Black Hills 62gr 5.56 Dual Performance Evaluation

[JWG]

The weapon used is a custom build utilizing a regular KAC MOD 2 barrel, CHF, of 11.5" in length with a KAC QDC suppressor. The optic used is a NF Nx8. The shooting method was from sand-bags, seated, at 100 yards. I began by loading a PMAG M3 with 30 rounds, then chambered a round, and admin loaded another. I fired this first round into the steel to foul the bore and ensure equal chambering dynamics for all rounds grouped. I then proceeded to fire a 10 round group, walk to check the target, return, and repeat this process 2 times more. The weapon got warm, as the only rest period was walking to the 100y targets and back, and then immediately (within 1-2 minutes of re-seating) firing the next 10 round group. The firing cadence was roughly 1 round per 10 seconds, on average. The groups progressively opened.

1) 1.60"
2) 2.19"
3) 2.40"

avg: 2.063"

Again, for a LW barreled 11.5" CHF gun firing hot (this ammo clocks the same as MK318 SOST form this weapon) ammunition, I am very pleased, especially given my personal ability and the optic (NX8 1-8) used.

The average velocity of 10 rounds over a chronograph at 10ft was 2660fps. At 100 yards, I recorded 1 round, and it was moving at 2285fps.

I have previously sent this ammunition for BC regression testing, which returned a BC of 0.225 G1. The person I sent it to has done multiple rounds for me, all within about 1% of what Bryan Litz has gotten for the same. I trust this number, although Lehigh publishes a higher one. When asked about this, they deferred to the person who calculated it/designed the projectile. It sounded like they used a software program to interpret it, whereas the person I sent it to actually shot the ammunition. The MV used for this regression was 3010fps, from their rifle, as I recall.

I have not tested this round terminally, yet, but Lehigh says it should perform as designed down to 1500fps. With this carbine, that gives me an effective range with the round performing as designed to a hair past 300m.

When I asked them about copper fouling, they said they used a "harder copper" for this round and had no issues up to 4000fps. I fired roughly 50 rounds and then bore-scoped the rifle. This is an image taken of the bore roughly 4" past the start of the rifling, prior to cleaning. I do not appreciate any fouling of note.

I appreciate a minimal amount of translucent red sealant on the case necks, and on the primers a typical amount for current Lake City brass. It is my opinion that Black Hills kept the sealant to a minimum to prevent imbalance if it were to accumulate too much in a groove. They still appear to be sealed, just with the minimum.

To test the environmental integrity of the ammunition, I placed 3 rounds in 12" of standing water for 10 hours. I them removed them, toweled them dry, and fired them over chronograph. Their velocity did not deviate notably from average, and no function issues were noted.

Partially pulled projectile to show sealant in groove:

Pending terminal ballistics testing, I really like this round as a do-all. The gel data I have on it is very promising, and I look forward to using it to take some deer this year. It presents as a more accurate, lead-free, lower BC but also lower velocity floor MK318.

The large hollowpoint cavity and square frontal groove conspire to lower the BC significantly from what one might expect from a longer boat-tail projectile.

While Lehigh Defense, the maker of the projectile, states a 1500fps minimum velocity for "performance as designed" (fragmentation of the front half), I always raise these recommendations by 100fps to account for a lower velocity round or other environmental factors. From my 11.5" rifle, this gives me a 300 yard range within which the bullet should perform robustly as designed.