Another 75g amax question. 😡 Sorry

N

newsabre

New member
Just joined last week after looking around on here a bit and I'm gonna say sorry now for posting this question.
I've been looking and reading, here and other places, about the 75g amax being too long to be loaded in an AR magazine. Question is, is this so and if not is it safe to load and what are most people using as an overall length?
I would be loading them for a Sabre Defence with a 20in stainless bull barrel in 1:8 twist. I really like the 75g because of the high BC but if this won't work what other bullet would be good for shooting out to 500+ and coyote hunting. I figured the 75g amax would be best of both worlds.

BC from KY
 
I have had good luck with 68gr nosler. We have shot them out to 700 yds fine out of a 16" 9twist upper. They hammer coyotes too. Don't have the load or speeds handy on me.
 
you're probably gonna have to go to the 75gr BTHP for your AR for target shooting. or get a single load magazine follower and feed them one at a time.

an AR mag limits COAL to 2.260. Hornady shows the 75 amax at a COAL of 2.390. from my homework it appears that seating shorter has no benefits and a couple serious potentials - loss of velocity if you can keep the pressure safe, and more importantly not having unsafe pressure spikes. I left them on the shelf for that reason.

the 75gr HPBT COAL's at 2.250. the same for the 68gr HPBT.


i picked a 1:7 WOA barrel so i could play with these heavy boys.


from what i've read on them - they have a relatively thin jacket - so expansion is going to be unpredictable. up close its supposed to be fairly violent, but out at distance i read they tend to icepick due to being below the expansion threshold. again from what i've read - if you catch heavy bone with these, the just kersplat. Obviously shot placement (like every bullet) is going to be key. I've not tested them on meat yet as my 9 twist really likes 55gr vmax so i never experimented with anything else.

once i get this 1:7 WOA upper finished off i plan to see if the 68's or 75's do better for me, and then hopefully i'll have access to something groundhog sized to test them on this summer
smile.gif


I'm sure someone with more experience with these bullets will be along shortly.
 
I loaded 75's to mag length with no pressure signs and good accuracy.
I went with 69's just because they performed better out of my AR system.
Yes, you "can" get best performance loading them to CBTO but it's an AR. I've hand loaded some to length and hand fed each one but realized how silly this was for an AR system.
 
I know I could go with the 75g bthp but wonder if they would be any good for hunting due to expansion. I'm partial to hornady but may have to look at Berger and serria in the 65-75g range.
 
if you want a heavy hunting bullet in the hornady line, have you considered the 70gr GMX?

hornady claims that expansion down to 2000 fps. at 2750 out a 20" barrel that gives you ~300 yds of terminal performance.

they say it may not stabilize in a 8 twist or slower though
frown.gif


their test data was done with a 7 twist barrel.
 
Kinda stupid of me to make the comment about the bthp since I know they aren't made for hunting. Guess I'm just trying to find that one bullet for two different applications.
 
there's nothing stupid about it. its always worth asking.

stupid would be not doing your homework before hand and asking questions you were unsure about.



i can totally understand the desire for a one bullet do-all.
 
The A-Max would not be my first choice as a hunting bullet, shooting tight groups however is a whole different story.

Anyways, maybe you could expand your research into the 70 Gr. Barnes TSX. I have shot a few coyotes with 62 and 70 gr TSX's and have had exceptional results.
 
Don't ignore the ASC STAINLESS 223 magazines that let you load to 2.316. Mo'betta' than the standard 2.260 limit and if you are adventurous you can window a standard magazine for even more length and if you go to an NFA billet lower designed by Ritch you can go 2.45 IIRC.

Greg
 
Those plastic tips are a pain for loading magazine length. Just use the 75hpbt or the 68 or 69 hpbt. Just as good are the V Max or Blitzkings in the 55 or 60 grain.
 
newsabre and PO

For newsabre's 1/8 I'd favor 60 Ballistic Tip or 60 VMax. In a 223 they will do well at a distance and the BT should be optimal on fur.

PO Super pleased with my 1/7 WOA SPR - Made for 75 grainers! Marvels with cheapo Hornady 75 Steel Match.
 
Originally Posted By: howbeitPO Super pleased with my 1/7 WOA SPR - Made for 75 grainers! Marvels with cheapo Hornady 75 Steel Match.

i went with their varmint profile and had it fluted with the holiday fluting sale. just waiting on an answer from the smith before i send it in for threading and life is good
smile.gif
 
I believe I read in the Hornady manual in the .5.56 service rifle section that it could be loaded for bolts but they warned about pushing them down to 2.250 (mag length) with max loads for the auto loading rifles. But these guys here have a butt load of real experience with this stuff. I'm using the Sierra 69 hpbt's with near max loads and it's working out.
 
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