Really Impressed By IMI "Razorcore" 77gr SMK 5.56 Ammo

[Llama Bob]

For anyone looking to shoot their AR (1:8 twist or faster) at long range and/or accurately inexpensively, I was really impressed by this IMI ammo.

Cost to my door is about $0.70/round and on a load with a $0.30 bullet, that's CHEAP.

Accuracy is sub-MOA out of a NATO-chambered rifle. I've been averaging 0.8-0.9 MOA. I'm sure I could improve that some by handloading long to eat up the extra NATO chamber freebore, but for factory ammo in a reliability-first gun this is impressive IMO. Here's a fairly typical group (the other two groups are other loads):

The rifle as-shot:

Chrono results from a 16" barrel (5 shots):
Min: 2683 ft/s
Max: 2708 ft/s
Avg: 2694 ft/s
Standard Deviation: 11.4 ft/s

That's fast for a 77gr. load in a 16" gun - I'm not sure I could do much faster handloading without exceeding pressure. SD is pretty darn good for factory ammo too. Supersonic range is 950 yards at my elevation, 800y at sea level. I haven't tested transonic stability, but it's probably OK.

This shoots as well or a hair better than FGMM 77gr out of my gun, is 232 ft/s faster with a similar SD, and costs $0.40/round less.

There's some intangibles too. The primer seal and crimp suggest water resistance. While I'm not sure what the powder is it's a military load from a hot climate so one might hope they stayed away from very temperature sensitive choices.

Worth looking at if you want to push the range on your AR.

 

[<*(((><]

That's good to hear. I bought about 300 rounds of that based off of good reviews online and that it supports Israel. Thank you for your findings.

For anyone looking to shoot their AR (1:8 twist or faster) at long range and/or accurately inexpensively, I was really impressed by this IMI ammo.

Cost to my door is about $0.70/round and on a load with a $0.30 bullet, that's CHEAP.

Accuracy is sub-MOA out of a NATO-chambered rifle. I've been averaging 0.8-0.9 MOA. I'm sure I could improve that some by handloading long to eat up the extra NATO chamber freebore, but for factory ammo in a reliability-first gun this is impressive IMO. Here's a fairly typical group (the other two groups are other loads):

The rifle as-shot:

Chrono results from a 16" barrel (5 shots):
Min: 2683 ft/s
Max: 2708 ft/s
Avg: 2694 ft/s
Standard Deviation: 11.4 ft/s

That's fast for a 77gr. load in a 16" gun - I'm not sure I could do much faster handloading without exceeding pressure. SD is pretty darn good for factory ammo too. Supersonic range is 950 yards at my elevation, 800y at sea level. I haven't tested transonic stability, but it's probably OK.

This shoots as well or a hair better than FGMM 77gr out of my gun, is 232 ft/s faster with a similar SD, and costs $0.40/round less.

There's some intangibles too. The primer seal and crimp suggest water resistance. While I'm not sure what the powder is it's a military load from a hot climate so one might hope they stayed away from very temperature sensitive choices.

Worth looking at if you want to push the range on your AR.

 

[d'zaster]

I just posted a thread about experience with 77gr bullets with the AR platform. Good to know!!! Thanks for posting the velocities. I have 18" 1:8 bbl POF AR. Time to set up the press to develop a new pet load!!

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I recently purchased 120 rounds of the stuff from SGAmmo but I haven't had a chance to test it in my AR yet. My intention is to use it for HD but all the reports say it's match grade ammo.

 

[imashooter]

Very good. I've been interested in some heavier rounds for my 20" 1:7 barrel. Thanks.

 

[<*(((><]

I'm going to be trying it in my 24" 1:9 mossberg mvp, hopefully the longer barrel will help with the slower twist. Does anyone have any personal experience with 77 grains in a 1:9 out if a longer barrel?

I will also be trying them in my S&W M&P 15T with a 1:8 5r, they should do fine in that.

 

[chas442]

I have a colt with a 24" heavy barrel. 77 grain SMK at 100 yds. Varget powder. Last time out put 4 bullets in one hole. I had to put one 1 " over to make sure I wasn't missing the target. Retrieved the target and the hole was a little ragged. Sorry no photos. Everyone that I know that have tried the 77 grain SMk found that they worked really well in a rifle with a 1 in 9 twist. The chamber is a 556 chamber so I load longer than magazine length at 0.010 off the lands.

 

[MrSpiffy]

I recently purchased 120 rounds of the stuff from SGAmmo but I haven't had a chance to test it in my AR yet. My intention is to use it for HD but all the reports say it's match grade ammo.

If it's assembled with 77gr SMKs, it's definitely target/match ammo and not for self-defense purposes. SMKs aren't designed to expand like a hunting or defense round, they're meant for accuracy. If you want a defense load, I'd suggest looking for a round with a different bullet with better expansion characteristics.

I did test reloads with 77gr SMKs, and I will say they turned out to be 1MOA or better, so far.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Supposedly the round they copied (Black Hills mk262 Mod 0) is a great CQB round, especially from short barrels. Inside 50 feet I expect the 77gr bullet will open or fragment but I could be mistaken. At any rate the rounds are sealed and the primer pockets staked, a clear indication that IMI thinks of them as a combat load. Or at least they're marketing them that way.

 

[Llama Bob]

IMI definitely thinks of it as a combat load. I think it's overrun for some military contract (not necessarily US military).

I think the reputation stems less from the fact that M262 is a great short barrel CQ round, and more that M855 is such a miserably bad one. The 77SMK has a thin jacket and will fragment at close to medium range.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Apropos of nothing I've killed a fair number of deer with 168gr BTHP match bullets from an '06 and .308 Win. None of them took more than a couple of steps after being hit.

 

[C-grunt]

That IMI M262 type load is really good stuff from my experience. My buddy shoots a lot of it out of his Mk12 build. Has stayed sub MOA out to 800 yards with it.

Also the 77 grn SMK is very much a good self defense load. Works well.