So I got to shoot Hornady's new 5.56 Nato 75 Grain TAP SBR load yesterday

[coldcase1984]

Sorry if someone's put this out before...

Myself and another instructor attended a ballistic/forensic/product demonstration yesterday in which Hornady reps fired a variety of munitions into gel blocks using the FBI standards.

We saw the penetration and expansion results of several different pistol and rifle calibers in the Hornady LE line, then had the chance to fire the TAP SBR rounds through the rep's personal SBR without a suppressor.

Compared to the thunder of my issue 11.5 Commando the load sounded very mild/muted when firing and there was barely any movement of the barrel. Brant said the round contains a Propellant closer to gel than powder and produces a nominal 2,300 fps from 11.5 barrels.

We're in the process of trading our older 14.5-in. and 16-in.Colt's for 11.5s for most of our 250-sworn officer and are strongly considering making this the general issue ammo.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/elrata/Hornady%20Wilson%20County%20Ballistic%20Workshop%2 0Bullet%20Board%201_zps6dqmnm4k.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elrata/media/Hornady%20Wilson%20County%20Ballistic%20Workshop%2 0Bullet%20Board%201_zps6dqmnm4k.jpg.html)

[TGS]

Brant said the round contains a Propellant closer to gel than powder and produces a nominal 2,300 fps from 11.5 barrels.

Can you speak more on this gel propellent?

Thanks.

[bfoosh006]

Some of the info I have found about Gel Propellant's..... NONE of it relates to use in Small Arms Ammo.... but still very interesting.

Gel propellants


Gel propellants enable the construction of rocket engines with variable thrust strength, thrust control and thrust interruption combined with low signature, high specific performance and low sensitivity and vulnerability. Gel propellants are solid under normal environmental conditions. Under pressure and shear stress they become fluid, and their transfer from the tank into the combustion chamber enables controlled throughput and thrust.

http://www.bayern-chemie.com/gel.htm

http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/PropulsionTechnologies/Pages/GelandTacticalPropulsion.aspx

Very interesting.... but not smalls arms related.

[Josh Runkle]

Any word on this ammo coming to market, so we can test it ourselves?

[Chuck Whitlock]

Any word on this ammo coming to market, so we can test it ourselves?


http://www.hornadyle.com/contact-us

Last I knew, Kathy McHale was the LE sales rep at Hornady.

[pablo]

It'd be interesting to see what the Hornady rep meant by "gel" since most smokeless powders are in a gelatinous/plasticized state prior to being formed or extruded into a final product. It may then need to be dried and coated with graphite. Gunpowder isn't really a "powder".

[bfoosh006]

FYI....Available at quite a few distributors.... as of 24 Feb, 2016

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/556-nato/75-gr-tap-sbr

QUOTE.....

"TAP® SBR™ is designed specifically for 10.5"-11.5" SBR’s by using proprietary propellant technology and a bullet designed with technology from industry leading Critical Duty® FlexLock® bullets. TAP® SBR™ provides exceptional ammunition performance in SBR’s suppressed or unsuppressed, with virtually no flash or residue, dramatically reduced sound signature, will not foul or overheat suppressors, uniform velocity and accuracy, and provides controllable rate of fire in automatic platforms. Designed to meet the requirements of the FBI protocol, TAP® SBR™ is the optimum choice for 10.5"-11.5" barreled 5.56 rifles."



This is the NEW 75 grain TAP® SBR cartridge in caliber 5.56 NATO. Hornady Item No. 81295. Packaged 20 rounds per box, 10 individual boxes in each order. All have identical lot numbers. The new 5.56 TAP SBR meets FBI protocol through all six barriers and is the first load specifically designed for short-barreled rifles.

At the heat of this 5.56 NATO load is the NEW 75 grain TAP SBR bullet - infused with technology from the industry leading Critical Duty FlexLock pistol bullets.

The TAP SBR utilizes a new propellant developed specifically for optimal performance in short-barreled rifles, and exhibits exceptional performance in both suppressed and unsuppressed rifles.

Sound signature tests have shown significant reductions of 6 to 7 decibels compared to other loads. In addition, the dramatic efficiency of the propellant results in a 15 to 20 percent temperature reduction. It delivers a progressive burn rate, yet burns clean with minimal flash.

•Specifically Designed and Optimized for short-barreled rifles (10.5"-11.5")
•Meets FBI protocol though all six barriers

•Proprietary propellant technology
•6-7 db sound signature reduction suppressed
•Low Flash
•Exceeds FBI accuracy standards
•Muzzle velocity: 2321 fps out of 11.5" 5.56 NATO test barrel 1:7"
•Muzzle energy: 897 ft lbs

[Gray222]

Sort of want....

[bfoosh006]

Sort of want....

I ordered some from GT Distributors... $19 / 20 rounds.

[Chuck Haggard]

Interesting load

[Gray222]

Interesting load

It is and I hope others pick up the idea.

I run 7.75 and 10-11 inch guns a lot and this would be great.

Then again 300blk is the answer for that size.

[bfoosh006]

It is and I hope others pick up the idea.

I run 7.75 and 10-11 inch guns a lot and this would be great.

Then again 300blk is the answer for that size.


Lol... Good point...

I am very curious what this ammo does out of a variety of barrel lengths... 14.5, 16, 18, etc.......... mostly because of the "New" propellant.


Bullet cutaway...

6139

[RAM Engineer]

Nothing special looking about that bullet. No "rear penetrator" ala Mk318 Mod0, no solid copper bullet, etc. Is it supposed to be barrier blind?

[Chuck Haggard]

Nothing special looking about that bullet. No "rear penetrator" ala Mk318 Mod0, no solid copper bullet, etc. Is it supposed to be barrier blind?

The rear portion of the Mk318 makes it a poor choice for CONUS LE vs the .mil general purpose loading that it is.

Click the "gelatins" tab, this load appears to have pretty decent performance and is barrier blind;

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/556-nato/75-gr-tap-sbr

[Sigfan26]

The rear portion of the Mk318 makes it a poor choice for CONUS LE vs the .mil general purpose loading that it is.

Click the "gelatins" tab, this load appears to have pretty decent performance and is barrier blind;

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/556-nato/75-gr-tap-sbr

They advertise dramatically reduced sound signature... Sounds kinda fluffy. And it looks like a churched up Core Locked. I'd like to see somebody do some independent testing

[bfoosh006]

They advertise dramatically reduced sound signature... Sounds kinda fluffy. And it looks like a churched up Core Locked. I'd like to see somebody do some independent testing

Calling Choppin' Block !!

[Chuck Haggard]

They advertise dramatically reduced sound signature... Sounds kinda fluffy. And it looks like a churched up Core Locked. I'd like to see somebody do some independent testing

There are only so many ways to lock in the core on a non-bonded bullet. Hornady has had the Interlock for a very long time.


The gel testing I have seen from them in the past has been spot on, so I'm not really worried about that part. I don't have the gear to check the decibel reading, but I bet someone will rather quickly.

[Unobtanium]

There are only so many ways to lock in the core on a non-bonded bullet. Hornady has had the Interlock for a very long time.


The gel testing I have seen from them in the past has been spot on, so I'm not really worried about that part. I don't have the gear to check the decibel reading, but I bet someone will rather quickly.

6-7dB is very notable. You don't need gear to check that, IMO. To verify the exact claim? Yes. but not to detect it.

[Chuck Haggard]

6-7dB is very notable. You don't need gear to check that, IMO. To verify the exact claim? Yes. but not to detect it.

Yup, as noted by coldcase in the OP

[2alpha-down0]

http://www.hornadyle.com/contact-us

Last I knew, Kathy McHale was the LE sales rep at Hornady.

She is. She just got back to me with a little bit more info on this load:

-Performs well out of up to 14.5" barrels, though no specifics
-Minimum expansion velocity of 1500-1600 fps, which means expansion out to around 200 yards from 10.5-11.5" barrels

[Unobtanium]

She is. She just got back to me with a little bit more info on this load:

-Performs well out of up to 14.5" barrels, though no specifics
-Minimum expansion velocity of 1500-1600 fps, which means expansion out to around 200 yards from 10.5-11.5" barrels

Just to clarify, a 14.5" barrel produces acceptable terminals?

[2alpha-down0]

Just to clarify, a 14.5" barrel produces acceptable terminals?

She wrote "This round will do well even out of most 14.5” barrels; you may want to get some of the ammo for testing through your specific weapons."

I had asked her about performance out of 12.5" barrels.

Attached is a relevant document stating that it "functions" in longer barrels.

I think 12.5" guns are GTG but I'd wait for someone to test it before use in 14.5" guns for now.

[Unobtanium]

My main concern is pressure curve. Will it run a 14.5" middy?

[bfoosh006]

My main concern is pressure curve. Will it run a 14.5" middy?

It ran my BCM 14.5 Middie w/H2 buffer and Tubbs Spring.... I only fired 10 rounds ( as a brief function test )

For that matter it also ran my 20" AR rifle.... also only 10 rounds... damn crappy weather.

[Sensei]

6-7dB is very notable. You don't need gear to check that, IMO. To verify the exact claim? Yes. but not to detect it.

I agree - 6-7 dB would be great. The supersonic crack is what I notice the most when shooting my rifle suppressed. I'm not sure how this dB reduction affects that sound. However, I certainly plan to find out as soon as I can get my hands on some.

[Unobtanium]

It ran my BCM 14.5 Middie w/H2 buffer and Tubbs Spring.... I only fired 10 rounds ( as a brief function test )

For that matter it also ran my 20" AR rifle.... also only 10 rounds... damn crappy weather.

How did it cycle? More or less violently than "normal"? Ejection path as compared to normal?

[bfoosh006]

How did it cycle? More or less violently than "normal"? Ejection path as compared to normal?

IMHO, it "felt" slightly softer out of both rifles.... even different feeling then the soft shooting PMC Bronze.
Ejection was at a "normal" path. Nothing odd on the casehead.

[Sensei]

Any updates on independent terminal performance testing? Molon's velocity testing through a 16" barrel was not that impressive. I'm curious to see what people are getting out of an 11.5" barrel and how it does in gel.

[Lon]

So yesterday Hornsdy came to our range for an ammo demo. Another agency was the mover behind the demo, we just provided the range. I shot the 75gr SBR load outta my 11.5 SBR and then shot my duty 64 gr Gold Dot load. Here's the result from the gel. Didn't run it past the chrono.

9298

[Velo Dog]

What was the auto glass penetration with the 75gr SBR? It looks like it failed the 12-18 inch FBI standards.

[Lon]

10" = fail

[vicious_cb]

Thanks for posting the results. Did you get a chance to test the 75gr Gold Dot by any chance?

[Lon]

I did not. I don't have any and they didn't either. We did shoot some 55gr Federal Tactical Bonded. I got a call and had to leave (I was on duty) before they pulled the bullets out so I don't know how it did. I'll post the results when they email them to me. The photo was just a quick snap shot I took before I left.

[Sensei]

So yesterday Hornsdy came to our range for an ammo demo. Another agency was the mover behind the demo, we just provided the range. I shot the 75gr SBR load outta my 11.5 SBR and then shot my duty 64 gr Gold Dot load. Here's the result from the gel. Didn't run it past the chrono.

9298

Thank you for posting that. Those Hornady results seem on par for a 5.56 SBR. The extra 1/2" of penetration on BG does not concern me too much and 10" after auto glass is also not surprising.

I've been loading this Hornady load in my 10.5" LMT MRP and have been pleased with recoil, blast, and accuracy. I'll continue to use it if these are typical results.

[2alpha-down0]

Heads-up if you have credentials. $15.23/20

http://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm/ID/167785