# ammo starting point for AR



## Bones (Jan 7, 2006)

acquired RRA/ Wilson HB 16" Any recommendations regarding favored ammo for starters. Looking to use as a coyote gun.


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## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

try black hills, and ultramax. get 4-5 different kinds, and see what shoots. they offer all kinds of bullets, and you should be able to find one that works. for coyotes, id reccomend 52gr mhp's, or 50-55 gr ballistic tips. the 55 gr softpoint will work, but itll tear the hell out of the furs.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

something cheap, and just keep pulling the trigger.


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## HARRY2 (Jul 26, 2004)

I would avoid Ultramax, i have not had any luck with it and i have seen pics of ARs it blew up.


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## HOTWING (Jul 3, 2007)

Ultramax will shoot fine. It's pretty much reloaded brass cased ammo. The only type of ammo to try and avoid is steel cased ammunition. The green colored cases. Those might screw up your chamber for two reasons.
One, is that after you've shot your rifle and its hot, the finish on the cases will melt off and gum up your chamber. The second reason is the steel case's might be rough on softer metals. 
However, Wolf is all i shoot through my sks and i have never had a problem, after thousands of rounds being fired. But an sks isn't exactly a thousand dollar ar-15.


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## HARRY2 (Jul 26, 2004)

New Wolf ammo does not have that crap thats melts on it anymore. So no worrys there.


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## schreinerm (Feb 23, 2008)

What is your twist? If its 1/9 anything on the light to medium side should shoot quite well.


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## STexhunter (Sep 11, 2007)

I have two DPMS's one 20" BB, the other 16"BB. I purchased the cheap ( not cheap anymore) Rem UMC 55 gr FMJ and the 50 gr. HP. The 20" will shoot either the 55gr or 50 gr. into 1". The 16" perfers the 50gr. HP, again 1" groups. Best advise is to buy a few brands and see what shoots best in your rifle.


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## Regulators (Jan 22, 2008)

I have a DPMS 20" BB with the 1 and 9 twist. A guy this weekend told me i could put 68 or 72 grain Black hills through it and it would shoot awesome. Now i havent done it yet but Can i shoot that high of a grain and not hurt anything? I've had too many people tell me different things. Thanks,

shawn


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Regulators I would say 69gr is the top. I know the Hornady 75gr BTHP Match was changed a few years ago and I do not remember if they made it so it can be fired in a 1:9 tube or not. I know it went one way or the other. That bullet is not so good for hunting punching paper heck yes. If you are shooting close range 200yds and closer you might as well shoot a less costly bullet. I have shot a few strings of service rifle compitition at 200 using 55gr FMJ's back then it was m193 pulldowns and they shot almost as good as 69gr SMK at less than 25% of the cost. The 69's prone with no handguards with the freefloat tube on sand bags I could shoot 20 shots and keep all of them in the X with a scope on my gun. With the same setup but the 55gr's I could keep almost the same group but I would have an ocasional flyer that would go in to the 10 ring. That was using unsorted bullets.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Regulators said:


> I have a DPMS 20" BB with the 1 and 9 twist. A guy this weekend told me i could put 68 or 72 grain Black hills through it and it would shoot awesome. Now i havent done it yet but Can i shoot that high of a grain and not hurt anything? I've had too many people tell me different things. Thanks,
> 
> shawn


I have the same AR as you do. The 69 SMK shoot ok. I'll get them on paper this spring and try improve the load. The 75 gr AMax are all over. At 100 yards some must have hit the target sideways because the hole is a perfect bullet profile. 
I shot one group that has me just shaking my head. I think I have said on other threads that I didn't take the AR serious as a hunting rifle. My gal pal Nancy and Hillary talked me into my first one. Back to my point: I took a box of Blackhills 50 gr V-Max to the range, and shot a ten shot group of .338. I'm sold. 
I now have my handloads doing the same thing. I had never believed in factory crimping before, but after seeing it on the Blackhills I tried to do everything they did. Another advantage to crimping: My ten shot polymer magazines were feeding much better than any of my metal magazines. After filing a 45 degree slope on the forward edge of the magazine, chamfering the outer edges of my brass slightly more, and crimping, my rounds now feed flawlessly. The only jams I have had were while using a brass catcher, and that has only been twice out of the last 500 rounds.


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## Regulators (Jan 22, 2008)

I appreciate the good advice. I'll try these different things as soon as i get through this break in period. Thanks all.


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## Regulators (Jan 22, 2008)

I have one last question. What bullet and what size grain would you guys use to reach 300 or 350 yards with? i greatly appreciate it. Thanks,

Shawn


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Regulators said:


> I have one last question. What bullet and what size grain would you guys use to reach 300 or 350 yards with? i greatly appreciate it. Thanks,
> 
> Shawn


That isn't very far, so use anything that is accurate. I have killed coyotes with 40, 50, 60, and I hope 69 gr one of these days. Accuracy above all.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I normaly use a 50gr TNT but have used the 75gr Hornady HPBT. I was not too impressed with it. It did its job but I liked the 69SMK a little more. Granted I got a super good deal on these 75gr bullets so they work. Shoot what shoots the best in your gun and have fun. Like plainsman said 350 is not very far at all. I do like the 55gr Nosler BT it has shot well for me. I do find that the 55gr Vmax shoots a little better.

Heck you will never know untill you try it. You never know it may not shoot a 50gr to save your life but 45gr and 60gr will shoot one hole groups all day. The lighter the more the wind will affect it just keep that in mind when you get a bullet load combo that shoots for you.


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## Regulators (Jan 22, 2008)

Thanks again. Yea i know thats not that far i was just trying to get a general idea. Gonna shoot praire dogs during the summer and want to be able to shoot that bullet accurate at 300 plus. O yea, any of you shot that Varmint granade at prarie dogs yet? kinda curious if it really does what they say. Thanks

Shawn


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## Bones (Jan 7, 2006)

Well, since starting this post, I went through all the break-in routine, and sorted through at least 6 different kinds of ammo.......Result was hornady 55 gr VMax around 0.75in and believe it or not Remington 55grPSP at O.5".


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## Regulators (Jan 22, 2008)

Lol...guess its whatever your gun likes. Hopefully all works well. i went out yesterday and discovered i had a loose scope mount and had to start over...dumb. Got it almost close but ran out of day light. hope to get it right before montana trip next weekend to really test it out. thanks for info again.

Shawn


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