M118LR Projectiles

[Zigjib]

Did Nosler provide projectiles to Lake City for M118LR?

I pulled some bullets and they are longer and a slightly different shape to the Sierra's I have. They APPEAR to be closer to 175gr Nosler Custom competition.

Is this because Nosler provided projectiles or, did the design of the Match Kings change over time?

Thanks

 

[918v]

The easiest way to tell is to seat the bullet using the same die setting as for the SMK. The Nosler needs about 30 thou deeper adjustment to seat to the same coal.

 

[Zigjib]

The easiest way to tell is to seat the bullet using the same die setting as for the SMK. The Nosler needs about 30 thou deeper adjustment to seat to the same coal.

Ah nice one.
I have mk316 and that's 2.222" BTO with a COAL average of 2.801".
The M118LR I have is 2.214" BTO, with a COAL average of 2.811". The shorter BTO with the longer COAL is what made me think they were different.
Pulled 10 bullets and go 1.244" OAL with the M118LR and 1.242" with the SMKs. Pretty bloody close.... so I'm guessing the difference is in the ogive?

 

[918v]

Ah nice one.
I have mk316 and that's 2.222" BTO with a COAL average of 2.801".
The M118LR I have is 2.214" BTO, with a COAL average of 2.811". The shorter BTO with the longer COAL is what made me think they were different.
Pulled 10 bullets and go 1.244" OAL with the M118LR and 1.242" with the SMKs. Pretty bloody close.... so I'm guessing the difference is in the ogive?

Yes. SMK ogjives and lengths vary from lot to lot, but with the same die setting they seat pretty close to the same coal. I’ve seen them as short as 1.225” and as long as 1.255”.

 

[Zigjib]

Yes. SMK ogjives and lengths vary from lot to lot, but with the same die setting they seat pretty close to the same coal. I’ve seen them as short as 1.225” and as long as 1.255”.

Do you know if the design was ever intentionally changed?
The M118LR i have is from 08.
Then I have FGMM from 2010 (old red box) which I just measured and is the same as current SMKs.

 

[MK20]

As far as I could ever tell the 118lr was usually pretty consistent across years.

 

[918v]

Do you know if the design was ever intentionally changed?
The M118LR i have is from 08.
Then I have FGMM from 2010 (old red box) which I just measured and is the same as current SMKs.

I don’t think it’s a design change, but just normal variance, for them. I called them once and the dude on the phone told me they basically only care about the coal and make sure their dies maintain it from lot to lot. He said the bto and bullet length stuff I was worrying about didn’t matter. I kinda agree, although I have had some lots that shot exceptionally well. I mean lasers. While with other lots I had to tweak the load to be acceptable, to me.

 

[diggler1833]

I've had .017 difference in bullet length in the same box of 69gr SMKs.

I'll certainly agree with the above that what you're seeing is normal variation for Sierra from over a decade as go. Maybe (hopefully) they've tightened it up some, but all of my stuff of theirs - minus one new 500 count of 107s - is from the 2005 - 2015 time frame.

^ FWIW, the new pointed stuff seemed to initially be fairly consistent.

 

[Doom]

The M118LR has a sordid history with both the SMK and with the Military 173. See the following:

History of the M118 Ammunition

In the late 1950’s the United States military adopted the M14 battle rifle and M60 machine gun as standard combat arms incorporating the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge which was the newly adopted NATO ro…

snipercentral.com

In the 08 time frame it could be that it is Mk 316 Nod 0. Check the package. IF it says M118LR "Special Ball " it is the 175SMK with IMR 4064.