You read everywhere that when you find a factory load that you would like to shoot, and it shoots to your expectations, that you should by a bunch of that lot # to use.

My question is how important is it to do that. The most I could afford to buy at one time would probably be 200 rds. So what happens when I run out? Will the same ammunition with a different lot # shoot as accurately, but maybe require a sighting adjustment? Or is it back to square one.

Chuck

To me it is a sighting adjustment. Where the problem jumped out at me was a few years ago when I was shooting a final round the day before flying out for an elk hunt. It was the first time I'd used factory ammo on big game in about thirty years.

I finished the day by casually shooting a two-shot group from each of three boxes. I had three distinct two shot group. One was about three inched low and to the right of my expected point of impact. That woke me up. I marked the box I'd set the scope for, and hunted out of it. I never needed to go to the other boxes. If I had I would have set up a target again, and zeroed in again.

I won't buy volume in factory loads, but I will be careful when going from one box to another.

As in lot numbers for powder or even bullets lot numbers in factory ammunition may or may not be a factor.I have seen points of impact move by over an inch at 100 yards and I have also seen groups double in size by changing lot numbers.

When I go hunting with a pilgrim that is shooting ready rolled, I always tell them to buy enough ammo (same lot #) to last for the trip or season whichever. Then we sight in with that ammo.

Lot numbers are absolutely important.

If you switch lot numbers in even the same manufacturer, you might as well be switching from Remington to Federal, they are completely different.

Terry's right, lot numbers are highly important. In fact, when I look to experiment with factory ammo I make sure that there's plenty of that lot number available, or else I don't even bother to test it. One box of a possibly super-accurate lot of ammunition won't go very far, I'm afraid.

Here's an example of what I mean. My old .300 Win. Mag. shot Winchester's 180 gr. Fail-Safe ammo superbly, and since my local dealer had a very large supply of that lot on hand, I bought it all, then hunted with it, practiced with it,. and used it all up over a two-year period.

The next year I was in Texas on business and while there I spotted a small-town farm and ranch supply store that had a going-out-of-business sale in progress. When I noticed a plentiful supply 180 gr. .300 Win. Mag. Fail-Safe ammo (same lot #) available at a huge discount, I took a chance, bought it all, and had it shipped home.

Wouldn't you just know it, my rifle didn't shoot that lot nearly as well as the other one, and most of that discounted ammo is sitting on a shelf in my reloading room, waiting for another rifle to come along that will love it. So far, no other .300 Win. Mag. has digested it well..........

AD

That is exactly the info I was after. Thanks.

Chuck