I did try 27 gr of W748 with the Hornady 68gr and they grouped into

drum roll

8 to 10 inches

at 2750 fps

guess I'll be giving up on the HOrnady's...anyone want to trade me for some 62gr?

but I will try your suggestion with longer OAL at 26gr
though the 27gr load was at 2.26 OAL which barely fit the mag

JD 500 · June 2, 2009, 03:35 PM

I've had excellent luck with the 69 smk's, no luck at all with the hornady 68's or the Nosler 69's. I will say that the groups were all about 2+moa, until I hit the load sweet spot, then the group shrunk to @ .75 moa.

My load is Win brass, wsr primers, and Varget. just below max. (Work up load of course) and I have a 24" 1:8 bbl.

I do believe 748 works better with lighter bullets.

Here's an article you may find interesting. (About a 1/3'd of the way down, is a list of reccomended powders by bullet weight... http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html

May 31, 2009, 10:17 PM	#1
joeg26er Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Posts: 42	Range Report: 69gr Sierra MK vs 68gr Hornady Match Range Report: 69gr Sierra MK vs 68gr Hornady Match 1/9 twist CL 16" middy, 3x magnifier, 2 MOA Aimpoint 100 yards 23.8gr W748 WSRP S&B case 2.212 COL 68gr hornady - one round very high and right - 9 other rounds - WKW (who knows where) velocity 2500fps 69gr Sierra Match King - rounds 1" low and left 10 rounds about 2" velocity 2500fps control group was 55gr Win bulk FMJ BTWC 27 gr W748 velocity avg 2900 fps group sizes approx 1 MOA Anyone know WTH is wrong with the Hornady loads how to improve either of these 68gr and 69gr loads? 1/9 should stabilize up to 77gr according to general research...

June 1, 2009, 09:55 AM	#2
Airborne Falcon Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2005 Location: Capital City, SC Posts: 138	With regards to your "up to 77 gr" comment at the end - I've never been able to load anything worth a hoot for accuracy above 69s in an M4 1:9 - and even that is pushing it imho. I do like loading 68s and 69s though, when I have some laying around. I think the last batch of 69s I loaded were maybe some Noslers that I picked up in 250 count boxes ... bought a couple of thousand of those and they are in a can somewhere - loaded and ready for whatever. But I had no real problems that I recall. Seems you want to load them a little hotter to push them - I wouldn't really expect moa out of a shorty at 100 meters with that load (68s and 69s) if it were me. Still, I'd load them in the 2800-3100 fps range if it were me. You may want to try something other that 748 - although I've used a lot of it to load 5.56, I prefer TAC, Varget or H335 for my M4s because those give me a little more leeway in terms of working-up a load for anything in the 5.56 class. __________________ What you think about, you do ... what you do, you become.

June 1, 2009, 12:37 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I load the Hornady 68 gr MBTHP for shooting matches. They have a LD profile, the ogive is a very pointy 8r, as compared to the Sierra 6r ogive. You need to seat them out farther to 2.230" (will just barely fit in the magazine) and increase the charge to get the velocity up. These long, pointy bullets are right on the edge stability-wise in a 1:9" barrel, so you need as much velocity as you can get, and you are running a minimum charge. I load mine with 26.0 gr of 748 (MAX!!) in a WW case with WSR primer. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 2, 2009, 03:35 PM	#5
JD 500 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 110	I've had excellent luck with the 69 smk's, no luck at all with the hornady 68's or the Nosler 69's. I will say that the groups were all about 2+moa, until I hit the load sweet spot, then the group shrunk to @ .75 moa. My load is Win brass, wsr primers, and Varget. just below max. (Work up load of course) and I have a 24" 1:8 bbl. I do believe 748 works better with lighter bullets. Here's an article you may find interesting. (About a 1/3'd of the way down, is a list of reccomended powders by bullet weight... http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html Last edited by JD 500; June 2, 2009 at 04:07 PM. Reason: Add link

June 1, 2009, 01:38 PM	#4
joeg26er Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Posts: 42	I did try 27 gr of W748 with the Hornady 68gr and they grouped into drum roll 8 to 10 inches at 2750 fps guess I'll be giving up on the HOrnady's...anyone want to trade me for some 62gr? but I will try your suggestion with longer OAL at 26gr though the 27gr load was at 2.26 OAL which barely fit the mag