What is your preferred heavy, expanding 5.56 projectile?

[adamsredlines]

Starting to look into loading some heavier stuff for 5.56, what is the go to round for heavy stuff in the 75/77 range. Could be a little more, could be a little less but in that ballpark. I'm also looking at doing some bulk of this, so affordability is also a bonus but not the leading criteria.

And if it makes a difference in the answer, this will be out of a 12.5 more than likely using varget.

 

[JCann]

Barrel twist?
Anticipated distance of use?
Application of use?

 

[adamsredlines]

It's a Rosco K9 Sage dynamics barrel 1:7 twist.

Just looking to cover more bases.
Getting a Dillon 1050, so cranking them out will be easy. I plan on just 55gr for plinking, 62gr "green tips" just cuz, and want something heavier and expanding for general stuff you'd want expanding bullets for... say max 500 yards but likely within 300 99% of the time.

 

[adamsredlines]

Will always have a LPVO on it. Not looking to put a big scope on it.

 

[JEVapa]

MK262. 77gr SMK and still 2400fps out of a 10.3 bbl. Why reinvent the wheel when the best 5.56 cartridge already exists?
@KurtM knows a load to make the equivalent.

 

[rockchalk06]

I wasn't able to get enough Varget in Starline brass to make 2700 out of a 16" barrel with the 77 SMK. I had to use TAC. 23.9 Grains is where I settled and that gets me 2710ish sub 30° and 2760ish at 90°. Loaded to mag length.

The two coyotes I killed were 150 yards and they dropped, kicked for a few seconds and took a dirt nap.
The one Pig I killed was 75 yards and she ran about 60 yards, bled out.

No maximum carnage, but it did the job well for the caliber and it's all I load now in my AR.

 

[KurtM]

AA 2520 pretty much duplicates Mk262 velocities. I think around 25-25.5 grains, but that is just memory, I can look it up when I get home. The down side is AA2520 Is damn near unobtainium at the present.

 

[CS Boomis]

My nephew has been burning the AAC 77gr through his 12.5 with a can. He says it’s like a laser and very consistent. I have one build that I’m dying to air out with these.

Now that I’ve sunk the last nail on this school thing hopefully I will have some time to play. I have a stack of sticks that need the dust knocked off and zeroed.

 

[ClintC]

I have been using the 77 gr Berger OTMs out of my bolt rifle. Then 69 gr Sierra bullets out of the gas gun. That combo in these rifles just work for me.

 

[Ndenway]

I run 69gr nosler otm in mine since it works well in my 1:7 & 1:9 barrels.

Mostly still the p&p m193s since thats what I got more of.