Performance Expectations

S

SDShooter79

New member
Hey everyone,

After a ho-hum day at the range I'm left wondering, what kind of performance expectations do you guys have for factory ammo. For example, my 270 shoots remington core lokt great, 1-1.5 inch groups all day long. However, my 7mm-08 did about 3 inches today with core lokt. Both at 100 yds. While a 3 inch group isn't terrible, I wish it was better. So what kind of groups are you guys shooting with your factory ammo.

Take care, B
 
I'm not well versed in the art of rifle by any stretch of the imagination, but back in the spring when I got my .308, I was shooting 1" groups at 100 yards with SMK 168gr Federal loads. Throughout May and June, I managed to shoot a couple 1" groups at 200 yards with the same ammo.

In that, I think I pushed my bar a little high. In August I started hunting for a good deer load, which at first was disappointing. But after the third box, I snapped out of the funk I was in and realized that at 200 yards, 2-1/2" groups with factory medium sized game loads ain't too shabby at all. I settled on that group using Federal's 150 gr Nosler ballistic tip. My hunting ground puts a deer at anywhere from 100 to 250 yards. I think I'm good.

Probably spoken like a true Noob. :) but anyways....
 
It depends, and I've not shot factory ammo in years. However, one day I bought a used Model 94 Winchester at a pawn shop, stopped a little later and bought a box of ammo, then headed for the range for a late afternoon shoot. I fired one target with that rifle, and it came in at just over an inch, with iron sights. Was that a fluke? With my eyes? You betcha.

The hands-down standard for factory .308 is the Federal Gold Metal Match ammo and it consistently turns in MOA through a variety of rifles. It's great ammo.

The factories are turning out much better ammo these days.
 
Factory ammo (Win, Federal, & Rem) will all shoot about 1.5 inches through my 270 win (Weatherby Vanguard) and 30-06 (T/C Venture). However in my 243 Win (Win Model 70) Federal & Prvi would only shoot about 3 inch groups. The handloads I have been working on for the .243 have dropped down to 1.5 inches and I'm still tweaking those loads.

My handloads for the 1st two rifles mentioned shrunk to under 1 inch when I do my part:)
 
I quit handloading 15 years ago because the Ruger M77 Mk II all-weather ss .300 Win Mag would should cloverleaf (1/2" groups) with ANY factory ammo I fed it. I didn't even try to beat it. Sold all my ($$$) reloading equipment and now just buy factory. My new Remington 700 SPS Buckmasters .270 Win shoots the same size groups with factory ammo. I'm either lucking out buying rifles or they're really making some shooters now....
 
You got to try different factory ammo to see which your 7mm shoots best. I own 2 Sako .308 rifles. One shoots Remington core-lokt in 1 inch groups at 100 yards, the other shoots winchester super-x in 1 inch groups at 100 yards. Mix the ammo around & the groups go 2 1/2 inches.
 
Different lots of the same factory ammunition can shoot differently. Some years ago, I was given 27 boxes of Remington Core-Lokt ammunition for 300 Weatherby.

All one loading, the Remington 180 grain Core-Lokt, but two different lot numbers. One lot number will reliably turn in sub MOA 3 shot groups at 100 yards, the other lot number will do 2-3 inches.

That is the problem with factory ammunition, you can find a load that your rifle likes, but there is no guarantee that the next time you buy a box, it will shoot the same.

I use the poorer performing lot number ammo for plinking, and a source of brass for handloads, and save the good lot number for more serious uses.
 
When I get a new to me rifle I always buy a box each of the cheaper ammo first (Remington, Winchester, & federal). If I'm not satisfied with what I get with those the next I get is Hornady. Of all the rifles between me and my sons we have 2 .270 (fusion 130 grain) and 2 .243's (Hornady 100 gr BTSP) that like the same ammo all the others like different brands and bullet weights. I have a 25.06 that will shoot two different ammos and bullet weights to the same place. Go figure.
I've got to get into handloading!
 
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