US Military Sniper ammo

The OP asked about the M24, not necessarily the new iteration of the m24, the XM24/XM2010 now chambered in 300 win mag. For 308, M118LR is the issued ammunition. For the 300 win mag, Federal is providing the ammo per the contract and it's the MK248 MOD 1 Cartridge.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/USA-Orders-499M-in-300-Winchester-Magnum-Ammo-05493/

How much IMR 4895 does it take to get you 2600 fps? Or would Varget or H4895 be better? Anyone with experience?

msredneck wrote:

So I can see why the military switched.....Wounding a soldier is just as good at winning a war as dead ones...It takes a lot of support folks to take care of wounded....slows folks down

5.56mm was never designed to wound, this little bit of inaccurate information has been parroted forever. Used within it's limitations (every cartridge has one) it performs well and has sent plenty of our enemies to meet their makers.

Here are the big reasons why the military switched:
From studies conducted of WWII to the Korean War, research found that the average engagement range was limited compared to the ranges of WWI often less than IIRC 200m, in addition to that most rifleman held their fire until a guaranteed hit could be achieved often 150m.
More ammo could be carried in 5.56mm often close to 2-3x more than 7.62mm.
In rapid fire a squad sized element could lay down more accurate fire at a higher rate than a squad armed with rifles chambered in 7.62mm.

It has never been the intent of the military to wound enemy soldiers. A wound enemy is still capable of fighting a battle and inflicting casualties or fighting later once healed. Also not all countries place as great of a emphasis on care of the wounded or never leaving a fallen comrade as our military does.


To the Op:
The current 7.62mm cartridge that the Sniper community utilizes is the M118 LR for the M24 SWS and the M110 SASS. This cartridge replaced the M852 Match, M118 and M118 Special Ball of the past though you can at times still find it issued. The M118 LR cartridge is produced by the Salt Lake City ammunition plant utilizing the 7.62mm brass loaded with a 175 grain Boat Tailed Hollow Point. You can find it from time to time sold to the civilian market. The cheapest that I have found it sold in bulk 200 round packs for a buck a round.

I got some of the older stuff.


Ammo can full of 173gr fmj 1964. And one of 1977 173gr bthp. Shoots great out of my r700 AAC-SD. So i put it up just incase its needed one day

M118lr is the newer stuff and uses 175 Smk. M118 special ball is the older stuff used the 173 sierra match bullet. You can buy it but don't pay more for it. There isn't anything magic about. 175 fgmm Shoots just as good.

Having been one in the USMC, we used the 168 SMK or the 175 Berger. All loaded by LCA or Win. In the M40A3 and M40A4. Most of us preferred the 168 to the 175 but we had to shoot whatever we were given.
You can buy them but they're not EXACTLY the same.
The closest I've come to replicating them has been some win brass, cci lrm (yes I said LRM) primers and 44gr of Varget. COL 0.0001" off my rifling.

It is 2550. They use a faster burning powder than varget so obviously it gets moving out of the throat a little faster and is a little slower on muzzle velocity. The few times we checked our velocity it was +/- 100fps most likely due to atmospheric conditions.

I was told they currently used 175gr Nosler BTHP with 41.5 gr of Reloader 15. I'm not sure if this is correct or a load of garbage, but I loaded it up in my FN and I got a nice little clover leaf from 100yds last tuesday at Magnolia. I love it. Just need a chrono now to figure out velocity so I can properly dope the scope for longer ranges. If any of you would care to let me shoot a few through yours, me and 2 friends are going tomorrow to sight in our deer rifles tomorrow after lunch

failed to mention I used Lake City Match brass and CCI benchrest primers

BigDaddyQ wrote:I was told they currently used 175gr Nosler BTHP with 41.5 gr of Reloader 15. I'm not sure if this is correct or a load of garbage, but I loaded it up in my FN and I got a nice little clover leaf from 100yds last tuesday at Magnolia. I love it. Just need a chrono now to figure out velocity so I can properly dope the scope for longer ranges. If any of you would care to let me shoot a few through yours, me and 2 friends are going tomorrow to sight in our deer rifles tomorrow after lunch

failed to mention I used Lake City Match brass and CCI benchrest primers

Nope. They Don't use nosler projectiles. Confirmed that with a friend who is working for Win up in Oxford at their mil production plant. I have a chronological but its back in Starkville. If you can wait a.couple of weeks, I'll bring it back with me and will gladly let you borrow it.

Damn auto correct...
chrono ... not chronological.

sure thing. I was told that was what they were using so I bought some to try it out. I love the way it shoots at 100 so thats what I'm using now. Reloader 15 gave me a better group than varget did. I'm in no real hurry to do anything I just happen to be going this afternoon if anyone else wants to go shoot.

Good idea may try it next time. Didn't think about that this morning when I left.