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What's the difference between Black Hills 5.56x45mm NATO Ammo 77 Grain Open Tip Match and Black Hills MK262 MOD 1-C?

Whitlock

Private
Minuteman
Jun 7, 2025
3
6
Georgia
I'm curious if anyone knows the difference between the commercially available Black Hills 5.56x45mm NATO Ammo 77 Grain Open Tip Match and Black Hills MK262 MOD 1-C?
I read that Black Hills changed the bullet on the 77gr OTM's from the Sierra Matchking to a new Hornady bullet. Has anyone tested these two for accuracy, velocity, ES and SD?
 
I'm curious if anyone knows the difference between the commercially available Black Hills 5.56x45mm NATO Ammo 77 Grain Open Tip Match and Black Hills MK262 MOD 1-C?
I read that Black Hills changed the bullet on the 77gr OTM's from the Sierra Matchking to a new Hornady bullet. Has anyone tested these two for accuracy, velocity, ES and SD?

My Black Hills 77grn SMK Ammo is faster than my MK 262 ammo.

And shoots single digits SD's out of my Geissele 18" SPR Cut Barrels.

I'll look out for any New looking projectiles when I order my next BLack Hills 77gr Nato order.
 
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I have a couple thousand rounds of BH 77 OTM that I purchased recently.
Haven’t shot any yet, so I can’t comment on velocity or accuracy, but it is loaded with the Hornady bullets.
This is indicated on the label.

The MOD 1-C is still loaded with the Sierra bullet.
 
I have shot a shitload of the 77 OTM SMK at various distances with consistent results. I have only shot a few of the new Hornady projectiles at shorter distances. No real issues so far. But it was allegedly done to improve the BC, so I would look for some who consistently takes it out to longer distances. YMMV.
 
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So I called black hills today and asked what the difference was between the MK262 and the red box 77gr OTM's and they said that other than the bullet they are identical. I then asked what the BC was on the new Hornady bullets in the 77gr and they said they should have the same BC as the SMK. They then sent me a chart to my email and said that the chart applied to both loadings. I've attached the chart to this post.
 

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  • 5.56MM 77GR MK262 MOD 1-C.pdf
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I believe the Hornady bullets are the newer "Aeromatch" line. This is for the cannelure version.

Screenshot 2025-06-11 at 11-49-50 22 Cal .224 77 gr HPBT AEROMATCH™ ‑ Hornady Manufacturing Inc.png
 
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I believe the Hornady bullets are the newer "Aeromatch" line. This is for the cannelure version.

View attachment 8706912
Interesting. If that's the case then it would seem the BC is different from what Black Hills told me at .361

Now it's possible that Hornady is making a 77gr SMK clone specifically for Black Hills and that it's slightly different from the Aeromatch line. Maybe we need to give Hornady a call and see what they say about it...
 
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Interesting. If that's the case then it would seem the BC is different from what Black Hills told me at .361

Now it's possible that Hornady is making a 77gr SMK clone specifically for Black Hills and that it's slightly different from the Aeromatch line. Maybe we need to give Hornady a call and see what they say about it...

For the .224 Aeromatch bullets we make cannelured and non-cannelured versions of 69 and 77gr. That is all. Published G1 BC's are always to be taken with a grain of salt. .355 vs .361 is within external factor variation (i.e. what barrel they're shot out of or what powder is used even).
 
For the .224 Aeromatch bullets we make cannelured and non-cannelured versions of 69 and 77gr. That is all. Published G1 BC's are always to be taken with a grain of salt. .355 vs .361 is within external factor variation (i.e. what barrel they're shot out of or what powder is used even).
What is the yaw characteristic and terminal velocity required for fragmentation of the .224 77gr Aero?