AR- reloads

[Zeke-BE]

It's time to re load some nice yote rounds. I only used my AR colt 6940 for shooting and plinking. But now I want to use it as a varmint gun. My question is that I want to use a heavier round 69-77 grain bullet. Do I need to be concern with the pressure for an AR because I need to keep the coal mag length with a heavier bullet? I know bolts will stick, but I am bit scared to damage my gun if to hot and not realizing it until it's to late

[forepaw]

You always need to be concerned about pressure, but there is no problem loading to mag. length (up to 77 gr.) with the right load. If you go to 80 gr. and above, then you will need to single load only. Also, w/ 77 gr. you need an 8 twist barrel. A 9 might work, but best to check with other shooters.

 

forepaw

[Wrk2Hnt]

I don't do my own reloading but my AR I use for pigs, varmints, and one coues loves the 77 gr nosler and 77 gr sierra bullets loaded in 556 cases and pressures. What twist is your barrel?

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

1 in 7 barrel would be best.

[Zeke-BE]

I don't do my own reloading but my AR I use for pigs, varmints, and one coues loves the 77 gr nosler and 77 gr sierra bullets loaded in 556 cases and pressures. What twist is your barrel?

My barrel twist is 1 in 7

[ctracingraptor]

Your barrel will really like 69 and 77 grain SMK, with about 24-25 grains of Varget. Set them to mag length. Thats what i run in mine. I'm sure Lance will chime in and give you some more specific data.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Perfect , let em fly, should shoot great. Post some groups

[Zeke-BE]

69 SMK25.0 VargetCCI BR-4Seated to max mag length -.070".I get 3033 fps from my 24" 1 in 9" twist and sub-half MOA. It has taken a bunch of yotes, javelina, and jackrabbit galore. The same round has taken a mule deer doe for a friend's kid. We shoot steel to 850 all the time, even 1000 on occasion.

I don't think I'll get that exactly since I'm shooting the 16" barrel

[Zeke-BE]

I didn't see 69 smk today. I'll look somewhere else tomorrow. Any ideas ?

[ctracingraptor]

Sportsmans usually has the 100 rd box of 69 SMK, once you to step up to the 77gr, the price is crazy. So if im shooting heavy loads, i switch to the Hornady 75gr HPBT match, way cheaper!

[Zeke-BE]

Do you guys like the smk and Hornady hpbt match for coyotes?

[ctracingraptor]

I personally havent shot a coyote with a SMK, or a HPBT match, I imagine they will both get the job done, with favor to the SMK, only because I've seen what a SMK will do in larger calibers. But i do like the Hornady because they are almost half the cost of a SMK, and my ar15, likes them both lol

[firstcoueswas80]

Ive killed a few with the Hornady 68 BTHP, and a bunch with the 50 NBT, I prefer the Ballistic Tip. All the cobyotes I killed with the 68 BHTP had KILLER wound channels and exits, GREAT blood trails, but they ran off. Never had one fo more then 10 yards at most with a 50 NBT, thats with the AR15 or 22-250.

[Zeke-BE]

Doing lots of research on the Match graded bullets and everybody says the same thing firstcousewas80! They kill but the dogs always run off and then pile. But I havent heard of one bad thing of the 60 grain VMax. So im going a little lighter than i wanted to and i went ahead and bought 2 boxes of 60 grain VMax. Hopefully ill will show the results in a couple of weeks.