Factory Ammo

Hi folks:

What is your opinion on the variance of factory ammo.

IE I sight it in with 300 wsm power point from retailer A and run out during a hunt . Then purchase 300 wsm power point from a different retailer.

Does (or should) one have to resight every time assuming the same type of round is purchased? How much variance have you noticed?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

R

The factories really straightened up their acts in the mid 1980's to 1990's, this all came about because the Federal Premium line really filled the niche for repeatable and reliable factory fodder.
That of course raised the bar, and drug the other manufacturers to up the consistancy and repeatablility of their ammo.
Today factory ammo is as good as most reloads, and is quite predictable lot to lot.
So no I don't think you would see a difference as long as maintained same bulet weight and style, and same maufacturer.

What Dick said!!

I'll still take my reloads over factory ammo any day!!


Nothing against factory ammo.


Pin

Premium brand factory ammo is consistently good to excellent. I can shoot 7WSM Federal, 160 grain partitions in around the 1.5 mark, switch to Winchester Supreme 160 grain Accubonds and print into the same pattern as the Federals everytime. It's when you switch to a lighter grain bullet you may have to re-sight your gun. Although different guns react in their own way to various brands of ammo all the high end stuff is worth the extra money. I know of handloaders who can print clover-leafs with certain calibers with their homeloads, but have never been able to do it with factory ammo. You don't need a clover-leaf gun to kill game consistently and with the same brand and same weight bullets bought 200 miles apart you shouldn't have to re-sight your gun.

I don't get different bullets flying to the same point of impact even if they are the same grain. I would resight every time I switch to make sure if I were you. Who know if they even group good in your gun if you haven't tried them before. A1-2 inch group can grow quite large when it is out there at 3-400 yards.

what nube said, it is best to "check" your gun quickly to ensure that it is on target, also you might have bumped your done something else to your gun that would off set your zero and this would be apparent when checking your gun. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

I wouldn't worry about it if it is as stated in the query. Same ammo, same company, same bullet weight, same everything just purchased in a different store. Current manufacturing technologies are such that there will be very, very little variance.

Now if you have been shooting 180 gr. Rem. Core-lokt and the only thing you can pick up are 180 gr. Federal Noslers then I would check the sight in.

What shooter says is correct. I read into the thread wrong and thought you were using different types of bullets like a core lock and a nosler balistic tip.. If you are using a straight powerpoint it will be the same no matter what store you bought it from if in the same weight.

I have seen significant differences in factory loads from lot # to lot #.However the same can be said when changing powder lot #s when handloading.The only sure weight to know,is to test fire your load every time you change the lot# in factory loads,or the powder lot# with handloads.

I have heard the lot # thing many times but on my most popular powder I have probably used 30 lbs. of it in the past 25+ years. Although I always check I have never had to adjust a loading or sighting when buying new tins of powder. 2 good friends who also load everything they shoot have also never experienced a change from one lot to the next. We were just discussing this the other day as one of them was questioning why we bother to check anymore.

As an example,I had to drop my charge of imr7828 by 2 full grains when starting a new lot# recently.I also found that a new lot# of h-1000 was producing 120fps less than the old lot# when shooting both lot#s one after the other during the same afternoon.Usually however,the variations from lot# to lot # are much less.

I used to shoot winchester super-X out of my tikka (honestly because they were cheap). They did not group consistently one box to the next and thats same brand same powder. Not sure if i lucked out but one bow grouped around 1'' at 100yrds and the next would only group around 2''. Switched back to the first box and 1'' again. It didn't effect lethal accuracy for deer but maybe if i was shooting lets say gophers. (or long range, though all bullets were still within 4'' at 400yrds)

Many thanks. I appreciate it.

R