The Accurate Reloading Forums
What factory loads NOT to buy.
16 September 2014, 20:52
customboltWhat factory loads NOT to buy.
What factory loads have you tried that had below average or even pitiful performance in the medium calibers such as .270, .280. .30-'06, 7X57, etc.? Considering the limited available ammo on many shelves, the process of elimination might be helpful in choosing a 'best available' factory load.
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
16 September 2014, 21:08
MikelravyIf you are using conventional cup and core bullets I would recommend not using the lighter weights in any of those calibers
17 September 2014, 00:01
SnellstromWe are fortunate these days to have at our use a bunch of great factory loadings. I would honestly say that most factory ammunition I've been around lately is truly great ammo.
There are some exceptions, some friends of mine experienced erratic behavior from some .243 ammo with Hornady bullets I believe they were SST's.
17 September 2014, 01:08
DWrightYes, do not buy factory ammunition.
17 September 2014, 01:39
kjjm4I can't honestly say that I've had any factory ammo that was flat out garbage, at least if we're talking about stuff from major American manufacturers.
Winchester Power Points are a bit soft for my taste, but they still do the job. I'm a big fan of Remington corelokts, to the point that I buy them as a component bullet to load in my own handloads.
17 September 2014, 02:36
Samuel_HoggsonDoubt there are many "below average or even pitiful" factory loads. Suspect there are more shooters with below average, pitiful judgment who select factory loads totally inappropriate for their intended applications.
Sam
17 September 2014, 06:52
416RigbyHunterAnything made by Federal IF you want to reload the brass.
Their brass is so soft that the factory load nearly always results in loose primer pockets that is just unsuitable for reloading.
Cheers.
17 September 2014, 17:54
tjrobertsI had a box of factory 7x57 ammo , i think it was winchester. 145 grains bullets that only clocked 2400 fps from my chrony...tj3006
17 September 2014, 18:09
dogcatquote:
Originally posted by 416RigbyHunter:
Anything made by Federal IF you want to reload the brass.
Their brass is so soft that the factory load nearly always results in loose primer pockets that is just unsuitable for reloading.
Cheers.
I have had the opposite experience. I shoot a .300 WM and a .270 that shoot Federal premium ammo less than 3/4" out of the box. My handloads can match this but not out perform it.
I shoot PMC FMJ bullets out of a bolt .223 that holds 1/2" groups. Go figure...
17 September 2014, 19:17
BushchookJust tried some Federal blue box 150gn factories in my Sauer 202 .300WM. 3 shot group went 5.2 inches. Couldn't shoot a good enough group to sight the rifle in. Loaded some of the cases with 150gn Nosler BT's over 77gns of Reloder 19 and put 4 into 0.8".
Pretty pitiful performance from the factory loads IMO.
The hunting imperative was part of every man's soul; some denied or suppressed it, others diverted it into less blatantly violent avenues of expression, wielding clubs on the golf course or racquets on the court, substituting a little white ball for the prey of flesh and blood.
Wilbur Smith
17 September 2014, 21:13
MARK H. YOUNGcustombolt,
I agree that most of the factory ammo these days is pretty good stuff. Just find what shoots good in your rifle. What shoots bugholes in one gun may shoot 3" group in another rifle. Personally I've had good luck with Federal ammo with TSX bullets in my '06 and Remington ammo for the 375 H&H with the old 270 gr round nose and the 300 SAF. All three of these loads have matched or bettered my handloads. In the long run though handloading is the only way to consistently get the best performance from each rifle.
Mark
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https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 17 September 2014, 22:57
wasbeemanThere's probably been more game killed with Remington ammo using Core lokt bullets than anything else.
Don't over think this. Get a box of Rems with heavy for caliber bullets and try them. Considering the limits of your shooting skills, if they don't work try something else.
I reload and after trying most of the various brands of bullets, I now kinda limit myself to Core lokts and Nosler Partitions when I'm loading hunting ammo. I've never had either one of those fail to fetch what I sent it after.
Aim for the exit hole
18 September 2014, 00:16
carpetman1Do they still sell factory loads?
18 September 2014, 00:56
customboltEverything I've tried on my latest doodling with various factory 7X57's was at worst, good enough, no real junk either here unless you consider 2.25 inches at 100 yards junk. However, it always nice to hear another person's response to see one more angle or another person's view and I thank you all for yours'. I have 1 more factory round to try whenever they come in stock, RWS ID's in 162 grain I think. So far the 156 grain Oryx are on top. Both guns like longer, heavier bullets. Happy shootin'. CB
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
18 September 2014, 01:15
customboltI agree that hand loads are the way to go. I'm kind of waiting on a call from my reloading buddy's Widow to sell me Bill's reloading manuals and such before I go there. I feel I need a leg up to start reloading at 60 years of age. I just don't shoot enough or hunt enough to buy everything separately and start fresh.
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
18 September 2014, 02:19
wookie76Remington 6.5x55 was pretty underwhelming in my M96 Swede. Rumor is they're neutered due to few Krags floating around. Prvi was much better, and supposed to be so for all the classic metrics.
18 September 2014, 03:19
JGRaiderHornady Superformance 7mm Rem Mag 139gr SST- Much too fast with too fragile of a bullet for shots 100 yds or less. I've seen this load explode on antelope shot at 100 yds.
18 September 2014, 04:06
chuck375We've used the factory Federal VitalShok ammo in our 270 shooting 150g Partitions for the past three years, cause my illness made it difficult for me energy wise to get off my ass and reload. They shot sub-moa and the elk died quickly, but I wondered how fast they were. In the past year, things are much better. I chrono'd the Federal ammo and clocked out at 2640 fps (ouch!). My relatively mild handloads which my sons are shooting now give 2910 fps with the 150g Partitions and shoot sub .5 MOA. No more factory in the 270s. I am happy with the Remington 375 H&H 300g A-Frame loads. Very accurate, 2500 fps, kill well.
Regards,
Chuck
"There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit"
Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness"
18 September 2014, 04:31
graybirdStay far far away from the Hornady SST bullets. I've seen enough to never use these on anything except varmints.
Graybird
"Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning."
18 September 2014, 04:43
NavalukAs I get older or when I was looking to get softs and solids to match up in my 375s or 416s, I did and do experiment with factory ammo. More often than not I have gone to hand loads.
I can say that regular remington 130 core-lokt has shot extremely well in my 2 270 Winchesters.
Norma 400 grain softs and solids shoot tight 5 shot groups less than a inch apart at 100 yards in all 3 of my 416 Rigbys. (2 CZ customs and 1 HS Precision)
I found that Remingtons safari grade 375 H&H with 300 grain swift A-Frames have shot 1 inch or better groups in my 3 375s. (1 Winchester M70 and 2 CZ customs)
Unfortunately that's about it. In my experience the factory ammo that has consistently shot the worst groups in any caliber has always been Hornady.
18 September 2014, 20:04
MikelravyMark
How do the 270 grain soft points perform on game? I have a good supply of them and they are very accurate in my M70.
19 September 2014, 20:27
wasbeemanBy the time you buy and test the various brands of ammo, you'll have enough money invested to buy a starter kit for reloading. Many of us started out with a Lee Loader. And some, because of the limited amount of shooting they do, never progressed beyond that.
Aim for the exit hole
19 September 2014, 22:30
PeglegI've never had any luck with "Herters" ammo.
The only easy day is yesterday!
20 September 2014, 01:57
Idaho Sharpshooteryou can afford factory ammunition?
20 September 2014, 05:58
ted thornIf you are a handloader don't buy Federal .223
2 loads later.....loose primer
I have had zero issues with LC
All from the same factory but definitely not the same
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20 September 2014, 10:45
Ray Alaskaquote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
quote:
Originally posted by 416RigbyHunter:
Anything made by Federal IF you want to reload the brass.
Their brass is so soft that the factory load nearly always results in loose primer pockets that is just unsuitable for reloading.
Cheers.
I have had the opposite experience. I shoot a .300 WM and a .270 that shoot Federal premium ammo less than 3/4" out of the box. My handloads can match this but not out perform it.
I shoot PMC FMJ bullets out of a bolt .223 that holds 1/2" groups. Go figure...
Same for me. I have had no trouble whatsoever with Federal brass.
20 September 2014, 16:24
scottfromdallasOP didn't specify what he is hunting. He did mention common medium velocity rounds (not magnums). I think for medium game, any suitable factory ammo for medium game would work. Plenty of animals killed with power points, core-lokts, interlocks, SSTs & Federal Hi-Shocks over the years. I mean seriously, how does any generic 30-06 ammo not kill a deer or hog with proper bullet placement?
20 September 2014, 18:47
StonecreekThere are at least two calibers in which factory loads are infamously underloaded: .243 Winchester and 7mm Rem Mag.
The .243 is chambered in a jillion different rifles of many and varied actions (bolt, auto, slide, lever, SS, etc.), and it is also infamous for having undersized bores in many European-made rifles. As a result, it is loaded way down by the factories. You'll be lucky to approach 2800 fps with a 100 grain bullet when most rifles will yield 3000+ within reasonable pressures.
Similarly, the 7mm Rem Mag has probably been chambered in more rifles than any other belted cartridge. Manufacturers are very sloppy with the chambers of belted magnums, often making them way too generous simply because they reason that the belt is always there to control headspace. Thus, they can start with reamers which are way oversized and use them for many more chambers before they wear below specs. Somewhat like the .243, the 7mm RM suffers from manufacturer "nervousness" and is typically underloaded by a couple of hundred fps.
Despite its being almost 80 years old, I've found several versions of .270 Win factory ammunition to be loaded surprisingly close to "full" velocity. 130 grain Coreloct's chronograph around 3050 from a 22" barrel, which, although that can be exceeded by handloads within sustainable pressures, isn't bad for "ready rolled's" (for you young squirts, that's a factory-made cigarette, as opposed to the roll-your-own style.)
20 September 2014, 20:39
buckeyeshooterquote:
Originally posted by JGRaider:
Hornady Superformance 7mm Rem Mag 139gr SST- Much too fast with too fragile of a bullet for shots 100 yds or less. I've seen this load explode on antelope shot at 100 yds.
The Hornady "Lever evolution" bullets should be renamed "gummie grenades" too. I shot 7 deer with the .308 ME factory ammo at under 75 yards and there was no exit and little penetration with the bullet totally fragmenting on the shoulder. They might work on a lung shot, but the will not break the shoulder joint on a 150 pound whitetail with out exploding.
20 September 2014, 23:13
customboltActually, I came in under my "toy" budget this past year or so by a few thousand.
quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
you can afford factory ammunition?
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
21 September 2014, 01:10
LJSIf you have a WSM, Federal ammo may be too hot for your gun. I get very stiff bolt lift and shiny marks on the back of the case. Lots of discussion on line about this. I sent some back to Federal explaining this has just started at the same time they changed the graphics on their ammo boxes. I was told all were within the computer profile. I shot factory 165 Accubonds and Partitions for a couple years and all of a sudden they are too hot in my gun. Somebody changed something!
21 September 2014, 23:38
customboltGreat stuff here.
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
22 September 2014, 01:17
chuck375quote:
Originally posted by Stonecreek:
There are at least two calibers in which factory loads are infamously underloaded: .243 Winchester and 7mm Rem Mag.
The .243 is chambered in a jillion different rifles of many and varied actions (bolt, auto, slide, lever, SS, etc.), and it is also infamous for having undersized bores in many European-made rifles. As a result, it is loaded way down by the factories. You'll be lucky to approach 2800 fps with a 100 grain bullet when most rifles will yield 3000+ within reasonable pressures.
Similarly, the 7mm Rem Mag has probably been chambered in more rifles than any other belted cartridge. Manufacturers are very sloppy with the chambers of belted magnums, often making them way too generous simply because they reason that the belt is always there to control headspace. Thus, they can start with reamers which are way oversized and use them for many more chambers before they wear below specs. Somewhat like the .243, the 7mm RM suffers from manufacturer "nervousness" and is typically underloaded by a couple of hundred fps.
Despite its being almost 80 years old, I've found several versions of .270 Win factory ammunition to be loaded surprisingly close to "full" velocity. 130 grain Coreloct's chronograph around 3050 from a 22" barrel, which, although that can be exceeded by handloads within sustainable pressures, isn't bad for "ready rolled's" (for you young squirts, that's a factory-made cigarette, as opposed to the roll-your-own style.)
A lot of elk have been killed by 270s shooting 130g CoreLokt's my youngest got his first elk shooting them from our 40 year old Rem 700 BDL
Regards,
Chuck
"There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit"
Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness"
22 September 2014, 01:24
doubledownHornady 110 interbond in .257 Weatherby. It was barely running 25-06 velocity and the accuracy in my rifle was marginal. Now I know why it was half the price of the Weatherby factory ammo.
When I went to reload the Hornady brass, I had to back off a few grains compared to Norma brass, as the Hornady brass has less case capacity.
23 September 2014, 00:38
WstrnhuntrI cant remember the last box of factory ammo I purchased. But it was probably Privi Partisan. That seems to be a good alternative to the pathetic American version of several European chamberings.
Now where can I get some 22 lr??
"There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit"
Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness"
Nice quote..
AK-47
The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like.
23 September 2014, 00:51
customboltAmmo 2go has some 22LR listed as IN STOCK but it is not cheap at like $8 a box o' 50 plus the brown truck fee.
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
26 September 2014, 12:47
kjjm4Locally (in SW Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia), .22 LR seems to be reasonably plentiful. Same with .17 HMR. The only thing I can't seem to find much of is .22 WMR. Prices are kind of crazy vs what they were pre-Obama, but there is ammo available now. It saddens me that one rabidly anti-gun president was able to triple the price of rimfire ammo. I guess the days of buying a brick of .22s for under 10 bucks are gone forever.
27 September 2014, 05:07
BEGNOI don't reload and when I am sighting in a new rifle I always start with Remington core-Lokts. Most of the time my rifles love them. I have taken brown bear, moose, caribou, mule deer, elk, black bear, mt. goat, tons of whitetail deer, with the core Lokts.
BUTCH
C'est Tout Bon
(It is all good)
15 October 2014, 12:07
WestCoasterWhen l have had to go the factory ammo route l have had good luck with the Federal blue box ammo.
I think their Fusion ammo is pretty darn good if you want a bonded bullet load.
15 October 2014, 22:51
Jason PHornady SST
Barnes Vortex
I am now converted to Nosler
