80 gr 223

[CarbonMTN]

Has anybody shot the Sierra MK 80 GR 223?

I'm wondering how it will do out of my Ruger predator.

I'm trying to push that .22 cal as far out as I can and wondering if the 80gr will be that much better than the 77 or the 69 MK

 

[RegionRat]

The Service Rifle game Slow Fire Prone stage is shot at 600 yards.

The stage is single feed, but the most popular loads are too long for the magazine anyway. That is because the 80 SMK is one of, if not the most popular rounds. The other stages use magazine length loads because there are rapid fire strings.

Of those 600 yard line loads, the typical 80 grain loads shoot inside the 77 OTM and 77 TMK. The 77 TMK comes very close, but still doesn’t match the 80 SMK.

A typical SR has a 20 inch National Match Profile barrel, a Wylde chamber, and a 7 twist.

I’m not sure what the bbl twist options are on the Ruger Predator, but if your twist won’t stabilize an SMK80 then the 77 TMK is a good option.

My typical SMK 80 Service Rifle load is a LC case, 24.0 gr RL-15, and Rem 7 1/2 primer. Seating depth is roughly 7 mils of jump in a WOA bbl. The velocity is going to run between 2650 and 2725 FPS depending on the bbl and the batch.

So, an 80 SMK at distances on the order of 600 yards will shoot inside the other bullets, but your chamber and twist must be compatible. The 69, 77 OTM, 77 TMK, may work better just depending on your luck.

 

[CarbonMTN]

The Service Rifle game Slow Fire Prone stage is shot at 600 yards.

The stage is single feed, but the most popular loads are too long for the magazine anyway. That is because the 80 SMK is one of, if not the most popular rounds. The other stages use magazine length loads because there are rapid fire strings.

Of those 600 yard line loads, the typical 80 grain loads shoot inside the 77 OTM and 77 TMK. The 77 TMK comes very close, but still doesn’t match the 80 SMK.

A typical SR has a 20 inch National Match Profile barrel, a Wylde chamber, and a 7 twist.

I’m not sure what the bbl twist options are on the Ruger Predator, but if your twist won’t stabilize an SMK80 than the 77 TMK is a good option.

My typical SMK 80 Service Rifle load is a LC case, 24.0 gr RL-15, and Rem 7 1/2 primer. Seating depth is roughly 7 mils of jump in a WOA bbl. The velocity is going to run between 2650 and 2725 FPS depending on the bbl and the batch.

the Ruger is 1:8 twist. I think it might work but maybe a 7 twist may just be better

 

[RegionRat]

the Ruger is 1:8 twist. I think it might work but maybe a 7 twist may just be better

You will have to give it a try to know for sure. Sometimes the altitude saves you too.
Several companies load the equivalent of the 77 SMK and call it an OTM or Open Tip Match. They also load the 77 Tipped Match Kings (77TMK). So you won’t invest much energy to test from 69 to 77.

With the SMK 80, I’m not aware of any factory loadings, so you will have to load them up to find out.
Hope you find a good one, Good Luck.

 

[Dstoenner]

I was a devotee of the 80 SMK for 10 years till I tried the 80.5 Berger FB. It just hammers. This is even compared to the newer 80 SMK that are pointed.

David