Match grade ammo

[CasterTroy]

Does ammo vary THAT much?

I had some Remington Match Grade (I believe) 165 gr that I used to sight in the scope at 100yrds

I was able to consistently nail the target within a 3" group. And for ME, that's phenomenal!

I then switched over to some 150 gr PMC target and was utterly SHOCKED. I couldn't hit the center of my target for crap. And I was anything but consistent. I was 4"-6" to the left and down, then 5" to the right low. This continued for 10 more rounds.

I switched to some magtech.....not even sure what grain (package didn't have info) with the same results as the PMC. Kinda all over the target nothing consistent.

Switched back to the match grade, and 3" dead center again.

WTH?!?!

BTW.... Bushmaster BR-308 MOE

[edgecrusher]

Yes, all ammo varies, and sometimes your rifle will like something and shoot well, or totally hate a round, as you've found out. The creme de la creme of factory loaded match ammo is generally Federal's Gold Medal Match, which to be honest about my personal experience, is what my LaRue likes best, by far. It can be hard to find at times, expensive, or if you can get it over the internet and shipped to you, not all that bad.

I say buy one box, see how it works for you. If it blows your mind, then you have a base line. Know what your rifle likes and try to find a good plinking round and a good round for accuracy.

[washguy]

Yes, all ammo varies, and sometimes your rifle will like something and shoot well, or totally hate a round, as you've found out. The creme de la creme of factory loaded match ammo is generally Federal's Gold Medal Match, which to be honest about my personal experience, is what my LaRue likes best, by far. It can be hard to find at times, expensive, or if you can get it over the internet and shipped to you, not all that bad.

I say buy one box, see how it works for you. If it blows your mind, then you have a base line. Know what your rifle likes and try to find a good plinking round and a good round for accuracy.

What Edge said!    you should be putting one hole thru another  at 100 yds......allof those ammos you mentioned arnt match....cept maybe the rem...... <thumbsup>Wash

[CasterTroy]

Yes, all ammo varies, and sometimes your rifle will like something and shoot well, or totally hate a round, as you've found out.

My buddy and I were dumbfounded at the actual difference so I wanted to come on here and confirm our finding. Never had a CLUE that ammo could cause such a variation. (cheap .22 at 100yrds yes...but .308? WOW)

I say buy one box, see how it works for you. If it blows your mind, then you have a base line. Know what your rifle likes and try to find a good plinking round and a good round for accuracy.

Sound advice. I will do just that. I already know what it seems to like for accuracy!

Thanks

allof those ammos you mentioned arnt match....cept maybe the rem

I thought I made that clear. Apparently I failed to do so.

[washguy]

Sorry if I missed that :)one otherthing what kind of scope?  3inches at 100 isnt moa or even close <dontknow> could be your mounting  you use torque driver?  Levels?  :)  wash 

Just went thru that this last weekend  with my buds 1 k leupold  all over the place  he suked at mounting the scope once it was remounted the right way he was sub moa out to 200 yds using different ammo :)

[Tripledeuce]

  Each year, our local gun club hos "open sight in days".  I menion this ecause I have helped for the last 22 years, and each year we help people sight in between 400-600 guns.

  With all those different guns, I can say , conclusivly, that MOST guns will  NOT shoot different ammo to the same point of aim.

  Many guns will shoot two or three types of ammo into good groups, but NOT to the same poi.  Many guns will shoot only ONE of 7 or 8 brands/weights of bullets well.

    Many guns will not shoot to the same poi with a hot barrell as from a cold barrell.  You just don't know what YOUR gun is going to do untill you test all the variables.

  I'v seen guns that would string 4,5 6 or more shost untill the barrel stabalised, then shot little tiny groups.

    I'v seen guns that would barley keep 5 shots on a 12" target with one brand of ammo, shoot just over 1" groups with another brand.

    You just need to spend a lot more time at the range, and shoot a bunch more. LOL!!!

  Respectfully

  Terry

[CasterTroy]

After reading most of the day it appears to be the scope.

I'm using a Tasco 4-16x40 scope. Which doesn't look like it's UP to the TASK of the punishment of the .308

I'll be ordering either a Redfield® Revolution™ or a Nikon Monarch ($350 budget) soon and swapping that out. This should fix the issue (I hope)

Bear in mind I'm no expert. New to Scope's and optics altogether, so learning this as I go along. I'll keep the Tasco for a bolt action .22 in the future

[imschur]

I vote for the Nikon. Also I can not stress enough proper mounting and a proper base/mount.

[edgecrusher]

I vote for the Nikon. Also I can not stress enough proper mounting and a proper base/mount.

+1, but the ammo issue still stands. Boy, wish I had to go buy new optics and shoot bunches of ammo to solve a problem.  ;) Like trying out Dunlop q2's over Pilot Powers for turn in…. in terms you may relate to  ;D

[washguy]

I vote for the Nikon. Also I can not stress enough proper mounting and a proper base/mount.

What Drew  said  Nikon all  the way  <thumbsup>    Wash

[CasterTroy]

Like trying out Dunlop q2's over Pilot Powers for turn in…. in terms you may relate to  ;D

You speak'ah my language now! I understand perfectly  8)

I'm assuming the Burris AR-PEPR meets spec then right?

[BLKSHEEP]

The Burris PEPR is good, I'm not sure that it's the scope but Nikon over Redfield any day!

[MikedaddyH]

I beleive the trigger causes a large variation of shots. The 3" inch group basline is the triggers fault, slight movement when shooting. Not a big deal ! On the PMC ammo they are loaded with different powder amounts with the different lines of products. I like the PMC Bronze as a cheap plinking ammo.

My guns like different weight bullets the 16"DPMS likes 150gr the 20" DPMS likes 168gr the 24" DPMS likes 180gr.

Also soft point bullets dont seem as accurate as the OTM or hollow point bullets.

As far as the scope ,check the mounts FIRST !

[CasterTroy]

I beleive the trigger causes a large variation of shots. The 3" inch group basline is the triggers fault, slight movement when shooting. Not a big deal !

Good thing I've got that AR gold trigger assembly on order!

[NoFail]

Yeah, you should for sure get a optic upgrade. You will find far better options in the 3-500 $ range.

Try Vortex, Bushnell, Leopold among some others. SWFA has great fixed powers for 300-400. I love my SWFA 12x42 MRAD. My groups shrank the instant I slapped it on my LR-308.

That 3" Remington group you shot will shrink with a good upgrade to a durable well built rifle scope. That and more trigger time, at least once a week go shoot the hell out of that paper  <thumbsup>

168 grain .308 "Sierra Match King" Federal Gold Medal Match shoots sweet in mine too. Those go 2450 fps out of my 16". I hand load and when I get a 168 Amax load going 2450 fps they fly pretty tight like the Federal Match does, even when using a few different powders I've tried.

[CasterTroy]

Well I was granted permission to get a Nikon M-223 with a Burris AR-P.E.P.R. mount. Couple that with the American Trigger SR Gold Trigger System, I'm HOPEFUL my grouping will improve. If not....I've got issues! Not sure WHAT to do after that if I can't get a good 100 yrd grouping  :'(

[BLKSHEEP]

Without re reading everything if you're caliber is 308/7.62 you should get the Nikon M-308 if you're getting it with a BDC reticle

[washguy]

Well I was granted permission to get a Nikon M-223 with a Burris AR-P.E.P.R. mount. Couple that with the American Trigger SR Gold Trigger System, I'm HOPEFUL my grouping will improve. If not....I've got issues! Not sure WHAT to do after that if I can't get a good 100 yrd grouping  :'(

totally wrong scope...so ask your permission grantor to let you get the nikon m-308 bdc for your 308 <laughs> <thumbsup>  Wash

[CraigOK]

mine doesn't like the win 7.62 nato stuff- shoots it minute of pie plate. Same stuff through a rem 700 was under 2 moa. Both shoot sub moa w/ 168 amax hand loads. It may be that your rifling is 1:10 and it doesn't like the 145-150 gr bullets most likely used in the 2nd and 3rd types of ammo. RRA also sent a card w/ my rifle that specifically  mentions the Magtech as no bueno in the rifle.

[Zebra644]

Yeah, you should for sure get a optic upgrade. You will find far better options in the 3-500 $ range.

Try Vortex, Bushnell, Leopold among some others. SWFA has great fixed powers for 300-400. I love my SWFA 12x42 MRAD. My groups shrank the instant I slapped it on my LR-308.

That 3" Remington group you shot will shrink with a good upgrade to a durable well built rifle scope. That and more trigger time, at least once a week go shoot the hell out of that paper  <thumbsup>

168 grain .308 "Sierra Match King" Federal Gold Medal Match shoots sweet in mine too. Those go 2450 fps out of my 16". I hand load and when I get a 168 Amax load going 2450 fps they fly pretty tight like the Federal Match does, even when using a few different powders I've tried.

 

SWFA is a good place to go to for optics and mounts also try Sport Optics, Euro Optics, Optics Planet. I believe SWFA used to or still has a price match system.  When you start paying high dollar money on these scope you are paying for glass quality/clarity  as well as how the turrets are designed built, brass vs. plastic, the ability for the scope to return to zero after dialing up and down for windage and elevation and zero stop, lit reticles.  All the scopes NoFail mentioned are good also look at Burris. I would however recommend that you research before you buy when it comes to the type of reticle you want. Such as Bullet Drop Comps on some of these scopes are calibrated to use certain bullet weight / velocities that you may or may not use.  

168 FGMM has always shot excellent in every .308 both semi and bolt action that I have owned. The POI can shift depending on the ammo that you use. When you can buy in bulk so that you have the same lot number. It insures a more consistent powder charge as you can see from 1/4 moa to almost 1 moa shift on POI  from lot number to lot number.