CAN I TRUST HORNADY AMERICAN GUNNER FACTORY AMMO AND THE DATA ON THE BOX ?

[CRod]

I am just getting started in precision rifle shooting. I am shooting a RPR Gen III in 6.5 Creedmor. I haven't even considered investing in reloading equipment or a chrono yet. I have downloaded Hornady's ballistic calculator on my phone/iPad. I am shooting Hornady American Gunner ammo 140gr BTHP. My question, can I use this ammo to shoot out to 1000 yards and can I trust the muzzle velocity listed in the data on the box to get me accurate dial up's on the Hornady ballistics app ? I plan on attending a class (for beginners, I believe according to the description) at the K&M facility in October and have to take ammo with me. I hate to spend the time between now and then shooting my current ammo if it's not up to the task. K&N recommends that I bring match grade ammo with me, and being this new, I'm not sure the American Gunner ammo can be considered match grade and consistent enough for shooting out to 1000 yards. If I have posted this in the wrong forum, please don't hesitate to tell me and I will remove it.
Thanks.

 

[Sheriff_Will_Teasle]

I think you mean K&M in Jackson, K&N is the car parts. There’s a great thread on 140 AG muzzle velocity, assume 2675 FPS and you’ll be very close!

 

[sleeplz]

If it's a full ipsc at 1000 you'll be able to hit consistently if you do your part. If you have a range that pushes out to 800, see for yourself how consistent the ammo is.

I did quite well as a beginner at my first few matches running AG and looking back I can see the misses were mostly my issues

 

[SD Carpenter]

I was able to connect at the mile target in a class a couple months ago. It's decent practice/training ammo. Every once in a while a shot will go short or long, and if you're honest with yourself you can laugh and say" yup, that was probably the .65 cent ammo lol". Considering how accurate it is for how cheap, it's a pretty good deal. I have a couple of those cases in the back of the safe as just in case.

 

[CRod]

I think you mean K&M in Jackson, K&N is the car parts. There’s a great thread on 140 AG muzzle velocity, assume 2675 FPS and you’ll be very close!

I did indeed mean K&M, that's what happens when you don't proofread before you post, and thanks for the information.

 

[proSquid]

Yeah, 2675 will be pretty close, i use 2670 in the kestrel. Purchased 1,400rds of lot # 3200692 in the 200rd ammo cans, because it was on sale locally. The wife and i went to the range yesterday and we were both hitting steel out to 1,280yd. Elevation wise pretty close, wind was really tough due to 20+mph gusts. Temperature was 82F. On a side note, a few weeks ago when temp was 104F my muzzle velocity was avg 2695 w/14.6 SD

 

[rustyinbend]

I never trust anything written on the box. I use my Labradar to get accurate velocities any time I'm going to shoot for score, or track out to longer distances. Combination of my Labradar, and the JKL Precision Trigger ... is a setup that works for me. Really struggled with my Labradar until I got the JKL Trigger. Make the investment in either a Labradar or a Magnetospeed ... you'll be glad you did.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Out of my 25" barrel I was getting 2695 -2710 so like the others said around 2675 should be a good starting point.

 

[JC0352]

You can use the numbers on the box as a starting point since you’re starting from scratch. Enter your info into the app and then true it up for your rifle. If the solution the app gives you isn’t on the target, you might need someone to spot for you until you learn to mitigate recoil and spot your own impacts/misses. Use the adjustment you had to make to get on target to true your data (this should be done further out, 800-1000yds if you have a place to shoot that far).

Also, there’s no “e” at the end of Creedmor

 

[proSquid]

You can use the numbers on the box as a starting point since you’re starting from scratch. Enter your info into the app and then true it up for your rifle. If the solution the app gives you isn’t on the target, you might need someone to spot for you until you learn to mitigate recoil and spot your own impacts/misses. Use the adjustment you had to make to get on target to true your data (this should be done further out, 800-1000yds if you have a place to shoot that far).

Also, there’s no “e” at the end of Creedmor

Creedmoor, lol

 

[ForgeValley]

Once you true it to your rifle, you will be good to go. I started shooting the hornady match stuff, and realized for prs shooting, the AG is more than sufficient.

New to the sport, you most likely aren't shooting the difference between them. Wind and your ability to shoot from positional are much larger impacts.

And at .80 vs. 1.40 a round, for me it is a no brainer. That's almost twice as much shooting for the same price. That's what will improve your shooting the most right now, practice.

 

[ditter]

Agree that when you are starting or practicing, you could use AG. But if you are going to an expensive course like that, you should bring good match ammo. Hornady ELD, Federal GMM, Berger Match.

I would suggest the Berger 140's. Save the brass. I'd bet someone at the class will give 60 cents a piece for the Lapua brass. If not, I will.

 

[CRod]

You can use the numbers on the box as a starting point since you’re starting from scratch. Enter your info into the app and then true it up for your rifle. If the solution the app gives you isn’t on the target, you might need someone to spot for you until you learn to mitigate recoil and spot your own impacts/misses. Use the adjustment you had to make to get on target to true your data (this should be done further out, 800-1000yds if you have a place to shoot that far).

Also, there’s no “e” at the end of Creedmor

I admitted earlier that I didn't proofread before I posted. I promise it will be the last time I do that. LOL

 

[Carnifex]

I was getting 2690 out of a 24'' proof and 2586 out of a 20'' LMT MWS. Both had no problem making impacts on an IPSC at 1000

 

[2010Ruger]

AG is all I shoot in my creedmoor now because the price/performance ratio is outstanding. I only have access to 700yds but they group great at that distance. Never shot any over a chronograph, 2790 is my MV input on my ballistic app. Barrel is 26”

 

[HousePlant]

I'm going to the same class and will probably bring American Gunner unless I find a nice deal on a Hornady or Federal match ammo. There is also a Remington match ammo that is favorable in price with the Sierra MatchKing bullets and it's used by police snipers, apparently. As far as I'm concerned, for this beginner class, I'm going to need to be more concerned with learning fundamentals than if I have the best factory rounds. If American Gunner shoots a .75" group or less at 100 yards consistently, then you'll be fine enough for this class -- that's my opinion. There's gonna be some guy at this class that hits everything with a cheap Weaver scope and some obscure round making you feel like a loser anyway, haha.

I might bring my .308 instead of the 6.5 Creedmor just to make it harder on me.

 

[ForgeValley]

I might bring my .308 instead of the 6.5 Creedmor just to make it harder on me.

I took the 4 day course a couple of years ago and there was one guy shooting 308. If I had it to do again, I'd probably take 308 as well. You will definitely learn more about reading the wind and recoil mgt, natural point of aim. Just don't get frustrated when guys shooting 6.5 are making the shots more easily. It's a learning situation and I sincerely believe I would have learned more with .308

Was listening to Caylen and Phil the other day on modern day sniper podcast, and Phil was talking about how whenever he gets too sloppy, he goes back to 308 and gets his stuff together again.

 

[littlepod]

I just finished the 4 day class with Frank and not sure if the syllabus is the same, but I brought my 308 and the class was full of people of a variety of skill levels. They don't expect everyone to know their MV and Dope all the way out to 1500 yards. They will get you trued pretty quickly. MV/BC is only as good as if you're certain your scope is also tracking 100%.

I brought my 308 with me for days 1-2 and then switched barrels to a 6GT for days 3-4. Prior to the class I shot mainly at 200 yards (local range) and had about 10 rounds at 600 at a friend's range.

308 will definitely get you on the fundamentals quicker as you really can't slack off. After 2 days of 308 and having figured out the NPOA and Recoil Management it was comical how easy shooting the 6GT was.. if I had only brought the 6GT I think it'd be a lot slower to get the fundamentals down as it get masked with little to no recoil or wind effect.