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Posted: 3/8/2015 5:57:39 PM EDT
Nosler 77 grain BTHP
In 2003, Nosler introduced their 77 grain Custom Competition BTHP bullet as an obvious competitor to the 77 grain Sierra MatchKing. The shape and ballistic coefficient of the Nosler bullet is very similar to that of the Sierra MatchKing. The Nosler bullet does have one major difference from the Sierra MatchKing; it is constructed using the thinner J4 copper jacket. I recall an early Nosler advertisement for their Custom Competition bullet that included a phrase saying the bullet was “ideal for military and law enforcement,” hinting at the possibilities of improved fragmentation due to the thinner J4 jacket. Thanks to the works of Dr. G.K. Roberts and B&T Ammo Labs, we know that the 77 grain Nosler bullet loaded to mil-spec velocities has superior terminal ballistic properties to that of the 77 grain Sierra MatchKing loaded in MK262. The terminal ballistic properties of the 77 grain Nosler bullet loaded to mil-spec velocities rival that of the Hornady 75 grain 5.56 TAP load. 
Courtesy of Dr. G.K. Roberts 
Courtesy of B&T Ammo Labs The Nosler 77 grain Custom Competion bullet is typically sold without a cannelure, however Nosler occasionally releases the bullet with a shallow cannelure similar to the one found on the 77 grain SMK loaded in MK262. The cannelured version of the 77 grain Nosler will be the focus of this report. 
For the first phase of testing, I hand-loaded the cannelured version of the 77 grain Nosler BTHP to a typical SAAMI velocity (approximately 2600 fps from a 20” Colt barrel) to establish an accuracy baseline. No case mouth crimp was applied at this phase. As per my usual protocol, accuracy testing was conducted from a concrete benchrest at a distance of 100 yards. The forend of my Krieger barreled AR-15 rested in a Sinclair Windage Benchrest, while the stock of the rifle rode in a Protektor bunny-ear rear bag. A Leupold Competition Scope was used for sighting. Wind conditions were monitored using a Wind Probe. 
Three 10-shot groups were obtained which had extreme spreads of: 0.797” 0.827” 0.812” for a 10-shot group average of 0.812”. The three groups were over-layed on each other using RSI Shooting Lab to form a 30-shot composite group. The composite group had a mean radius of 0.26”. This test shows that the Nosler bullet itself is capable of consistent sub-MOA accuracy at 100 yards when fired from a semi-automatic AR-15. 
For the second phase of testing, I safely worked up a load for the 77 grain Nosler BTHP to a nominal muzzle velocity of 2800 fps from a 20” barrel using a non-canister grade military powder. (In previous testing, I found that the average muzzle velocity from seven different lots of Hornady 5.56 TAP was 2808 fps from a 20” barrel.) No case mouth crimp was used in this phase of testing either. Since my Krieger barreled AR-15 has a 5.56mm Match chamber that is “a little too tight” for mil-spec pressure loads, I used my AR-15 with a 20” Noveske DCM barrel for this phase of testing. This Noveske barrel has the “Noveske Match Mod 0 chamber which is designed to offer 100% reliability while retaining maximum possible accuracy. The chamber body is slightly larger than the 5.56mm NATO minimum, but within the 5.56 NATO tolerance. The throat is redesigned for proper bullet alignment with the axis of the bore. This chamber was developed to fire MK262 Mod 1 on AUTO in hot environments." 
Accuracy testing using the Noveske barreled AR-15 and Nosler 77 grain BTHP at a muzzle velocity of 2800 fps was conducted in the same manner as described above in the first phase of testing. Three 10-shot groups were obtained from 100 yards. Those groups had extreme spreads of: 0.880” 0.857” 0.845” for a 10-shot group average of 0.860”. These groups were over-layed on each other using RSI Shooting Lab to form a 30-shot composite group which had a mean radius of 0.29”. 
For the final phase of testing I added a taper crimp to the case mouth of the previously described load used in phase two. A 10-shot string of this load fired over the Oehler 35-P chronograph from my 20” Novekse barrel had a muzzle velocity of 2801 fps with a standard deviation of 12 fps. Three 10-shot groups fired from 100 yards from the 20” Noveske DCM barrel had extreme spreads of: 1.033” 0.914” 1.241” for a 10-shot group average of 1.063”. As before, the three groups were over-layed on each other using RSI Shooting Lab to form a 30-shot composite group. The mean radius for the composite group was 0.31”. Previous accuracy testing of the 75 grain Hornady 5.56 TAP load from my 16” Noveske barreled AR-15 produced a 10-shot group average of 1.22” at a distance of 100 yards with a 30-shot composite group mean radius of 0.37”. As previously mentioned the 77 grain Nosler BTHP has terminal ballistic properties on par with the TAP load. This testing shows that the 77grain Nosler BTHP bullet loaded to a muzzle velocity of 2800 fps, is capable of accuracy that is slightly better than that of the TAP load. 
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Quoted:
The gelatin test looks impressive. I wonder what a 2600 fps SAAMI pressure load using canister grade powder would do to a gelatin block? Andrew has answered that question for us . . . http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_16/666600__223_gel_test__Double_Tap_77_gr_Nosler_HPBT.html .... |
| Great work. I have found that the Ramshot 5.56 load data for TAC is very good with the Nosler 77's. Loading 24.6gr in my Les Baer Thunder Ranch has shown some impressive groups. Edited to add: This load will actually be a bit faster than 2800 fps out of 20" barrel, but is admittedly hard on brass. Still, with mil-surp brass being 5 cents apiece and these bullets running 15 cents when you catch them on sale at SPS, that's still great economy for a load that can bust sporting clays at 750. |
| 22.6 grains of 8208 xbr gives me .75 5 shot groups. I tested at .2 grain intervals from low to high and from 22.6 was my best groups. everything in between opened up and closed back up at 23.4 and 23.6 but you could tell the 23.6 had more horsepower. I am happy with the 22.6 loading and just shot 30 rounds of it this weekend and had some killer groups going 6 months after load development. I also tested a box of nosler loading of this an it shot at 1.25 inches. Going to try some tac for this load as I have a bunch of TAC and not so much xbr anymore and TAC has been easier to get. |
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What COAL where you using? And did you run only usgi mags or any magpul etc? Answer = mag length coal Mag length coals = 2.25 is where I run mine through magpul mags, have had no issue. Nosler has some load data online in 5.56 Theirs says 2.26 coals and you can probably get away with that in most mags, unless the bullets are inconsistent.. But again, I use XBR (not listed on Nosler site - don't recall what book I used) and test them at / load them to 2.25 to avoid issues. fwiw ..... powder valley (and likely others for that matter) sell the 77's in 1000 bullet boxes from time to time, and will typically (or last I tried) work with you to get same lot #'s if doing volume....but I can't speak for what the current situation is or isn't |
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Answer = mag length coal Mag length coals = 2.25 is where I run mine through magpul mags, have had no issue. Nosler has some load data online in 5.56 Theirs says 2.26 coals and you can probably get away with that in most mags, unless the bullets are inconsistent.. But again, I use XBR (not listed on Nosler site - don't recall what book I used) and test them at / load them to 2.25 to avoid issues. fwiw ..... powder valley (and likely others for that matter) sell the 77's in 1000 bullet boxes from time to time, and will typically (or last I tried) work with you to get same lot #'s if doing volume....but I can't speak for what the current situation is or isn't Quoted:
Quoted:
What COAL where you using? And did you run only usgi mags or any magpul etc? Answer = mag length coal Mag length coals = 2.25 is where I run mine through magpul mags, have had no issue. Nosler has some load data online in 5.56 Theirs says 2.26 coals and you can probably get away with that in most mags, unless the bullets are inconsistent.. But again, I use XBR (not listed on Nosler site - don't recall what book I used) and test them at / load them to 2.25 to avoid issues. fwiw ..... powder valley (and likely others for that matter) sell the 77's in 1000 bullet boxes from time to time, and will typically (or last I tried) work with you to get same lot #'s if doing volume....but I can't speak for what the current situation is or isn't I got a pack of 3k Friday 
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1,000 are $170 at grafs with free shipping. Quoted:
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I just bought 500 of these yesterday from Cabelas. Boxes of 250 Nosler 77gr CC selling for 49.99 ea. buy 2 boxes and its 5.00 flat rate shipping. I will be loading these to Nosler 5.56 specs using Reloder 15. 1,000 are $170 at grafs with free shipping. EE has 500 shipped for $160 as well. |
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Quoted: Grafs? need more info on Grafs, please. http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/20774 |
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Quoted: EE has 500 shipped for $160 as well. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I just bought 500 of these yesterday from Cabelas. Boxes of 250 Nosler 77gr CC selling for 49.99 ea. buy 2 boxes and its 5.00 flat rate shipping. I will be loading these to Nosler 5.56 specs using Reloder 15. 1,000 are $170 at grafs with free shipping. EE has 500 shipped for $160 as well. 500 or 1000? |
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500 or 1000? Quoted:
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I just bought 500 of these yesterday from Cabelas. Boxes of 250 Nosler 77gr CC selling for 49.99 ea. buy 2 boxes and its 5.00 flat rate shipping. I will be loading these to Nosler 5.56 specs using Reloder 15. 1,000 are $170 at grafs with free shipping. EE has 500 shipped for $160 as well. 500 or 1000? Sorry 1k...going to blame my phone. |
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Quoted: EE is the Equipment Exchange, the orange button on the top right of this page where buying and selling is allowed. Quoted: Quoted: Now who is EE?  |
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Quoted: 21.6 grains H-322, Wolf Magnum primers (Tula works well too), seated to mag length with a light crimp from a Lee Factory Crimp die............. Enjoy your MOA ammo! Be sure and use the Wolf primers, they are the key to this load performing like it does!! |
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Sorry, the CCI 41's for whatever reason don't play well with H-322...........the 400's do ok, but the russian primers make this load work and work very well. I don't know if the 41's are just too hot or what, they just don't work well with this particular powder in my experience. If you don't believe me, just load up some up and try it for yourself, everything else being constant but the primers and you will see what i mean. If you follow the load i posted exactly, I will promise you that it will make you smile!
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| Has anyone worked up any loads using Hodgdon Benchmark for this bullet? I've got an 8lb keg of it left over from a 22-250 rifle I sold a little while back and would like to put it to good use. I've had pretty good results so far using it with Hornady 75gr OTM's. |
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Quoted:
Has anyone worked up any loads using Hodgdon Benchmark for this bullet? I've got an 8lb keg of it left over from a 22-250 rifle I sold a little while back and would like to put it to good use. I've had pretty good results so far using it with Hornady 75gr OTM's. Hodgdon says 22.8 max for 223. Probably can go 1-2gr higher for 5.56 if worked up carefully (depending on gun and barrel of course). |
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