MR223 ammo picking

[Near miss]

Greetings from Europe.

I am waiting for papers to arrive for an MR223 (and pistol) that will be used for reservist shooting, fast and slow, near and not-that-far.

This will be my first centerfire rifle, so that is why I am a little lost. My next purchase will be a bolt rifle, but I do not want to empty my bank account completely.

Here is the ammo selection I have available and the price for round next to it.
The gun has a 556 chamber so it might have problems with precision with the 223 loadings here.

What ammo would you suggest me to run it with to benchmark its precision?
I would also like to find an ammo with good performance to price ratio.

So please comment on which one I should pick or not to pick. I bolded the Match ammo for easier reading. These ammo have huge price differences and I suspect high price does not necessarily represent their quality. Should I try Hornady? Feels like it is overpriced but then again, I have not shot it either.

Alphabetical order
Cartridge-- €/round
Barnaul FMJ 0.29 (Out of stock atm) for close range practice.
Fiocchi FMJ 0.40
Geco FMJ 0.40
GGG FMJ 0.38
GGG HPBT 0.86
Hornady Frontier FMJBT 0.40
Hornady Match Black BTHP 2.10
Hornady Superformance GMX 2.25
HORNADY TAP BTHP 3.45
Hornady V-Max 1.65
IMI FMJBT 0.43
Lapua FMJ 1.00
Lapua Scenar L 1.58
Magtech FMJ 0.40
Magtech Tactical FMJ 0.48
Norma Jaktmatch FMJ 0.85
PMC Bronze FMJBT 0.39
RWS Target Elite Plus 1.74
S&B FMJ 0.36
S&B HPBT Match 0.95
Sako Gamehead 1.30
Sako Powerhead 2 1.95
Sako Racehead 1.63
Wolf FMJ 0.43

For now I am leaning into these to test for benchmark / grouping / contests
-Lapua FMJ
-RWS Target Elite Plus
-Norma Jaktmatch
-Lapua Scenar
-S&B HPBT Match

And to test for good price to performance/ plinking / plates out to 300-500m
-S&B FMJ
-Fiocchi FMJ
-Geco FMJ
-PMC Bronze FMJBT

What do you think?

*edit 2022*
I get PMC for 36 ea and Geco Target 37ea. They rival in accuracy, somewhere between 1.3 to 1.5moa in average 5 shot groups but Geco is quite bit faster, although has crimped primer pockets.

 

[houndog]

You've definitely left out several brands that I would have included, but I suspect that's because they may not be available in Europe. For example, Federal Gold Medal Match in 68/77gr is a go to round for a lot of people. Black Hills and Prime are also good options, but again may not be available to you. Personally, I have always gotten very good results with Hornady v-max and a-max ammo and it seems to shoot well in all my rifles. Don't have much experience with Lapua or Norma, but others seem to really like it. For cheaper match ammo, I've gotten decent results with Privi Partisan (PPU), but again not sure if it's available to you.

For plinking, I like Wolf Gold - which is brass cased. I suspect the Wolf you listed is steel cased ammo, which I don't really like shooting in my rifles. If you can get IMI or Magtech for around .40 those would be good choices. At .36 per round S&B would also be perfectly acceptable. But keep in mind if you're using this ammo to shoots plates at 500 meters, they better be reasonably large plates. If you can hold 2-2.5 MOA at those distances you with cheap plinking ammo you are doing damn well.

Finally, particularly with match ammo, some of it is going to be rifle dependent, so I'd definitely buy a couple of boxes from multiple mfgs. and see which shoots the best in your rifle.

 

[Near miss]

You've definitely left out several brands that I would have included, but I suspect that's because they may not be available in Europe. For example, Federal Gold Medal Match in 68/77gr is a go to round for a lot of people. Black Hills and Prime are also good options, but again may not be available to you. Personally, I have always gotten very good results with Hornady v-max and a-max ammo and it seems to shoot well in all my rifles. Don't have much experience with Lapua or Norma, but others seem to really like it. For cheaper match ammo, I've gotten decent results with Privi Partisan (PPU), but again not sure if it's available to you.

For plinking, I like Wolf Gold - which is brass cased. I suspect the Wolf you listed is steel cased ammo, which I don't really like shooting in my rifles. If you can get IMI or Magtech for around .40 those would be good choices. At .36 per round S&B would also be perfectly acceptable. But keep in mind if you're using this ammo to shoots plates at 500 meters, they better be reasonably large plates. If you can hold 2-2.5 MOA at those distances you with cheap plinking ammo you are doing damn well.

Finally, particularly with match ammo, some of it is going to be rifle dependent, so I'd definitely buy a couple of boxes from multiple mfgs. and see which shoots the best in your rifle.

Thanks a lot for mentioning those, for some reason I was not considering those, although I have them listed up in my spreadsheet.

You got it right, no Black Hills or Prime available here. I did find one vendor that has FGMM. Is it worth it?
PPU and Magtech we do have also.

Federal Gold Medal Match 2.38
PPU PRIV FMJBT 0.63
PPU PRIV HPBT 0.73
Magtech FMJ 0.40

IMI is sold by a vendor close by and that is price from 1 box, I could get it even cheaper in bulk.

Is there any preference between PPU HP or FMJ?

 

[craigos]

I picked up a MR223 (only a few in USA) recently myself (AU important 20 or so as pistols) - last 11 and 14" versions (FDE) went for like 10-12K, one on GB is at 11. Even the 16" MR223 are going for 10K. So ... may want to put it in the safe

 

[Near miss]

The plates are the farthest at 300-500. And yes they are large. I gave the info badly, not expecting million dollar hits with mid-quality ammo but want to see how far the best gun and ammo combination gets me the the most efficiently.

 

[Near miss]

I picked up a MR223 (only a few in USA) recently myself (AU important 20 or so as pistols) - last 11 and 14" versions (FDE) went for like 10-12K, one on GB is at 11. Even the 16" MR223 are going for 10K. So ... may want to put it in the safe

We have ran out of them too. I asked a year ago from a vendor and he said it is going to take time.. Still no orders filled or has even heard back whats up with them. He said HK is filling new orders for different countries, mainly in Europe if I remember right.

But he got one slightly used coming there next week.
And I intend to shoot it like no tomorrow.
Along with my P10 C with P-1.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

I picked up a MR223 (only a few in USA) recently myself (AU important 20 or so as pistols) - last 11 and 14" versions (FDE) went for like 10-12K, one on GB is at 11. Even the 16" MR223 are going for 10K. So ... may want to put it in the safe

Whats the difference from a MR556?

 

[Near miss]

Just to make sure, my deal for it is 2,5K. Its round count is at 1,5K. In new condition it would be around 3,3K here.
It is A3 version, 15x1 HK thread, chrome lined and other A3 features. To be honest I am quite clueless about A1, do they also have some differing disassembly from what I have read?

 

[SBGreen0369]

i shoot strictly Black Hills 77gr OTM in my MR556 and it does very well. on average i see 1/2-3/4 MOA groups at 100y when im not being a shit head behind the trigger

 

[craigos]

Whats the difference from a MR556?

MR556 is a gen 1 gun, the MR223 is a gen 5 - modeled after the 415A5.

MR2232/416A5 has

- ambi controls (has the cool RHS bolt close/hold open - finally someone did it right)
- adj gas block
- small cosmetic things

MR556 16" = ~ $3K, MR223 16" ~ 10K the last 2 on gb(as was a european sku only, but some people have brought a few in).

 

[OldSF MJT]

Greetings from Europe.

I am waiting for papers to arrive for an MR223 (and pistol) that will be used for reservist shooting, fast and slow, near and not-that-far.

This will be my first centerfire rifle, so that is why I am a little lost. My next purchase will be a bolt rifle, but I do not want to empty my bank account completely.

Here is the ammo selection I have available and the price for round next to it.
The gun has a 556 chamber so it might have problems with precision with the 223 loadings here.

What ammo would you suggest me to run it with to benchmark its precision?
I would also like to find an ammo with good performance to price ratio.

So please comment on which one I should pick or not to pick. I bolded the Match ammo for easier reading. These ammo have huge price differences and I suspect high price does not necessarily represent their quality. Should I try Hornady? Feels like it is overpriced but then again, I have not shot it either.

Alphabetical order
Cartridge-- €/round
Barnaul FMJ 0.29 (Out of stock atm) for close range practice.
Fiocchi FMJ 0.40
Geco FMJ 0.40
GGG FMJ 0.38
GGG HPBT 0.86
Hornady Frontier FMJBT 0.40
Hornady Match Black BTHP 2.10
Hornady Superformance GMX 2.25
HORNADY TAP BTHP 3.45
Hornady V-Max 1.65
IMI FMJBT 0.43
Lapua FMJ 1.00
Lapua Scenar L 1.58
Magtech FMJ 0.40
Magtech Tactical FMJ 0.48
Norma Jaktmatch FMJ 0.85
PMC Bronze FMJBT 0.39
RWS Target Elite Plus 1.74
S&B FMJ 0.36
S&B HPBT Match 0.95
Sako Gamehead 1.30
Sako Powerhead 2 1.95
Sako Racehead 1.63
Wolf FMJ 0.43

For now I am leaning into these to test for benchmark / grouping / contests
-Lapua FMJ
-RWS Target Elite Plus
-Norma Jaktmatch
-Lapua Scenar
-S&B HPBT Match

And to test for good price to performance/ plinking / plates out to 300-500m
-S&B FMJ
-Fiocchi FMJ
-Geco FMJ
-PMC Bronze FMJBT

What do you think?

Reading your post makes me realize just how lucky I am living in the US! 2.25 Euros per round for Hornady Superformance GMX - That's about $4.00/round, US!

Best of luck with your new acquisition.
Old SF

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

MR556 is a gen 1 gun, the MR223 is a gen 5 - modeled after the 415A5.

MR2232/416A5 has

- ambi controls (has the cool RHS bolt close/hold open - finally someone did it right)
- adj gas block
- small cosmetic things

MR556 16" = ~ $3K, MR223 16" ~ 10K the last 2 on gb(as was a european sku only, but some people have brought a few in).

Does the MR223 have a chrome lined barrel? The MR556 doesn't, although as I understand it, the MR556 and HK416 barrel are the same Aubert & Duval GKH steel, except the MR556 dont get the chrome lining. The HK416 barrel is also turned down to a lighter profile..

 

[Near miss]

MR556 is a gen 1 gun, the MR223 is a gen 5 - modeled after the 415A5.

MR2232/416A5 has

- ambi controls (has the cool RHS bolt close/hold open - finally someone did it right)
- adj gas block
- small cosmetic things

MR556 16" = ~ $3K, MR223 16" ~ 10K the last 2 on gb(as was a european sku only, but some people have brought a few in).

Mine does not have adj gas block. Although I have one readily there waiting. Ofc I need it since the gun will be wearing a top-notch suppressor
But since the gun gas not arrived yet I do not know for sure.

Reading your post makes me realize just how lucky I am living in the US! 2.25 Euros per round for Hornady Superformance GMX - That's about $4.00/round, US!

Best of luck with your new acquisition.
Old SF

It is probably that high because so few import it and they just double the margin.

€2.25 equals to $2.64.

I also could not find bulk price, the vendors
had none available.

 

[houndog]

To follow up - I've always liked and had pretty good results with IMI ammo. Generally, I think IMI comes in 3 flavors: XM193 - which is a 55 gr. bullet, xm855 which is a green tipped 62 gr. bullet and razor core which is a 77 gr. mk262 clone. In terms of accuracy the 77gr. razor core is basically match ammo and if you can find some at a decent price I would grab it. The stuff that's .40 per round is probably the 55gr xm193, and is one of the better versions of xm193, so this would make a good plinking round.

With respect to PPU, I think they make match ammo in 75gr. and 60/62 gr. Generally you will not see the same accuracy as FGGM/Hornady but should still get pretty decent accuracy. Whether the premium for FGGM is worth it really depends on how much more you're willing to spend for slightly better accuracy.

And again, a particular brand of ammo is not going to perform identically in all rifles - even rifles with identical specs. made by the same mfg. You really need to experiment with a couple of different brands of ammo and bullet weights to see what is the most accurate out of your rifle.

Finally, here's a link with accuracy tests for various brands/configurations of ammo, which might be helpful: https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/-/16-490278/?