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View Full Version : Ammo Review: Hunting Shack Munitions (HSM) 556-17T



Paulo_Santos
11 November 2010, 12:59
Please post comments here (http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum/showthread.php?2745-Ammo-Review-Hunting-Shack-Munitions-(HSM)-556-17T&p=25284#post25284).

INTRO:
This is my review of the Hunting Shack Munitions (HSM) (http://www.thehuntingshack.com/) 556-17T ammo (Hornady 75 GR T1 Bullet loaded to 5.56 velocities.).

ORIGINS OF THE HSM 556-17T:
Several years ago, while on ARFCOM, several people were complaining because they could not get any of the Hornady 5.56 75 GR TAP ammo because Hornady only sold it to LE/Military. I knew Darren Newsom, who was the Plant Manager at the Hunting Shack, so I contacted him to see if they would be able/interested in producing something similar to the Hornady 5.56 75 GR TAP ammo at an affordable price. I had used some of their 75 GR and 77 GR match ammo and it was very accurate and had great velocities out of a 16" barrel.

The goal was to produce an all-around great package that could be used for Tactical, Home Defense, and Target use. So the idea was to take their 75 GR ammo, which used the Hornady 75 GR BTHP T1 bullet and put cannelures on them and seal and crimp the primers and seal the bullets like on the M193/M855 ammo. (I actually wanted to make a MK262 clone with the Sierra 77 GR SMK bullets because they are generally more accurate, but it was voted down because of the price and because the Hornady performed better in Gel Testing.). Velocity wasn't that important as accuracy because the Hornady 75 GR T1 bullets have a BC of.395, while the Hornady 75 GR T2 bullets have a BC of .355, so even if the velocity wasn't as high as the Hornady 556 75 GR TAP ammo (2700 FPS out of a 16" barrel), it didn't make much of a difference. Unfortunately, others didn't see it that way and several guys started contacting Darren at HSM and pressured him into matching the Hornady 556 75 GR TAP ammo, which they did. Then after some samples were sent out, those same guys were bitching because the accuracy wasn't there. So Darren Newsom was nice enough to put out two different versions: The HSM 556-17T and the 223-17T. The price at the time was around $26 per box of 50 (I paid $26.69 for LE Pricing.). The HSM 556-17T is generally a 2 MOA round, while the HSM 223-17T is closer to a 1.5 MOA round (10 rounds at 100 yards).

CURRENT HSM 556-17T:
The HSM 556-17T came in the usual orange and black box of 50, that most of the HSM .223/556 ammo comes in. The brass was the Winchester .223 brass. I pulled one of the Hornady 75 GR bullets and there was no sealant on the bullets, nor were the primers crimped, but they were sealed, which I don't think it is a big deal. I contacted HSM and confirmed the changes from the original.

ACCURACY RESULTS:
RIFLE Used: LMT 5.56 Piston AR.
Support Used: Front and Rear sandbag.
Optic: Leupold 1.5x4.5x scope set on 4.5x.
Trigger: WOA Tuned RRA Trigger.
Range: 100 Yards.
Shot Groups: 4 5 round shot groups.

HSM 556-17T.
Brass: Winchester .223.
OAL: 2.245"
Temp: 60.

HSM 556-17T: HI: 2743 fps, LO: 2682 fps, AVE: 2709 fps, ES: 61, SD: 18
ACCURACY: 2.4"

SHOOTING IMPRESSION:
I shot all 49 rounds with no malfunction. The recoil was very mild, which surprised me a little bit. I thought it would have a little more pop to it. There were no pressure signs on any of the brass. Accuracy was on par with M193. I was hoping that the HSM 556-17T would shoot a little better, but in comparison, the Hornady 223 75 GR TAP actually shoots 4-4.5 MOA from this AR, so I shouldn't have been that surprised. My handloads with the same Hornady 75 GR T1 bullets is right around 1.25 MOA, so my AR just doesn't like the powder that Hornady or HSM are using. Next time I order something from HSM I will order the HSM 223-17T and the regular HSM 223-17 for comparison.

CONCLUSION:
For the price, the HSM 556-17T is a great Tactical Round. It isn't going to win many Benchrest competitions, but it wasn't designed for that. If you are looking for pure accuracy, check out the HSM 223-17 (Hornady 75 GR Bullet) or the HSM 223-11 (Sierra 77 GR SMK Bullet).

Paulo_Santos
11 November 2010, 14:38
Pictures used from Molon's HSM Review (http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=283506&page=11):

237 (No longer sealed)

238

239

240

Paulo_Santos
11 November 2010, 14:39
245 (No longer crimped, but sealed)

242

243

244