How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

[rrflyer]

Got to take my AR to 600 yards yesterday and was hammering steel with 69SMK's and 24.5 gns RL15. But we tried to move back to a little over 700 and couldn't connect for the life of me.

I'm sure theres plenty of work I need to do on myself but just wondering if switching to the 77's would help that much?

18" WOA barrel and there moving around 3100FPS

 

[gregpo]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

Looking at the ballistic coefficient of the 77's compared to the 69's tells me the 77's will definetly fly past 700 yards. But, the fact that you have a short barrel and are loosing a ton of velocity i think if your getting 600 yards out of your short barreled gun, i'd be pretty happy with that. The 75 bthp hornady also have a high BC so try those out to. Remember 77 smk is the longest you can fit in ar mag, also the 75 grain amax wont fit in ar mag ethier.

 

[deadly0311]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I watched a 20" AR15 shoot the 77 SMK out to 825yds a couple weekends ago.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I figured the 77 would do the job...I've been shooting the 69SMK because

1. They're cheaper
2. The shoot almost exactly the same as the 65GN game king that I'd plan to use on pigs/deer.



Thanks for the info thus far.

 

[gregpo]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I just ordered some 75 grain hornady bthp from midway they are cheap compared to the 77smk's.

 

[brianturpin]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I'm getting good groups at 100 yards with a Fed 205 primer, 23.5 grains Varget and the 75 grain Hornady BTHP. I haven't tried them at longer ranges yet, but I figure if they are good at 100 they should be good on out there.
Brian

 

[EddieNFL]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">18" WOA barrel and there moving around 3100FPS</div></div>

That's cookin'!

 

[Jason280]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

3100fps out of an 18" barrel with 69gr bullets is smoking, so I would be interested to hear the load. Is this an actual chrono'd velocity, or are you guessing by chance?

I've been able to get 75gr bullets close to 3000fps with a max load of H4895, but that was in a 24" barrel. I can't imagine getting a 69gr bullet that fast out of an 18" barrel, but I guess anything is possible.

 

[Austan]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I shot 69's to 1000 today. 2875 at the muzzle out of a 20". The data shows them going subsonic about 950ish but they were predictable. The wind was far less predictable today, for everyone.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I've been using 25gns RL15.

Its not actual chrono data. My buddy milled the targets and I manipulated the KAC software until everything matched up as far as his ranging, required dope, etc...

I was thinking 2800ish was a more reasonable number so its pretty possible he screwed up the ranging since my load isn't unreasonable.


I'd like to get some chrono data but I put a nice .45 size hole through the front of it a few months ago..

 

[Jason280]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

Nope, no way you are getting 3100fps with RL-15, especially with 25gr in an 18" barrel. Alliant lists max with RL-15 at 25.5gr, with velocity around 2950fps (likely in a 24" barrel). You'd be hard pressed to get 3100fps out of a 24" barrel, and wouldn't even come close in an 18". Your estimate of 2800 is likely closer, maybe even 2700-2750.

 

[Rotortuner]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I get 2700-2750 out of my 16". with the 69's and 25gr of varget in LC cases. pretty compressed and last time out the primers were a little flatter than I like to see, I think im going to back it down to 24.5. I have had very good luck out to 500yds with the 16" and these handloads.

CJG

 

[beretta989]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I've shot out to 500 with my 16' ar with the 69smks with 23 grains of H-322 Im getting 2550fps , its slow but its accurate as shit. I allso shoot the 69smks out of my winchester 223 wssm stealth 2 at 3450 fps and have no trouble hitting 4 inch targets at 700 yards.

 

[mscott]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

I've hit steel out to 900 with 69gr SMKs with a 20" AR. It's kinda funny as you can't see the bullet splash on the steel, but you can hear the ding.

 

[1000yard]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

The hornady 75gr bthp, will definetly go 1000yards. I shot some Black Hills blue box 223 75gr moly match stuff a few years ago
through a Win 70 Heavy Varmint 26"bbl 1-9 twist, at Hawks Ridge
in Ferguson,NC at on IBS 1000yard match, and shot a 10 shot 13"
group. It was a pretty calm day. But the bullets made the trip with no problem. I have shot 69smk out west prarie dog hunting at 1000+ and it kills the critters.

 

[Rovieairto]

Re: How far out can you shoot the 69 SMK's?

Your velocity will be right around 2800 ft/sec with the variables listed.

I shoot a 16" AR with the 69 SMK and 25.5 RL-15 (2775 ft/sec)

To 450 yards, you can't miss.
When the winds are stable, 600 yards to a silhouette is a piece of cake, and I get 1 MOA or less with this bullet (a lot of drift happens in the last 150 yards).
At 700 yards the performance starts to get less predictable.

Most folks I know have not had the best luck with the Hornady 75 HPBT in terms of accuracy.
The 77 SMK will take you a tad further with less wind drift than the 69.
My 1:8 twist barrel is not completely stabilizing the 75 with 24.0 RL-15, 1k MSL, 60 deg F.

Now you can shoot a .22LR out to 1000 yards if you want to but if I understand your question it is: how far is reasonable to hit a target, right?
I'd say that 700 yards would be a reasonable ceiling for a largish type target (silhouette) or a p-dog with impact corrections and multiple attempts.
I've shot long loaded 80 A-max's to 1000 (2700's ft/sec), and they did pretty darn well, but 1100 yards would likely be a stretch.