220Gr Sierra Matchkings..

[Trent]

The whole AAC Blackout craze is seriously crimping my training. Trying to find 220 Gr Sierra Matchkings in stock somewhere. Midway is out of them until *April* (best estimate).

Been checking various reloading sites. This one made me laugh, or at least groan.

http://www.lohmanarms.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SRA2240

This uniquely designed flat based bullet was designed in conjunction with AAC (Advanced Armament Corporation) and Remington Arms for the new .300 AAC Blackout cartridge designed for the AR platform. This bullet has also proven to be exceptionally accurate

What a load of horse crap! (That website says in stock but you are warned at check out that they have virtually nothing in stock, and everything is backordered.)

I've been shooting these bullets for 18 years, way before the 300 AAC Blackout was ever thought up.

I need 1500 of these bullets to get through 2014 for long range F-Class matches and practice. Yet, I can't find them because people are using them for short range plinking out of AR's.

Grr....

 

[GooseGestapo]

The caption you listed is definitely a misprint. It's intended for the 123gr Hollow Point load that Remington is using in it's factory "supersonic" load. I've shot some through a friends AR15. I also used them to regulate the seating depth on some 125gr Speer TNT's I loaded for the .300AAC. They are definitely better suited to the short range proclivities of the .300AAC.

However, regarding your angst regarding the 220gr MatchKings, I know your pain !!!

 

[Trent]

I'm going the cast bullet route with the 300 AAC, 220 gr subsonic. I just picked up a mold for it last week and have plenty of lead.

I can't see the logic behind shooting a very expensive, sleek, low ballistic coefficient premium bullet designed for magnums to shoot 1K+ yard distances, out of a short range gun. It baffles me.

This being said, I ordered 100 rounds of factory 300 AAC ammo w/ 220 gr sierra matchkings, just to harvest the damn bullets out of. I'll reload them with lead cast bullets, and save myself the time in converting 223 cases over.

No.. I'll use the 300 AAC upper I have for "modern semiautomatic that is able to shoot subsonic lead cast bullets" - something I have not had in any other platform to date. It's an inexpensive way to go, with the 600# of wheel weight lead I have, I'll be loading for it at about 12 cents a shot.

 

[dubbleA]

I can't see the logic behind shooting a very expensive, sleek, low ballistic coefficient premium bullet designed for magnums to shoot 1K+ yard distances, out of a short range gun. It baffles me.

This made me chuckle. You're trying to find logic in people's bullet choices, really?

I have a bolt and AR SBR in 300 AAC Blackout solely for shooting heavies subsonics suprressed and have no desire to shoot anything else including cast bullets. I have plenty of SMK's to shoot in my Blackouts including 220's and the even more expensive and harder to find 240's. Also rocking the Hornady 225 HPBT and 208 Amax, I didn't know they were only intended for LR magnums, my bad.

I use Berger's in F class as they offer higher ballistic coefficient's for flatter trajectories.

 

[Trent]

dubbleA;

I've tried Bergers in my 300 Win and they won't group as well. I gave them a fair shake, too. Multiple weights, designs, backed by different powder, set to different OAL. My rifle just doesn't like them. I've also run various other projectiles through for testing; Nosler, Lapua, Hornaday.. nothing else quite does it. I even tried those godawful expensive cnc-turned monolithic projectiles. Many of the loads I tested this year were 3/4 MOA or close to 1/2 MOA. But I am shooting under 1/4 MOA with the Sierras out of the Krieger barrel. (The last barrel also favored the 220gr matchkings; it was holding .34 MOA right up to the end when my throat was eroded to the point of rebarreling).

The lot of Sierras I have been shooting was a big lot I bought back on 11/28/2006.. I'm hoping when I do find another batch, the current line production is as good as it was 7 years ago. Otherwise I may very well end up falling back to another brand.

I hope I don't have to go through load development all over again. I'm 450 rounds in to this barrel and they don't last forever on belted magnums. Was hoping to get through 2014 before rebarreling.

 

[Trent]

Update: After 3 months, my first backorder from Midway arrived today (box of 500.)