.223 gel test: Double Tap 77 gr Nosler HPBT

[chopinbloc]

Link for phones



.223 Rem Double Tap 77 gr Nosler HPBT fired from 11.5" and 16" barrel AR pattern rifles into calibrated 10% gelatin.

BB: 588.4 fps, 3.7"

11.5" barrel results:

Impact velocity: 2,559 fps
Penetration: 13.8"
Retained weight: 22.7 gr
Max expansion: 0.453"
Min expansion: 0.286"
Neck: 1.8"
TSC: 2.75" x 6.5"


16" barrel results:

Impact velocity: 2,754 fps
Penetration: 12.7"
Retained weight: 41.7 gr
Max expansion: 0.721"
Min expansion: 0.317"
Neck: 0.9"
TSC: 2.5" x 7.5"


The jacket on the first shot stopped in the middle of the block but on the second shot it stayed with the bulk of the projectile all the way. Oddly, the jacket seemed to be "backwards". If you look closely, you can see where the base of the bullet would have been. It seems that it may have somehow separated from the core and then got mashed back against it. This underscores the reason that a statistically valid sample size is important in professional testing.

 

[dvdcrr]

For the layman is this better or worse performance than
A. Wolf 123 gr. 7.62X39 hp
B. 62 gr. M855

 

[chopinbloc]

Depends on what application. It is excellent performance for home defense. Far better than the two you listed.

 

[dvdcrr]

Thank you

 

[Tirod]

Superior results like these are why the Navy and other small units who can request the ammo they want requisition the M262 77gr OTM. If you don't have a pressing need for a steel penetrator round and are shooting it from a 10.5" barrel in Mk 18's and other SBR's then it's the better ammo to use.

 

[chopinbloc]

It underscores one of the problems with amateur testing like my own. To get valid results, you need to perform a statistically relevant number of shots.

As far as what happened here, I really shouldn't use the word "expansion" to describe the recovered bullet's dimensions in a test like this. OTM and HPBT bullets don't typically expand and I don't believe this is any exception. They usually yaw and then fragment. It looks like the jacket separated from the core and through some bizarre circumstance, got smashed back against the core. That's why it measured wider and had a higher retained weight.

 

[d2wing]

Thanks for posting that. I am impressed with the 16 inch barrel results more. It looks to me like the jacket folded back on the core and retained some integrity. Like you said, another round may not act the same way, but it gives a person reasonable expectation. Excellent bullet performance.

 

[chopinbloc]

Thanks for watching. Definitely a solid choice for home defense.