The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10

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11 years 2 months ago #28702 by Maddog
The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10 was created by Maddog
The Gun: National Match AR-10 20" Triple Lapped Barrel Free Float Quad Rail

My new gun finally arrived. I removed the handle and front sight and installed a Leupold 4.5-14 X 40 scope and Magpul PRS Stock. Then off to the range for barrel break-in. 100 rounds and a lot of barrel cleaning later it was time to try some factory loaded ammo.

The Goal: Since I do not intend to shoot in matches and my local range will not allow FMJ ammo, I was looking for a fine shooting hunting round capable of handling deer/hogs/varmints.

Armalite Tech Support had told me to expect best results from 168 grain bullets so I concentrated on 165/168 grain high quality projectiles

In the running were: 165 gr Scirocco, 165 gr Barnes TSX, 168 gr Barnes TTSX, 168 Etip, 165 Accubond, 168 Gr TSX. I was hoping the TSX or TTSX would work best as I love those bullets.

The Results: I'll save you the "blow by blow" on each load and get to the results. The 2 winners were the 165 Nosler Accubond and the 168 Barnes TSX (interesting that the 168 TTSX did not shoot as well as 168 TSX as the only difference is a plastic nose). Both shooting to the same POI and both shooting 1" groups (about the limit of my ability, probably).

Since I like the Barnes TSX and trust it implicitly, I have ordered 100 bullets. I also stumbled on 3 lbs of Varget and that's coming as well.

Since I know the velocity of the factory ammo I can handload some cartridges to that specification and surrounding velocities to "fine tune" the load for my gun.

The Adventure Continues.....
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11 years 2 months ago #28707 by foxhunter
Replied by foxhunter on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10
I've been loading 43gr varget with good results pushing a 165gr Hornady bullet. will be interested to see what load using Varget works for you
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11 years 2 months ago #28708 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10

Maddog wrote: The Gun: National Match AR-10 20" Triple Lapped Barrel Free Float Quad Rail


The Goal: Since I do not intend to shoot in matches and my local range will not allow FMJ ammo, I was looking for a fine shooting hunting round capable of handling deer/hogs/varmints.

.....

Were it me I would break that down into 3 rds.

1) Hog: They are tough, can be fat, very fat and can range in size from 60 lbs to the high 100's. Not matter what they are they are a tough hog and this calls for stopping power and a good wallop, especially when they are fat from spring and summer eating. I would be looking at 180gr with slight delay on deploying the damage cone. That fat can take a bullet and spin it around the inner skin line and let it exit and never give that pig anything other than a 'what was that' moment. You got to punch thru that fat layer to get to the kill zone. Buddy of mine just picked one off the other day that almost broke 500 lbs of mean.

2) Deer: If its whitetail the 168gr is good stuff if you have the right bullet with it. I am a fan of Barnes Vor Tex but you have some good ones in your line up. Again, they are small and low fat creature. Get the damage cone opened up soon or the rd will just be a pass-thru and you will find yourself following a blood trail. If you are looking Mule Deer then you need to like AT&T, reach out and touch them with long distance service. Out in SW Tex you want work that 20" triple lap at its outer edges. You will need flat and long reach bullet placement become king so accuracy and good penetration are your game.

3) Varmint: Not sure what you are calling varmints. Down here most are under 40 lbs and that means 'high-speed, low-drag' and blow them away. I would pick a 150 gr express...

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11 years 2 months ago #28712 by Maddog
Replied by Maddog on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10
Thanks, foxhunter!

Your load data mirrors the data that Barnes supplies for the 168 Gr TSX. Min = 41 grains and max = 45 grains. I think I'm going to load 5 bullets each for 41/42/43/44/45 grains Varget then head to the range to see how each groups. After that trip, I'll determine if I want to fine tune even more.

Some questions for you, if you don't mind:

It was Remington Hog Hammer ammo that shot the best. I'm thinking of adjusting my dies to just load to exactly what that ammo looks like and let 'er rip.

Did you load to a certain Cartridge Overall Length (COAL)?
Crimp?


ANY input would be appreciated!

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11 years 2 months ago #28714 by Maddog
Replied by Maddog on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10
Thanks, Ole Cowboy! I really like the suggestions. However, my goal is to find a very accurate and very potent (IE, the Barnes TSX bullet) round and lock that in for all of my needs. I figure if I get that done and memorize the ballistics than I'll have a one-size fits all deal. In other words....If I can place the bullet correctly, It'll go down!

Hogs- I've shot a dozen, or so, (up to approx. 250 lbs) with my '06 and 180 grain TTSX's and never had one travel more that 25 yds. Even lined up two one time for one shot....two kills. Yep, that bullet went completely through 2 hogs....proving your point. I've also watched my daughter (who's a hog magnet) shoot 6 hogs with a youth model .243 and 80 gr TTSX's...all solid pass through kill shots (although most of them did run ~50 yds). So, I think that the .308 168's will do the trick. I hope that I don't find out different!

Deer- I'm a Texas whitetail hunter and just haven't seen a TTSX shot yet that won't take down one of these smallish Texas deer (again, all shots from my '06). This year I hope to add the .308 to my list. If I'm going after mule deer, I'm not hauling around the AR-10 so I'll stick with the '06.

Varmints- Coyotes etc...no issue here

Again, Thanks for the comments

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11 years 2 months ago #28717 by JustMe
Replied by JustMe on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10
Maddog,

Instead of loading 5 rounds of each powder load, why don't you try the Ladder Test for finding the best powder charge? You have already selected the bullet you want to use so all that is left is to select a powder charge, primer type,and Overall Length. Use the Ladder Test for each of these variables. It should be a more economical way of narrowing down your best load.

Google "Ladder Test." You basically take one variable, lets say powder charge and load one round with many different powder charges (i.e. 41, 41.5, 42, 42.5, 43, 43.5, 44, 44.5, etc.) then see which charges group together. then you fine tune around this area. After this, do the same with primers, then with OAL. Should save you a lot of ammo.

Peterson's Rifle Shooter, August 2000, had a great article discussing Ladder Testing "A Quick Approach to Accuracy."
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11 years 2 months ago #28719 by JustMe
Replied by JustMe on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10
If you haven't selected a bullet yet, try the 155gr Sierra Palma Match King. It is cheap, accurate, and does a number on hogs and deer. I've used it many times very successfully on these animals. Its a hollow point bullet so you don't have to worry about the point being distorted by recoil while in the clip/magazine. Lined up 3 hogs one night and took them with a single shot. The last hog had a hole about the size of a softball through it's neck. Two through the head, the last one was hit just aft of the jaw bone in the neck, so it has good penetration and good expansion.

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11 years 2 months ago #28722 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10

JustMe wrote: Maddog,

Instead of loading 5 rounds of each powder load, why don't you try the Ladder Test for finding the best powder charge? You have already selected the bullet you want to use so all that is left is to select a powder charge, primer type,and Overall Length. Use the Ladder Test for each of these variables. It should be a more economical way of narrowing down your best load.

Google "Ladder Test." You basically take one variable, lets say powder charge and load one round with many different powder charges (i.e. 41, 41.5, 42, 42.5, 43, 43.5, 44, 44.5, etc.) then see which charges group together. then you fine tune around this area. After this, do the same with primers, then with OAL. Should save you a lot of ammo.

Peterson's Rifle Shooter, August 2000, had a great article discussing Ladder Testing "A Quick Approach to Accuracy."

:I-agree: +1 for the ladder test. You don't need a chrono to figure out what is going to be the most accurate load, and that's what counts!

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11 years 2 months ago #28747 by Maddog
Replied by Maddog on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10
OK, just read up on the Ladder Test. This makes perfect sense.

My Thanks to you all for this suggestion. Powder arrives next week and bullets arrived today. I feel some reloading time is coming up in the future.

Again, THANKS

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11 years 2 months ago #28778 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic The "Perfect" Hunting Load For My Armalite AR-10

Maddog wrote: Thanks, Ole Cowboy! I really like the suggestions. However, my goal is to find a very accurate and very potent (IE, the Barnes TSX bullet) round and lock that in for all of my needs. I figure if I get that done and memorize the ballistics than I'll have a one-size fits all deal. In other words....If I can place the bullet correctly, It'll go down!

Hogs- I've shot a dozen, or so, (up to approx. 250 lbs) with my '06 and 180 grain TTSX's and never had one travel more that 25 yds. Even lined up two one time for one shot....two kills. Yep, that bullet went completely through 2 hogs....proving your point. I've also watched my daughter (who's a hog magnet) shoot 6 hogs with a youth model .243 and 80 gr TTSX's...all solid pass through kill shots (although most of them did run ~50 yds). So, I think that the .308 168's will do the trick. I hope that I don't find out different!

Deer- I'm a Texas whitetail hunter and just haven't seen a TTSX shot yet that won't take down one of these smallish Texas deer (again, all shots from my '06). This year I hope to add the .308 to my list. If I'm going after mule deer, I'm not hauling around the AR-10 so I'll stick with the '06.

Varmints- Coyotes etc...no issue here

Again, Thanks for the comments

You are more than welcome Maddog. It was really kind of a reverse question in which I was asking why not different loads for different uses, the I gave examples of how I would/have approached...

I have always been a 'one shot-on kill' guy and followed the logic of 'fit the tool to the job, not the job to the tool'. That said I am no fan of 'universal fit' products, one size does not fit all, wish it did. Having said that I see what you are trying to accomplish thus my question how do you solve the problem this brings or what I see. From 400+ hog to the 40 lb Coyote? I respect your approach, but certainly its a challenge in my thinking...

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