What ammo do you use in your AR?

[adrenaline151]

About 5 years ago I owned a Bushmaster Super Varminter, and when I picked it up from the gun shop, the guy behind the counter said "DO NOT shoot Wolf ammo".
So I didn't. I mostly shot Winchester White Box when I could find a decent price on it and eventually I ended up trading the SV to my dad for a few of his guns...
Now for the last year and a half or so I've been drooling on my keyboard quite frequently, most of the time on Rainier Arms' site(does anyone else check their NEW PRODUCTS section at least once or twice a day, just for the new pics??), and I decided to "give 'er hell" and just buy an AR-15, whether I could afford it or not. That's what those economic stimulus checks are for, right? So I ordered a Noveske, after talking to one of the fellas at Rainier Arms, but at the time they didn't have the 16" Recce that they recommended(should have waited a week, huh?), so I ordered one from Noveske.
Now I need to build up a stash of ammo, for blasting and for home defense/predator hunting.
For the defense/hunting I was planning on trying out the TAP ammo, in whatever weight shoots the best, and for practice and training... not so sure.
So what works for you guys..? What is the best compromise of cleanliness, reliability, accuracy and price? I would like to stick with the same weight that I decide on in the TAP, so I guess I'm just looking for a point in the right direction as far as a brand, and possibly a place to buy. Thanks, guys!

[aus71383]

I read up a bit and liked the looks of the 75 grain TAP. The others will not penetrate enough to make me happy. I would consider getting some of the Federal TBBC also, but at the moment what I'm stocked up on for defense is 5.56mm 75gr TAP. When I go to the range I shoot whatever I can find for "cheap". That's been Wal Mart UMC lately....

Austin

[TigerStripe]

I have all kinds of ammo. I see no problem shooting Wolf in it if it's this Recce. http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=sho...roduct_id=1047
I like TAP as a defensive round both 55gr and 75gr.


TS

[Paulo_Santos]

I would pick one of the TAP ammo and reload using the same bullets for training. The .223 TAP uses commercial powders so it should be pretty easy to make a copy of their ammo. If you don't reload there really isn't too much plinking ammo other than the Wolf ammo.

[louie]

No Wolf for me.

FED American Eagle for plinking, target shooting.
FED MAtch ammo for accuracy.

[103m 95g]

I use mostly my own reloads 55grn hornady FMJBT W/cann, I have used the new Federal black box XM193, Q3131, PMC556, MAL 556, Federal red box 223, REM green/white box 223, and I hate to admit it but Monarch 223 (steel case, very dirty)
the local shop has TAP at $16.95 a box, I'll pass

[markm]

I use mostly my own reloads 55grn hornady FMJBT W/cann

Same here. I can load much better ammo than any of the foreign crap that's currently available. Fed AE is acceptable, but I can load more accurate bulk ammo for about 8-10 cents per round cheaper.

[Tucson]

I use Winchester "white box" 55gr.

[AMMOTECH]

My AR is zeroed with 55gr Sellier & Bellot and my main stock pile is the same.
I will shoot most anything that I can get for cheap for general range/training time including Wolf.

[NvrenufRR]

My suggestions... and Uses

Wolf, Dirty, but economical for ammo wasting, I haven't had 1 problem yet over about 20,000rds of newer NON-green shellaqued 55 & 62gr loads.

WWB, I have only used the 5.56 55 and 62gr marked boxes and buy them by the case from the stores. Never had a problem.

Federal. Buy lots of surplus xm 193 & 855, Besides a VERY FEW damaged cases, never had a problem.

Remington UMC - Good shooting round, a little dirty but not wolf, some cycling issues with 45gr vamint rounds from value packs

S&B, shot lots od this with good luck, never a problem.

Monarch, Stay away from it, It will tighten your chamber if not properly mainteneced and cause pressure problems from the Sheeaque adhereing to the chamber. (Incorrect headspace)

Black Hills Red and Blue box, Awesome ammo, MOA or better even on Blue box. MK 77 loads are wonderful from 1:7 @400+yds.

Ultramax - Have heard alot problems with this ammo, from no powder to kabooms, No experience, but suggest to not use this.

Federal Gold Medal.
Great Long range accuracy round.

Hornady - A== stuff, but not for plinking.

Portugese, South African , British Surplus, Good, Great stuff, same VERY FEW damaged shells per couple of thousand as in Federal/Winchester surplus.

Best advice I can give, is BUY A DILLON 650 or !)%), keep your brass, and RELOAD, You can save $$$ in this way. My dillon paid for itself in under 6000 rds

I agree with the suggestion of keeping the same grain bullet for parctice as defense suggested. Optics and sights will retain best zero for this combination and training.

IF you buy surplus that is LOOSE, inspect the rounds for damage, you dont want to fire a cracked brass round.

[Failure2Stop]

While I have never shot Wolf through any of my carbines, I won't say that I never will.

I zero with my go-to ammo, 75gr 5.56 TAP.

I do high-volume training with Fed XM193, as the close range difference between that and the TAP is insignificant. I did notice a shift when switching from BH Blue Box 55 gr to XM193 (about 2 MOA right).
I want to try some of the lower-cost alternatives though.

I do med range training with BH 77gr Blue Box. I want to try out the Prvi 77gr though, as I am not shooting a match gun. Honestly, I don't do it that much on my own guns, as we do it fairly frequently at work.

Is anyone else running Prvi or the like through LMTs or BCMs? While I am all for practicing corrective action, I don't really need to be doing it every tenth round :).

[Chad H]

I just shot 1500 rounds of Privi 55 gr at an EAG Carbine course. Very good to go. One malfunction (Stovepipe) in an LWRC that purposely was not being cleaned.

[justbill]

So what works for you guys..? What is the best compromise of cleanliness, reliability, accuracy and price?

I have a number of different factory and handloads for use in my RRA Entry Tactical but the one chosen for home defense and target shooting to 200 yards is Black Hills 52-grain HP Match. It is the most accurate load I've shot in my ET. Chronographed velocity is high (av. 2944 fps) and consistent (SD is 15.2 for three different production lots of "red box"). I've had no FTF/FTE over several boxes including a couple of the cheaper "blue box" reloaded version using mixed, once-fired brass.

[TigerStripe]

I've used a good bit of Wolf M193 / Prvi Partisan ammo with absolutely no problems.



TS