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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone try the PSA/AAC 77gr OTM ammo? (Page 1 of 24)
Posted: 3/28/2023 8:48:43 AM EDT
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I just noticed PSA is selling 77gr, OTM 5.56 ammo. It's less expensive than their 77gr, 5.56 with the SMK bullet. I am curious how well it shoots compared to the SMK version. Here is the ammo in question. https://palmettostatearmory.com/aac-5-56-nato-77-grain-otm-20rd-box-ammunition.html |
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I had the same question. At first I thought it was the same 77gr as before just cheaper. Here is an archived thread I found on it: https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/PSA-AAC-77-gr-OTM/5-2587938/ |
 AAC 5.56x45mm, 77gr OTM, MK262 Mod 1 Clone! |
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Those videos appear to be reviews of the 77gr Sierra Matchking (even though the one video title is OTM). I bought a few boxes of the 77gr SMK for around $14.99 (I think) and the 77gr OTM were listed at $11.99 (I think). I wish I would have bought some when I saw the email yesterday because it looks like they are sold out already! |
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Quoted: Those videos appear to be reviews of the 77gr Sierra Matchking (even though the one video title is OTM). I bought a few boxes of the 77gr SMK for around $14.99 (I think) and the 77gr OTM were listed at $11.99 (I think). I wish I would have bought some when I saw the email yesterday because it looks like they are sold out already! The Sierra MatchKing bullet is an Open Tip Match design. Take note that the offerings by AAC are ~150 fpm less that the IMI 77gr SMK OTM LR MOD 1 |
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Quoted: If they're generally the same 77-grain bullet I wonder if the cheaper ones are loaded with Sierra blems. That’s what I was wondering, or if they did an in-house bullet. I’ve got some of the non smk marketed 77gr OTM’s on the way to compare to the AAC 77gr SMK’s. |
| I clicked on the ad in the mass email from PSA yesterday morning before 0600 CDT and they were sold out then. It appears to me it is most likely a different bullet than the SMK--as those rounds are listed separately and at a different price. I am very curious as to what bullet this new offering is loaded with as well. |
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Quoted: The Sierra MatchKing bullet is an Open Tip Match design. Take note that the offerings by AAC are ~150 fpm less that the IMI 77gr SMK OTM LR MOD 1 Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification! It's confusing because the boxes are labeled "77 Grain Matchking" and "77 Grain OTM" but the videos titles don't line up with the label on the ammo boxes that they show. I just don't want people to think they are watching a review for one thing but it's actually about another. |
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Sellier and Bellot makes 5.56x45mm, with a 77gr OTM bullet that they say is NOT a Sierra SMK and is made in the Czech Republic. So an SMK Clone?? Just speculating that perhaps this is the cheaper 77 grain bullet being utilized by PSA/AAC for their lower priced offering. |
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Not sure if it will turn out to be a wise decision or not but I’m probably going to do an order of 500rds. At the price they are selling them, that’s close to what local shops sell their cheap stuff for. I’m hoping this is 90% as good as a SMK and can eventually standardize on a 77gr round around 50cpr |
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Their in-stock status fluctuates a lot day to day. Yesterday I got lucky and put my order in even before I got an in-stock notification. I’ll be interested in seeing how each of their three offerings performs and compares between the 77gr SMK (77cpr), 75gr BTHP (62cpr), and 77gr OTM (55cpr). Like someone else mentioned, after ship & tax their newest 77gr OTM is about 61cpr shipped. It’s kind of exciting to be part of the initial buy group on this new load. If it’s anything close to the performance of an average 77gr SMK I will be so thrilled to have access to an affordable precision round. |
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In the "general" forum there are replies from PSA. This product uses a PSA bullet rather than SMK. Product availability fluctuates frequently because they are now in production and release more product every day. They claim that they will soon be selling the bullets for re-loaders once their production of complete rounds catches up with demand. |
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Quoted: I shot some of this without any issue. It was decently accurate. On the flip side, I had a buddy who was blowing primers left and right with this stuff this past weekend. Multiple guns, multiple BCG's. Use with caution... Any details of the builds/barrel brands? Also, are you sure it was this ammo? I don’t think it was released until earlier this week, so it wasn’t available last weekend. Was it the AAC 77gr w/ SMK’s that you were using? |
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Quoted: Any details of the builds/barrel brands? Also, are you sure it was this ammo? I don’t think it was released until earlier this week, so it wasn’t available last weekend. Was it the AAC 77gr w/ SMK’s that you were using? The first email I received about this ammo was on 3/27 so I don't think it was available before that, unless they somehow got some before it was released for testing. |
I received my order earlier today. I’ve only opened 7 boxes so far. Since case dents was a topic of discussion with their previous 77gr loading, I’ll address what I’ve seen thus far. Some of the cases have very faint dings/marks near the shoulder, but nothing major. That said, 1 case has a very bad dent. I won’t be firing that case, but will break it down to evaluate the charge weight.  77smk left, AAC 77 OTM right 
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Quoted: Any details of the builds/barrel brands? Also, are you sure it was this ammo? I don’t think it was released until earlier this week, so it wasn’t available last weekend. Was it the AAC 77gr w/ SMK’s that you were using? Correct, SMKs. I didn't know they released a version with their own projectile. I know one barrel was a 14.5 Criterion. The other i think was an 11.5 Ballistic advantage. |
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Quoted: That said, 1 case has a very bad dent. I won’t be firing that case, but will break it down to evaluate the charge weight. https://i.imgur.com/1eU5keY.jpg So they still haven't got that problem worked out. 
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Quoted: First groups of the day Checking zero https://i.imgur.com/iLlRJSp.jpg https://i.imgur.com/7beIanJ.jpg From a semi-automatic AR-15? ... |
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Quoted: First groups of the day Checking zero https://i.imgur.com/iLlRJSp.jpg https://i.imgur.com/7beIanJ.jpg This looks promising so far. I should be able to inspect my order this upcoming weds or thurs |
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Quoted: This will quickly become Americas go to round. It might be a good idea to get your brass problems and terrible velocity extreme spreads and standard deviations figured out, before making claims like that. metalsaber's picture  metalsaber's chronograph data: AAC 77gr OTM - Std Dev: 38ft/s, Ext Spr: 117ft/s 2771 2674 2731 2654 2670 2705 2697 2669 2744 2748 ..... |
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Quoted: It might be a good idea to get your brass problems and terrible velocity extreme spreads and standard deviations figured out, before making claims like that. SuperJlarge's picture https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/57852/464B916B-1460-46E9-BBFC-1B65E00118DC-2766631.jpg metalsaber's chronograph data: AAC 77gr OTM - Std Dev: 38ft/s, Ext Spr: 117ft/s 2771 2674 2731 2654 2670 2705 2697 2669 2744 2748 ..... We have already figured out the brass issue and are making a rolling change when the new packaging machine comes in. With the accuracy and price point of .55 cents per round this will be America’s go to round across the board. |
| I ordered a couple hundred rounds last week - it didn't arrive in time for this weekend's matches, but I also failed to order replacement rods and diffusers for my chronograph, so it might be just as well. If it groups as well in my rifles as it did for SuperJlarge, then it's definitely going to be my choice for the various gas gun matches and I won't even bother trying to reload this season. |
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Quoted: I received my order earlier today. I’ve only opened 7 boxes so far. Since case dents was a topic of discussion with their previous 77gr loading, I’ll address what I’ve seen thus far. Some of the cases have very faint dings/marks near the shoulder, but nothing major. That said, 1 case has a very bad dent. I won’t be firing that case, but will break it down to evaluate the charge weight. https://i.imgur.com/dhXa6c7.jpg https://i.imgur.com/1eU5keY.jpg 77smk left, AAC 77 OTM right https://i.imgur.com/D3o84Uz.jpg Goddamn. That’s the worst dent I’ve seen. That’s not from packaging. |
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Quoted: Goddamn. That’s the worst dent I’ve seen. That’s not from packaging. It is, it’s an industrial machine that uses steel gears to catch and align the rounds. It sometimes grabs the brass wrong and pinches/binds it. We are working on changes but it is causing the problem. The machine is the size of a small school bus and the rounds go in a hopper. |
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Quoted: Baseline testing with my bolt gun. It appears that part was erased from my post when I added the pic. Quoted: Quoted: From a semi-automatic AR-15? ... Baseline testing with my bolt gun. It appears that part was erased from my post when I added the pic. Guessing you didn’t get chrono data on it? Curious how velocity compares to the SMK version. I’d assume similar. |
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Quoted: Are you guys planning to keep the SMK version stocked as well or are you discontinuing the SMK version for the AAC projectiles? Any performance/fragmentation info on the AAC projectile? We are keeping the SMK version as well as launching the TMK and 70gr TSX this month. We will be releasing performance results on the 77gr OTM and several other rounds we are releasing over then next several months. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone try the PSA/AAC 77gr OTM ammo? (Page 1 of 24)
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