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American Ammunition Company 77gr SMK HPBT
- Thread starter S197
- Start date
I have been very curious to hear from people reloading it.
Thanks
FYI PSA Jamin said (arfcom) there have only been 20 split cases in the millions of rounds sold....
There's 20 posted online, and unless you are policing your brass you would never know it happened.
I guess Wong and I account for 20% of ruptures
I really want to grab a few hundred to run out of a 10.3" barrel. Are people seeing these pressure issues in shorter guns?
I don't think its over pressure, just (supposedly) rare weak brass.
The issues I had , and others online don't even cause a stoppage or malfunction. You wouldn't even know it happened unless you inspect your spent brass.
I dont think it should still be happening, but I'd say buy it. It's really a non-issue.
Well-ES is off the charts with this stuff although for a semi at 100 yards it really didn't affect grouping other than fliers. Two guns, both 18" gas. 1st is unsuppressed, 2nd suppressed, different gun
Garmin, both at 7-8" from muzzle/suppresser end.
edit--10 shots each
75 BTHP-91.5
75 BTHP-113.8
77 OTM-146.6
77 OTM-85.7
77 SMK-158.5
77 SMK-48.4/SD was 17.2 on this
My 77 TMK from suppressed was 54/ES/SD 15.3
unsuppressed was 62.6/20.3
I have a box left of each and may shoot again with the suppressor off to see if mattered, though that was odd ref the 77 grainers?
Kind of what I expected for the price--oh, one of the 77 SMK would not chamber in the DD MK12, the shoulder is "crushed" not from the gun, it was the first round chambered from bolt lock. Had to mortar it, like 3x hard, it was tight!
Garmin, both at 7-8" from muzzle/suppresser end.
edit--10 shots each
75 BTHP-91.5
75 BTHP-113.8
77 OTM-146.6
77 OTM-85.7
77 SMK-158.5
77 SMK-48.4/SD was 17.2 on this
My 77 TMK from suppressed was 54/ES/SD 15.3
unsuppressed was 62.6/20.3
I have a box left of each and may shoot again with the suppressor off to see if mattered, though that was odd ref the 77 grainers?
Kind of what I expected for the price--oh, one of the 77 SMK would not chamber in the DD MK12, the shoulder is "crushed" not from the gun, it was the first round chambered from bolt lock. Had to mortar it, like 3x hard, it was tight!
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Weird, the 77 OTM I shoot is consistently sub 17 SD. Thursday my data from a new 12.5" Blackstone Arms midlength barrel was AV: 2634 / ES: 49 / SD: 16.1.
Now a previous test with their 75 Hornady BTHP had a slightly higher SD in the mid 20s, but the 77 OTM has been very consistenly under 17 SD.
First time running the 5.56 77g OTM today. After shooting two rounds, I pulled the trigger and "click", but no boom. I looked and the bolt was not fully in battery. Dropped mag and then attempted to rack the charging handle and the round was stuck. Had to mortar it out. Not impressed
Probs 500 rounds of x-tac on this build so far and that was my first failure of any kind. Anyone else?
Probs 500 rounds of x-tac on this build so far and that was my first failure of any kind. Anyone else?
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I'm not an expert, but an out of battery hang fire seems odd.First time running the 5.56 77g OTM today. After shooting two rounds, I pulled the trigger and "click", boom. I looked and the bolt was not fully in battery. Dropped mag and then attempted to rack the charging handle and the round was stuck. Had to mortar it out. Not impressed
Or was it not a hang fire?
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Technically not a hang fire. There was no strike on the primer. The firing pin cant protrude through the bolt until the bolt is fully in battery. I technically could have hit the forward assist haha. I looked at the round and the bullet was so out of axis from the case that I think it just bound up/jammed before fully chambering. The rest of the 19 rounds in the box ran fine.
Ive run 5 different ammo brands through this gun and they all fed except for the AAC. Issues with blown primers, case ruptures, poor SD, dents in rounds, poorly seated bullets, inconsistent bullet seating depths...the list goes on. I think everyone(me too) REALLY wants this ammo to be an affordable worth while 77g round but I just don't see the value. I may still run some for plinking at range but for defense/matches I'll be running South Korean or Israeli stuff until then.
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That makes it sound like the round fired, but then you say it didn’t strike the primer…?
Yeah my bad I just read that and its super confusing. No boom, round did not go off. I meant to say "click" and no boom.
That pretty much mirrors what I got with the AAC 77 OTM’s that I purchased in June. Shoots ok out to 300 but falls apart pretty quick past that. Out of a Noveske with 18” Douglas barrel.
Y'all have some bad luck then, the 77 OTMs are consistent to 517y for me. It is I alone to blame for a miss.
In November my range is moving and I should have access to 1400y, though I'm not confident in a 12.5" 5.56 getting that far without a good spotter. Will test as far as I can.
In November my range is moving and I should have access to 1400y, though I'm not confident in a 12.5" 5.56 getting that far without a good spotter. Will test as far as I can.
This was with AAC 77 TMK’s at 560 yards, out of my .223 AI. I’ll see what the OTM does next time I’m out, I’ll bring the Noveske too.
So Hornady and Sierra are officially manufacturing everything other than the handgun projectiles
They did state that previously.
Who the hell could analyze anything from that video?
Btw, here's a 5.56 77TMK that wouldn't chamber yesterday. (On the left)
Maybe it's my chamber
Lol, why are people still buying this ammo?They did state that previously.
Who the hell could analyze anything from that video?
Btw, here's a 5.56 77TMK that wouldn't chamber yesterday. (On the left)
Maybe it's my chamber
View attachment 8465778
Everytime I jump in one of these threads, it's always the same. People having problematic ammo and AAC fails to address the issues. It's mostly ruptured cases where the end user contacts AAC about it and they usually don't reply. This is happening also on 6.5 ammo. I've also seen extreme spreads way over 100fps. So your problem is just another one to add to the list. Why are people still buying it?
They did state that previously.
Who the hell could analyze anything from that video?
Btw, here's a 5.56 77TMK that wouldn't chamber yesterday. (On the left)
Maybe it's my chamber
View attachment 8465778
I don't think are many rifles that one would chamber in, look at the cockeyed shoulder and neck
To be fair, I have posted 2 of the split cases and that TMK round.
I'm just going to stop posting until I have 200 trouble free rounds fired.
Blue Mountain Precision chambered a Hawk Hill for me in 223 Wylde, so it's not like some redneck hack job, but maybe something is slightly off. I don't know anymore.
I have shot more AAC than anything else, but not 1 issue with Magtech MK262, Black Hills, Fiocchi 77SMK, FGMM, Hornady Match, Gold Dots, Fusion, Privi, etc... (IMI MK262 has too many light primer strikes so I gave up on that. Origin action)
All 3 Forster headspaces gauges passed.
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If it's because it's cheap, I would rather just go norma and get the brass.
Norma Range & Training 223 Remington Ammo 62 Grain Full Metal Jacket
Made to be versatile enough for all shooters, Norma’s Range & Training FMJ Line is a perfect marriage of the quality that you expect from...
www.midwayusa.com
IDK - I've probably shot 3-400 rounds of AAC 77gr SMK and a similar amount of their 75gr. ammo out of a variety of AR's. Don't think I've had a single issue.
Yesterday shot about 60 rounds of the 75gr. stuff that I think I picked up for .55/rd out of my Sig 516 with a Primary Arms 4x scope Shooting 6" steel plates and prairie dog silhouettes (12" tall x 2-3' wide) I was getting 90-95% hits. Yeah, I know this is not spectacular accuracy, but it's definitely better than I'd get shooting PMC Bronze or XM193 and worth the .08/rd extra cost over those rounds. Basically AAC is relatively cheap blasting ammo I can still take out to 400 yards and hit moderately sized targets. Anything beyond that I'll probably be shooting .308 or 6.5cm out of a bolt gun.
Yesterday shot about 60 rounds of the 75gr. stuff that I think I picked up for .55/rd out of my Sig 516 with a Primary Arms 4x scope Shooting 6" steel plates and prairie dog silhouettes (12" tall x 2-3' wide) I was getting 90-95% hits. Yeah, I know this is not spectacular accuracy, but it's definitely better than I'd get shooting PMC Bronze or XM193 and worth the .08/rd extra cost over those rounds. Basically AAC is relatively cheap blasting ammo I can still take out to 400 yards and hit moderately sized targets. Anything beyond that I'll probably be shooting .308 or 6.5cm out of a bolt gun.
I can’t blame you there did that for my XM3 bought 200rds of Norma for the brass.If it's because it's cheap, I would rather just go norma and get the brass.
Norma Range & Training 223 Remington Ammo 62 Grain Full Metal Jacket
Made to be versatile enough for all shooters, Norma’s Range & Training FMJ Line is a perfect marriage of the quality that you expect from...
However most recent bruiser industry podcast Joe got to talking about ammo and said his best two performers he’s seeing are AAC and IMI. Said his black hill stuff has been all over the place. Doesn’t excuse their QC issues but when it has been issue free for the money it’s just hard to argue with especially the 308 stuff at 85c a round
Sounds like I’m one of three different guys who have had rounds fail to chamber because the bullet was cocked/out of axis with the case. Did y’all’s failures require you to mortar it out?
Also what are peoples thoughts on the Sellier and Bellot 77g 5.56? A thread on here a whole back gave it praise.
Also what are peoples thoughts on the Sellier and Bellot 77g 5.56? A thread on here a whole back gave it praise.
That TMK was the first of any AAC round that wouldn't chamber.
Bolt handle stopped dead about halfway down. Tried about 5 times just out of curiosity, but it felt like a no-go gauge. Not sure if the bullet was seated that deep from the box or not.
Yesterday I was at the range and decided to test out a box of the 77 OTM and a box of the 77 SMK. These were purchased late last year and my first experience with them. I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely buy more.
I used the same dope as my go-to IMI 77 razorcore for both cartridges. Target was a 1/2 size IPSC steel at 600 yards with a wind gusting from about 5-12 and hard to predict. No problem hitting this steel when I timed my wind holds well, the drop was spot on. Only misses were wind.
To answer the questions in your head right now. No, I did not chrono. To begin, I shot one quick group at 100 with the SMK which yielded a .75 group. I said, good enough and went straight to 600. Then I loaded the other one and got the same results at 600. This was meant to be a quick function test at the end of my range session and I was very happy with the result. I'll be spending more time with these later shooting some groups and gathering data.
I used the same dope as my go-to IMI 77 razorcore for both cartridges. Target was a 1/2 size IPSC steel at 600 yards with a wind gusting from about 5-12 and hard to predict. No problem hitting this steel when I timed my wind holds well, the drop was spot on. Only misses were wind.
To answer the questions in your head right now. No, I did not chrono. To begin, I shot one quick group at 100 with the SMK which yielded a .75 group. I said, good enough and went straight to 600. Then I loaded the other one and got the same results at 600. This was meant to be a quick function test at the end of my range session and I was very happy with the result. I'll be spending more time with these later shooting some groups and gathering data.
