I bought some Winchester 5.56 Q3131A1 vs AE 5.56 XM193C. I know Mark mentioned he really liked the Win load. Sportsman had the Win for $8.00 and the AE for $7.00 so I bought a several boxes of each. Thought I would see how they grouped compared to my TAP that my guns are sighted. I like the idea of the Win being a little hotter than 223 and should be more reliable.
How do these two loads compare? Which do you prefer?
pb
The velocity specification for M193 laid out in MIL-C-9963D calls for an instrumental velocity of 3250 fps, plus or minus 40 fps, at 15 feet from the muzzle, with one standard deviation not to exceed 40 fps. This is from a 20” test barrel that does not have a gas system. The M16/AR-15 loses approximately 20 fps due to its direct impingement gas operating system, which gives you a velocity range of approximately 3190 fps to 3270 fps at a distance of 15 feet when fired from a 20” barreled M16/AR-15 or a muzzle velocity of approximately 3210 fps to 3290 fps depending upon the exact B.C.
The most recent lot of American Eagle XM193C that I chronographed had a muzzle velocity of 3272 fps from a 20" Colt M16A2 barrel. From the same barrel, two different lots of Winchester Q3131A1 only had an average muzzle velocity of 3190 fps.
As for accuracy, three 10-shot groups of the Winchester Q3131A1 fired from a 16" Colt HBAR from a distance of 100 yards had an average extreme spread of 3.34" with a 30-shot composite group mean radius of 1.05". Three 10-shot groups of the American Eagle XM193C fired from the same barrel had an average extreme spread of 3.27" with a 30-shot composite group mean radius of 0.98".
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XM193 has definitely been hotter in my experience. We chrono’d some that exceeded the M193 spec for velocity.
My personal experience has been that the 3131a1 is a much higher quality round. I’ve seen a little bullet runout on some of it, but I’d take 3131a1 all day over XM193 if I could find it at a decent price.
(I like the fact that it’s not on the top end of the pressure/velocity spectrum)
Lines are crossed here. Mark , and what I referred to is hotter than standard 223. Not compared to 193. Everyone is on same page.
I then wanted to know how the other two rounds compared. Which molon answered.
It’s all correct info. Molon just didn’t understand my initial reference to 223.
I’ll take 3131a1 between the two. In my sample size of one it has been a more reliable round in training. The AE 193 has given me slightly more issues, several FTF’s(not light strikes).
they’re my two favorites, with a slight preference for xm193, probably only because it’s what i’ve shot the most of. but i’ve fired tens of thousands of rounds of both, have never experienced any reliability, safety, nor accuracy problems with any consistency from either, and would have no problem taking both to war, if zombies started dropping from the sky.
bkb- If the zombies start dropping, please PM me. Just please don’t have any rap playing when I get there.
Pappabear bought us the Sinclair concentricity guage. I’ve been checking all kinds of ammo.
I finally got to check some Q3131a1. :eek:
Every round had at least .010" of runout. Accuracy starts to suffer at .003-.004". Those Koreans can’t get a bullet in straight.
I took those same rounds and rolled them on the counter top… wobble wobble wobble.
If you have any IMI M193 I’d be interested in seeing how that compares to the XM and the Q.
Shoot… I wish. I keep wanting to buy some of the Widener’s stuff.
I bought three cases, my father came over to the bunker and saw it stacked and walked out with one of them…so I’m going to have to order some more.
It’s really nice stuff.