I have been shooting SMK69 grain bullets in my bull barred target ar for some time and I am impressed. However, lately, they are difficult to find. There appears to be a new Sierra 69 grain bullet out or I have just discovered it. They are a tad more expensive but their BCs are higher as well. The bullet has a polymer tip. Anyone experienced shooting these and if so how do they compare?. My barrels all have m4 feeds.
Sierra 69 grain match king with polymer tips
- Thread starter tank1949
- Start date
I've tried both the 69 TMK (Tipped Match King) # 7169 and the 77 grain TMK # 7177.
Both are more accurate in my Les Baer .223 with a 1:8 twist in an 18 inch barrel than the corresponding SMKs #1380 69 grain and #9377 77 grain bullets, respectively. All the groups were shot off the bench with a Sinclair front rest and a Protektor rear bag.
I have shot the 69s TMKs at 2.270 OAL so they would fit into the magpul mag, and at 2.291 OAL using a single shot follower. The seating depth didn't seem to matter wrt accuracy.
With N140 powder, the average of all 5 shot groups seated long and short was
0.283.
With Reloader 15 the average of all groups was 0.315.
In comparison, the 69 SMKs averaged 0.460 with N140.
With the 77s, I shot them at 2.260 and 2.270 to fit the mag, and all the way out at 2.298 OAL with the single shot follower.
With N140, the 77 # 7177 TMKs averaged 0.416 and with Reloader 15 they averaged 0.363.
With the 77 SMKs # 9377, the averages with N140 were 0.427 and with Reloader 15 the averages were 0.418.
In general, I would say the tipped match kings are a bit more accurate than my old favorite SMKs. Their ballistic coefficients are higher than the SMKs by a considerable amount. That might be part of their improved accuracy.
Both are more accurate in my Les Baer .223 with a 1:8 twist in an 18 inch barrel than the corresponding SMKs #1380 69 grain and #9377 77 grain bullets, respectively. All the groups were shot off the bench with a Sinclair front rest and a Protektor rear bag.
I have shot the 69s TMKs at 2.270 OAL so they would fit into the magpul mag, and at 2.291 OAL using a single shot follower. The seating depth didn't seem to matter wrt accuracy.
With N140 powder, the average of all 5 shot groups seated long and short was
0.283.
With Reloader 15 the average of all groups was 0.315.
In comparison, the 69 SMKs averaged 0.460 with N140.
With the 77s, I shot them at 2.260 and 2.270 to fit the mag, and all the way out at 2.298 OAL with the single shot follower.
With N140, the 77 # 7177 TMKs averaged 0.416 and with Reloader 15 they averaged 0.363.
With the 77 SMKs # 9377, the averages with N140 were 0.427 and with Reloader 15 the averages were 0.418.
In general, I would say the tipped match kings are a bit more accurate than my old favorite SMKs. Their ballistic coefficients are higher than the SMKs by a considerable amount. That might be part of their improved accuracy.
As the picture shows, the 69 TMKs are longer from bullet base to tip, but the base to ogive is only slightly longer. They are way more pointy.
That is the reason that the OAL needs to be so much longer to keep the ogive to rifling jump the same.
The extra length gets the points past the available depth in the magazine so you have to seat the ogive back further into the neck to get the rounds into a standard magazine (a max length for a Magpul magazine is just over 2.270).
That is the reason that the OAL needs to be so much longer to keep the ogive to rifling jump the same.
The extra length gets the points past the available depth in the magazine so you have to seat the ogive back further into the neck to get the rounds into a standard magazine (a max length for a Magpul magazine is just over 2.270).
Am I the only one that finds that incredibly interesting . It reminds me of things I've read about the 308 168gr mk . It's been said that the reason the 168s don't do well at extreme distance is because of the angle of the boat tail .
It looks to me those two bullets have a very different boat tail profile . I'm guessing Sierra did there home work and the new TMK are far better at long range then the standard mk .
The TMK are a bit pricey for me but I think I'll have to check them out .
EDIT: I was just looking at both 308 168gr bullets . The TMK blows the mk away in BC . They claim it will stay super sonic at 1k . I'd like to see the side by side comparison . Specifically in the BT area .
It looks to me those two bullets have a very different boat tail profile . I'm guessing Sierra did there home work and the new TMK are far better at long range then the standard mk .
The TMK are a bit pricey for me but I think I'll have to check them out .
EDIT: I was just looking at both 308 168gr bullets . The TMK blows the mk away in BC . They claim it will stay super sonic at 1k . I'd like to see the side by side comparison . Specifically in the BT area .
Last edited:
blackswamp
Inactive
I picked up a box of 69 TMK today at camp perry along with some Varget.
Metal god
The .308 TMKs are just as spectacular as the 69 & 77 grain versions.
I've shot them in two different Savage Model 10 law enforcement models adjusting the seating depths to see if I could get the OAL out far enough to fit into the Savage magazines and still maintain accuracy.
An old rebarreled 10 FP (with a 24 inch Savage Target barrel and a Bell & Calson adjustable stock) shot the 155s and 168s as follows:
155 TMKs # 7755 averaged 0.318 for 30 groups with a best load average of 0.229.
168 TMKs #7768 averaged 0.322 for 138 groups with a best load average of 0.230.
Best averages for SMKs were 0.407 with the 150s # 1380 and 0.476 with the 168s # 9377.
This barrel doesn't shoot the 175s as well as the newer rifle.
A newer 10 FCP-K with a 24 inch barrel and 2 inch muzzle brake shot the 155s 168s and 175s as follows:
155 TMKs # 7755 averaged 0.349 for 22 groups with a best load average of 0.263.
168 TMKs # 7768 averaged 0.335 for 36 groups with a best load average of 0.236.
175 TMKs # 7775 shot 1 group of 0.353.
Best SMK averages for the same bullet weights were over 0.465.
The .308 TMKs are just as spectacular as the 69 & 77 grain versions.
I've shot them in two different Savage Model 10 law enforcement models adjusting the seating depths to see if I could get the OAL out far enough to fit into the Savage magazines and still maintain accuracy.
An old rebarreled 10 FP (with a 24 inch Savage Target barrel and a Bell & Calson adjustable stock) shot the 155s and 168s as follows:
155 TMKs # 7755 averaged 0.318 for 30 groups with a best load average of 0.229.
168 TMKs #7768 averaged 0.322 for 138 groups with a best load average of 0.230.
Best averages for SMKs were 0.407 with the 150s # 1380 and 0.476 with the 168s # 9377.
This barrel doesn't shoot the 175s as well as the newer rifle.
A newer 10 FCP-K with a 24 inch barrel and 2 inch muzzle brake shot the 155s 168s and 175s as follows:
155 TMKs # 7755 averaged 0.349 for 22 groups with a best load average of 0.263.
168 TMKs # 7768 averaged 0.335 for 36 groups with a best load average of 0.236.
175 TMKs # 7775 shot 1 group of 0.353.
Best SMK averages for the same bullet weights were over 0.465.