I got my best results yet from 77 grain TMKs on Sunday. Although the SD isn’t that thrilling, the load shot ¾ MOA, and had great velocity with no pressure signs. I even shot them in my Wylde chamber that doesn’t play well with hot ammo.
I ran a load over published max… which I had done a few years back using 77 gr OTMS… and had good results then, but never followed up because the target load we run has always been good for us.
The velocity is just under 2800 fps with a 20” barrel.
The load is 77 gr TMK, WOLF SRM primer, 22.2gr H322. (pressure might vary with hotter primers and different poweder lots)
Wow! That’s a great 300 yard group. We never get a chance to shoot beyond 100 for groups. Our spot usually has just enough wind to make groups a pain to shoot.
I’m assuming then you switched to get better SDs or something?
I’m only asking because you and Onyx put me on that load a few years ago and I’ve never looked back. Very interested why you’d be switching since it has always been fantastic for me. I think you always used it with SMKs right?
I see a lot of folks have good results with Russian primers, but I can never seem to find them anywhere. Are these from a giant personal stockpile, or do you still buy them from somewhere?
No. Just had a 150 pieces of once fired LC someone left us. So I pulled out a box of TMKs and just goosed the H322 load up to try something different.
We have a stockpile from hell. I went long in them back when Wideners sold them for a price that would make you cry now. And Pappabear scooped some more up from back page before they shut that operation down.
Thanks for posting the experiment. Most sources that I looked into described H322 as a powder best suited for lighter weight bullets (55gr and less). Good to know that the heavier weight projectiles are also possible.
We normally don’t shoot TMK’s because the Noslers are almost as good and much cheaper. But since we had all same brass, we thought, let’s try and stretch out some high BC loads a little hotter. Next week, maybe we can try some long distance groups along with slappping steel. We popped the 1k a couple times. Sometimes we have to hit target then miss it to the side just to make sure we are there. We shoot a Rem 700 5R with can that is lights out and a blast to shoot.
The faster burning, benchrest extruded powders combined with mild primers have shot heavy bullets very well for us for years. I can’t even remember what prompted me to try the combination.
Good stuff. I really need to try the TMK’s. Some of my best results have been 77gr SMK with 22.9gr of XBR out of an 18’ barrel. Velocity was around 2790 at 53*F. I am curious to see how it works when the weather gets cooking here in a couple of months.
This H322 loaf is interesting but the XBR load I think is one of those rare universal exceptional loads. Seems somewhere between 22.9-23.5 every gun will find a super accurate node. Mine like either 23.0 or 23.2 depending on the rifle. A real classic load for 77 gr bullets. I also shoot the Nosler CC since I can get them cheap in the 1000 ct lot.
