Factory 556 Ammo Hunting & Plinking

[EastCOYotes]

Looking for a solid factory ammo option to shoot out of my 16” Daniel Defense DDM4. I’ve tried quite a few different options but wanted some input from the hide... my criteria:

- Hollow points preferred for hunting (had some coyotes get up and run away with FMJ’s)
- Cost friendly if possible
- A little heavier for mid range (500 yd) steel plinking.

Mostly looking for something I can stock up on with confidence and not look back

 

[tuckybill]

The Nosler brand 60gr BTs are good but you have to find 'em on sale around the net. My DD likes 'em.

 

[EastCOYotes]

The Nosler brand 60gr BTs are good but you have to find 'em on sale around the net. My DD likes 'em.

Are you shooting the Ballistic tip ones? I haven’t ever seen these but just a quick google and they look nice

 

[diggler1833]

There are a metric shit ton of viable options here.

I scored quite a few Mk 318 Mod 0 / Federal T556TNB1 rounds several years ago when they were about 12 bucks for a box of 20. They are fantastic on coyotes and a pretty decent performer on hogs, where I killed several in excess of 200lbs with my DDM4V7. You can still find them for sub 80 cents per round if you're willing to search the internet a while. Plus they come with the primers and bullets sealed...great for stocking.

I now have several thousand Mk 318 projectiles on hand and load them myself.

 

[Foxtrot2November]

I've had good results with 53gr vmax but idk if that falls into your category, left 2 are reloads I've messed with.

 

[Docsherm]

Yku may want to look at the Anglefire 75 Gr HPBT.

I have used it wil good results and it doesn't break the bank.

Anglefire 75gr BTHP

 

[tuckybill]

Are you shooting the Ballistic tip ones? I haven’t ever seen these but just a quick google and they look nice

Yeah I shoot the 60gr Ballistic Tips. They seem like they are everything your looking for but for price! If you look around many times you can find them on sale for less than premium prices but not close to surplus prices. But then how many rounds do you burn up hunting? If your that close on your budget you can always pack your lunch!

 

[EastCOYotes]

There are a metric shit ton of viable options here.

I scored quite a few Mk 318 Mod 0 / Federal T556TNB1 rounds several years ago when they were about 12 bucks for a box of 20. They are fantastic on coyotes and a pretty decent performer on hogs, where I killed several in excess of 200lbs with my DDM4V7. You can still find them for sub 80 cents per round if you're willing to search the internet a while. Plus they come with the primers and bullets sealed...great for stocking.

I now have several thousand Mk 318 projectiles on hand and load them myself.
View attachment 7167851View attachment 7167852

Do you reload the brass out of your AR? If so, what’s a good load with your mk318 projectiles

 

[diggler1833]

Do you reload the brass out of your AR? If so, what’s a good load with your mk318 projectiles

I wanted to run the load as hot as possible, so I put them over 25.9gr of CFE223 at a C.O.l. of 2.220 (these bullets look pretty weird if you go out to 2.260). I had some ejector swipe, but mostly my rifles didn't shoot that load well.

I found that 25.0gr CFE223 gave me the best results accuracy wise. And chrono data puts this bullet out to about 300 yards where it will still come apart reliably.

*I know that there are many other and better options for purely varmint or target shooting, but this bullet is about as devastating as they come (in .224 diameter) on larger game. Since I live on a ranch and potential targets range from coyotes to 200lb plus hogs, I want as much of a do-it-all bullet/load that I can get.

 

[deersniper]

I've been running 50 grain AE tipped varmints but they are discontinued. Am going to try one of these next.

Ammunition - AR15.COM

Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear.

www.ar15.com

Ammunition - AR15.COM

Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear.

www.ar15.com

Been a lot of good reviews on them

Also

Hornady Black 223 Remington Ammo 75 Grain BTHP - Ammo Deals

Hornady Black 223 Remington Ammo 75 Grain BTHP at Target Sports USA with free shipping available. Enjoy deals on 223 Remington ammo for sale online

www.targetsportsusa.com

 

[EastCOYotes]

Has anyone shot the hornady frontier much? I picked up some of the 62 and 68 gr BTHP and need to get out and see how the shoot in my gun

 

[deersniper]

I bought a couple thousand of the regular 55gr frontier and got superb accuracy. So I bought 6000 more and that was a different lot and the accuracy is awful this wasn't the match stuff though.

 

[Coffee_and_Pipes]

Has anyone shot the hornady frontier much? I picked up some of the 62 and 68 gr BTHP and need to get out and see how the shoot in my gun

I bought a couple boxes of Frontier 75 gr., and it shot great. I tried the 68, and it was ok but not very good. A couple range trips later, I bought some more Frontier since it was was Hornady, was cheap, and my rifle seemed to like it, but groups opened way up. After a couple more trips to the range, the Frontier 75 gr has been less than impressive. I’ve got a little bit more that I haven’t shot yet, but it seems like the tight shooting stuff was the fluke, not the opposite. I’m leaning toward it being blaster ammo for ranges that won’t let you shoot fmj.