AGC Steel Targets 5.56/.223

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  • kb830

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 30, 2020
    95
    Clarksville, MD
    Hello,

    Can someone help me out here??? I'm new to all this and could use a little explaining....

    I want to shoot steel at AGC with my AR15. I have my steel certification and the rules state ammunition restrictions (among others) "No round, regardless of configuration or caliber, with a muzzle velocity over 3,150 feet per second is permitted." and "Armor piercing, ‘penetrator’, or any ammunition whose bullet contains ANY amount of steel, tungsten or other material designed to increase the round’s penetration, are prohibited." .

    That seems to rule out any 5.56 55 grain as they seem to be above the 3,150 feet per second. 62 grain seems to be a little slower, but that is all M855 steel core (not allowed). Are there any other weights of 5.56 (not that I actually expect to be able to find any).

    As an alternative I have been looking at .223. Again, looking at 55 grain. That seems to be a little slower, maybe, depending on the brand.

    Based on what I've been able to find, it seems like PMC Bronze 223 Remington 223A FMJ-BT 55 grain seems to be just about the only choice. However, check out this page https://pmcammo.com/product/bronze-223a/ The box clearly indicates "2900 FPS MV", but the Balistics Chart indicates Velocity - Muzzle: 3200 feet per second.

    Is shooting steel with my AR a lost cause?

    Do I not understand something? Or reading the rules wrong?

    Any help/info is appreciated.

    Thanks.
     

    Gcs7th

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 26, 2012
    1,280
    AGC
    That PMC will be around 2400-2800fps out of a 16” barrel. The testing your are looking at usually calculates a 21 or 24” barrel.

    From my own testing PMC had the worst consistency. Your mileage will vary the faster the bullet the more damage you’ll have. I had wolf Golf brass case that was clocking 3200fps out of a 10.5” barrel. That’ll chew up your steel pretty quickly.
     

    kb830

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 30, 2020
    95
    Clarksville, MD
    Thanks for the responses... Pretty much along the lines of what I was thinking. But wondered if I missed something or didnt' know about available ammo. I appreciate it.
     

    mopar92

    Official MDS Court Jester
    May 5, 2011
    9,513
    Taneytown
    There is 62, 69 and 77 grain loads that should drop the velocity also if needed. Most of those are match, defensive or game rounds so they'll likely be a bit more 'spensive.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    As mentioned, barrel length will play a significant part.

    Generally, 2800 fps and below tends to be acknowledged to be the "not to exceed" impact velocity at 100 yards to help preserve your AR500 steel targets. At 3200 fps or so at the muzzle, this tends to be about where you'll wind up at 100 yards with 55 grain. Lower than 2800 still out past 100 yards obviously.

    If you handload, tailoring ammo to this goal is easy. If not, an eye toward specs (in normal times) gives you multiple choices.
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    The only stuff likely to exceed that limit is real-deal M193, and only out an 18-20" barrel. If you are shooting with a 16" barrel, you're not going to be slinging it at 3150+.

    Please also remember that "55gr" != M193. M193 is loaded to NATO spec (62k psi), which is considerably hotter than SAAMI spec (~53k psi). Further, there is stuff being marketed as M193 these days that is simply not as hot as real M193 (Wolf Gold M193 being a key culprit, but even Federal and Independence XM193 aren't as hot as they used to be).

    In other words, this is not a thing I'd freak out about.
     
    As stated previously, the RSO's don't have chronographs. Nobody will care if your 55gr projectile goes 50-100fps over the posted rules. Conversely, shooting a .338 Lapua at steel will draw attention- even if the 300gr projectile is "only" doing 3125fps.
    Use common sense and I doubt there will be an issue.
     

    Darkemp

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 18, 2009
    7,808
    Marylandistan
    As stated previously, the RSO's don't have chronographs. Nobody will care if your 55gr projectile goes 50-100fps over the posted rules. Conversely, shooting a .338 Lapua at steel will draw attention- even if the 300gr projectile is "only" doing 3125fps.
    Use common sense and I doubt there will be an issue.

    Last month I asked the RSO as I was similarly concerned- 55gr from a 20” which is close to the published limit. He said no problem so I happily rang the steel as long as I pleased. You can always ask The RSO if not sure, he’s the authority.
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    I really wish I had documented it better, but sometime last year, I found myself with my chrono set up (for another rifle) along with a 16, 18, and 20-something inch barreled .223. The exact same ammo out of all of them ran approximately 2600ish, 2800ish, and 3100ish...if I remember correctly. I really wish I had paid more attention (I was more interested in what the other cal was doing...just chrono'd the .223's for the heck of it while I checked their zeros). The long barrelled one was a Rem700 that was either 22 or 24 inches.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    I have yet to clock ANY factory 223 in my 16” barrels at above 3,000 FPS on my chronograph

    I’ve run and chrono’d American Eagle, Remington, Geco, freedom munitions, federal,PMC , Winchester, frontier


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    I think 3150 out of a 16" barrel with factory loaded 55gr 556 is (mostly) wishful thinking. Even for a 20" its on unlikely side IMO. One study reportedly got 3187 fps from federal xm193 from a 16" barrel, I've never reproduced that.

    https://rifleshooter.com/2015/12/22...el-length-and-velocity-26-inches-to-6-inches/

    Hottest load I've ever clocked is Wolf Gold at 3050 from a 16". I was surprised. Everything else was in the 2800-2900 range for 16", even various flavors of Federal.

    Someone above said that they clocked Wolf Gold at 3200 from a 10.3" barrel. Sounds like a mistake or a typo (maybe 2200??), 3200 from a 10.3" would make it the hottest 556 Ive ever seen.
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    3050fps out of a 16" barrel with Wolf Gold is a pretty impressive performance, TBH, but at least within the realm of believability, especially if it was a hot day and/or at a higher altitude. Some of the more outlandish claims tend to be from guys high up in the mountains in CO and such.
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    Wolf Gold (brass cased and reloadable) is good stuff. It is on the warm side, but quality plinking ammo.
    Some guys on ARFCOM found that newer Wolf Gold is not as hot as the older stuff. Still better than the weak-ass American Eagle trash, of course.
     

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