I ordered several cases, and decided to test a few rounds today.
This is not intended to be an in-depth review. Just a quick snap-shot. All shooting was done through a 14.5" Noveske with a Surefire 556-212 suppressor from the seated position using a roof-support as a brace. All shots were fired from 45 yards.
This is Feb. 2012 Production Speer 24448 .223.
It has nickel-plated casings, sealed primers (it appears to be a clear-looking “caulk” like used on the LE223T3 loads), un-sealed case-necks but a good crimp is present and I wouldn’t worry about any moisture.
Yes, this is a 4-shot group. No, it is not the standard. No, it is not something to hang my hat on, just a general idea of what one might expect from this ammo using field-improvised shooting positions.
Bullet diameter measured 0.305" x 0.575", avg: 0.44". As you can see, it “over-expanded”. This projectile is designed to expand reliably and fully out to 200 yards from a 10" barrel. It shows. Still, it held up VERY well! It penetrated fully 3 jugs filled with water and was found sitting on the ground, having exited the 3rd jug completely. The “group” measures 0.88". This equates to roughly 2MOA from a 14.5" chrome-lined CHF barrel using a field improvised position. I am very pleased with myself, the rifle, and the ammo. I was using an Aimpoint M4S. I have not done much shooting at all in the past few years. Probably 500 rounds total from a rifle in the last 3-4.
Path from right to left jug. Jugs not oriented to show path, just placed in order with most graphic destruction aspect facing camera.
Very nice. Got any close ups of the expanded projectile? Where did you get the new production stuff? I have some .223 64gr Gold Dots and its loaded in dingy looking brass.
I recently did some playing around with the 24446 load. I took some old tires that were still inflated & on rims that came off my Tacoma & sat them on a bench with an IDPA target roughly 5 ft behind it. I shot through the inflated tires at about 20 yds with various .223, .308 & 9mm loads (the 55gr gold dot, 75 gr 556 TAP, 124gr FED HST 9mm +P, & 155 gr .308 TAP). The 55gr Gold Dot (now granted this is just 1 shot per round type), actually deviated the least & was the only rifle round that didn’t keyhole. You could tell in the cardboard, the bullet had expanded some, but was pretty much inline with my POA. I have pics I’ll try to get posted.
It should expand well down to 1800fps or less. I know for fact that out of an LWRC PSD it expanded to .45 caliber at 100 yards during official testing.
Also, I know Trident was getting expansion out of the .223 Federal Fusion 62gr (same construction as 64gr GDSP) at 325 yards into water jugs from his LMT MRP 10.5".
I have no idea how fast they were going at that distance…but it was impressive.
SGA has the 55gr flavor in stock. I tested product # 24448, they have # 24446. I do not know anything other than that about their product, what casings are used, what year/month it was made, etc.
I’ve shot several cases of the 24446, most in in 1/7 guns. It’s running about 2900-2925fps in 16" barrels. I haven’t chronographed it in an SBR yet. No keyholing out to 200yds. Accuracy with an RDS is ~2"/100, 5rd group.
I shot a bunch of it in an 11.5" BCM and got 2.5"/100, 5rd group, with irons. I was pleased with that and quit on a high note that day. It’s also stable from the SBR out to ~200yds. I have not shot farther than that in that gun.
Shooting it in jello, expanded diameters ran consistently ~.60-.65". There was some deviation when shot through windshields, but it wasn’t dramatic.
I’m going to work up the 24448 and see how it does.
^This is what I would buy if I were going to buy the 55gr. 55gr is all there is right now. I ordered this a couple of week-ends ago, and I ordered it literally a few hours after it went from “Out of Stock” to “Available”. Within about 96 hours, it was “Back-ordered”.
Someone was nice enough to chronograph this for me. 2500fps from a 10.5" suppressed barrel, 2711fps from a 16" suppressed barrel. I do not know any other data (sd, hi/lo, etc.).
211fps loss from a 16" barrel to a 10.5" barrel. This stuff seems to be made for SBR’s. That is the kind of performance one gets from the 300 AAC.
SPEER/ATK LE Division quoted me 2508fps from a 10.5" SBR in their testing. For my independent tester to come within 8fps of that speaks not only of coincidence, but that this really is a 2500fps round from a 10.5" barrel.
