Wolf M193 and 855

[ks_wayward_son]

Checking out Target Sports USA recently, looks like Wolf is now offering 193 and 855 load specific ammo. The 193 looks to be same price as PMC Xtac, and Wolf Gold in 55 grain is still cheaper, but still a pretty decent price under .30 round if you have a Prime Membership like I do. Many have said that the Wolf Gold .223 in 55 grain is loaded pretty hot to almost 5.56 velocity, so don't know if it would be the much of a difference to warrant 193 over the .223.

The 855 is also under .30 a round for Prime, and priced a lot lower than the XTac, and I think it is quite a bit cheaper than Lake City per 20 rd box.

Looks like it is all good stuff, manufactured out of the same plant in Taiwan that the Wolf Gold is turned out.

The new ammo just seemed to pop up out of nowhere, so it was news to me and thought I'd share.

[ks_wayward_son]

As a secondary thought, I wish more manufacturers would turn out 5.56 spec 62 grain ammo without the steel core bullet. Seems like the only manufacturer I've seen is Aguila. I've bought a few boxes of that, but seems like it sells as quick as its stocked. I know the solution to that is reloading, and I have a reloader but haven't set it up.

[ocharry]

i have some Silver Bear stuff that is 62 gr bimetal SPBT ,,,it is zink plated steel case non corrosive berdan primed,,,,not sure what the bimetal is but it is soft like lead,,,,and it works pretty good on coyotes

i like it to hunt with because i can let it fly and concentrate on the shot,,,i dont shoot a lot of it but it runs flawless and whacks the yotes really good

ocharry

[T. O'Heir]

"...wish more manufacturers would..." Lots of 'em. Hornady's Frontier and Black lines for one.

[Charlie98]

As a secondary thought, I wish more manufacturers would turn out 5.56 spec 62 grain ammo without the steel core bullet. Seems like the only manufacturer I've seen is Aguila. I've bought a few boxes of that, but seems like it sells as quick as its stocked. I know the solution to that is reloading, and I have a reloader but haven't set it up.

One of my last visits to Cabelas... I was surprised to find some Winchester white box 62grn BTHP blasting ammo at reasonable cost. It wasn't 55grn FMJ cheap, but it was close... and without the stigma of the green tip.

I've since quit buying M855... I have a reasonable stash of it, but M193 is still cheaper, and, as I mentioned, you don't have the problem when someone sees the green tip... but there is certainly a need for cheap 62grn ammo to maximize the slower twist on some rifles.

[veprdude]

Taking the steel out of 62gr bullets will require a complete redesign of the bullet. And at that point why do 62 grain?

[bamaranger]

I'm having trouble keeping up with the last two posts.
-Slow twist rifles as a rule do better with lighter bullets, how does a 62 "maximize"?
-There are plenty of 62 gr slugs that do not have a steel core and were manufactured that way from the onset. What needs redesigned? As a rule, heavier slugs have a higher BC and SD, thus slip the wind better and less susceptible to drift and may well offer more penetration.

Not trying to pick a fight, just trying to follow the logic.

[Jim Watson]

A lead core 62 is going to be shorter than a SS109/M855 which is what they used to call "semi-armour piercing." Nose and base shape will determine form factor figuring into ballistic coefficient.

My question would be, will a lead core 62 shoot enough differently from a 55 to matter?
Will it shoot near enough the M855 to give you common zero ammo for places not allowing "magnetic bullets?"

[Charlie98]

I'm having trouble keeping up with the last two posts.
-Slow twist rifles as a rule do better with lighter bullets, how does a 62 "maximize"?
-There are plenty of 62 gr slugs that do not have a steel core and were manufactured that way from the onset. What needs redesigned? As a rule, heavier slugs have a higher BC and SD, thus slip the wind better and less susceptible to drift and may well offer more penetration.

Not trying to pick a fight, just trying to follow the logic.

A lead core 62 is going to be shorter than a SS109/M855 which is what they used to call "semi-armour piercing." Nose and base shape will determine form factor figuring into ballistic coefficient.

My question would be, will a lead core 62 shoot enough differently from a 55 to matter?
Will it shoot near enough the M855 to give you common zero ammo for places not allowing "magnetic bullets?"

62grn is a balance between the 55grn cheapo ammo, and 69grn + match-type bullets. In my Colt H-Bar, as I mentioned, I do NOT get good accuracy with 55grn bullets... with 1:7 twist it really wasn't designed for that bullet. I've had excellent luck with (more pricey) 69grn SMK's... logically. I'm hoping to get reasonable accuracy out of the 62grn BTHP's in all of my AR's, not just the H-Bar... maximizing the bullet choice, and minimizing my expense... the 62grn bullets are half the cost of the SMK's. Granted, a 62grn BTHP is not a 62grn Green Tip, and Jim is correct, it is shorter compared.

I had 30 test rounds, nominal charges of H335, out in NV over Christmas, they showed promise from my 16" 1:8 AR carbine... so I'll proceed with the ladder test and a shootout between M193, M855, and the new bullet this summer.

For what it's worth, I've not found M855 to be any more accurate out of my AR carbine than M193... it's quite possible manufacturer variations in that mass produced bullet offset the accuracy potential of the longer and heavier 62grn bullet.