Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

[Teleos]

I just got done shooting 6" groups with this ammo @ 100y.

(I was using the .308 version)

I never imagined that ammo could be this terrible; at 600y the shots were all over the 36" target I was shooting at. After panicking that something just had to be wrong with my rifle and nearly caving in on a new stock, I decided to try a $40 box of Lapua I had been saving.

First three shots were under 0.5".

Now my question is, can anybody think of a logical reason that a particular rifle can be so sensitive to ammo? An out-of-spec chamber, perhaps? I managed to get 0.6" groups with Blackhills last year, and even Magtech's ultra cheap ammo ($35 for 50) was shooting under an inch. This UMC ammo runs $15 for a box of 20.

 

[Pat Harrison]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

Umc isn't great but my Remington which usually groups just under an inch (.75 give or take) opens up to 1.5" to 2" with umc. 6" sounds extraordinarily bad. Could just be a really bad box, I've had the odd umc box have a round with a squashed primer (tried to go in sideways) or other out of spec round.

 

[ORD]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

It can be pretty inconsistent in my experience (2-3MOA) and it also is generally FILTY FREAKIN' DIRTY!

 

[kvwpwr]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

I just got a r700 sps and was shooting the umc 150grn 40rd box and it is definitely dirty. My groups were not great with it but part of that could be the tupperware stock its sitting in.

 

[Rthur]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

You should check with any of the ammo vendors on this site. I think you can still find match 308 around 20.00. I have used southwest ammo and found it very consistant.
btw- if your rifle doesn't like it the savings aren't worth it.

 

[BarryMaslen]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

I have a R700 in .223 and i have shot a lot of UMC ammo. All of the bullet tips look different. Some are pointed, some are kinda dull, some are flat. I'm looking at about 2MOA with it. I shoot steel with it, thats all.

 

[Teleos]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

So it looks like the ammo shoots particularly bad in my rifle for some reason.

I bought 3 boxes of it, but I'm gonna have to retire them early. Too bad, really.

 

[Teleos]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

To anyone coming upon this thread at a later date, I think I might have found the issue.

The Remington UMC ammo uses 150gr bullets that are extremely short (low BC). The Lapua ammo, on the other hand, reaches out much further. My theory is that the lands on my rifle (I've shot over 2k rounds through it), have eroded enough that the crappy factory ammo is making an extreme jump to reach the lands. This would explain why the Magtech ammo managed to shoot decently. I remember being amazed at the profile of the bullets used in it, considering it's price point.

 

[Arbiter]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

My theory is that UMC is complete and utter garbage, period. The handgun ammo is consistently underpowered, and I've seen on several occasions boxes of UMC rifle ammo where multiple cartridges had insuffient neck tension and the bullet had been crushed down into the case. It's inaccurate, weakly loaded, generic shit. At least Wolf is cheaper.

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

UMC "yellow box" 55gr MC .223 shot "rapid-fire" @ 100yd puts all 20 rounds from a box into a 2.5" group with my Savage 12FV.

 

[benchmstr]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

i used some of this not that long ago for a barrel break in.......groups were around 2"

 

[Raider Power]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

I bought a box for one of my pistols a few years ago and was shocked at how dirty it was. I don't shoot it through any of my rifles for that reason.

As far as your note on the bullets being seated short, I have a .22-250 that has a long throat and is only good for an inch to an inch and a half at a 100 yards with anything seated to standard legnth. Loaded just off the lands, that rifle will shoot lights out. Some rifles are just picky.

 

[fastbs]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

Seems like all the fmj factory loads spray 3"+ groups out of my rifles too.

 

[dbsinh2o]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

Yes! That crap is filthy.

I just put 100 rounds through my Kimber 45ACP, and I'll never touch this brand again. The slide was absolutely black about 2 inches back from the muzzle. I've never, ever, seen such filthy ammo.

Yeah, accuracy sucked as well.

 

[mcfred]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

Yes, UMC is that bad.

A coworker picked up an inexpensive Savage in .308. He bought a couple boxes of ammo and I took him to the range to sight it in. Everything was ok for some Winchester rounds, not fantastic but good enough for a deer rifle. He switched over to that same UMC stuff and he was at about 8" groups at 100 yards. I thought it was just him, I shot it and managed 7". I thought something had shook loose and checked the scope rings and action screws. Everything was tight. We went back tot he Winchester brand and it shot just as it had the first time. With some plinking handloads it's down to about an inch now.

What's worse is the same bulk UMC .22LR I bought was 20% duds. Pulled the cases apart and there's primer compound all over but in the rim where it's supposed to be.

I'll never buy Remington/UMC ammo again.

 

[ded_on]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

I just broke in my 5r with this ammo and tried to site it in with it shooting 3-4" groups, not fun. Picked up some FGMM and this thing is shooting .5-.75 inch groups @ 100yrds. It's the ammo and it will drive you crazy thinking it's you.

 

[Teleos]

Re: Is UMC Ammo This Terrible?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ded on</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just broke in my 5r with this ammo and tried to site it in with it shooting 3-4" groups, not fun. Picked up some FGMM and this thing is shooting .5-.75 inch groups @ 100yrds. It's the ammo and it will drive you crazy thinking it's you. </div></div>

Yeah, maybe some moderator could put a sticky of sorts in the basic marksmanship page concerning group sizes and low-end ammo (sort of like the ammo reviews on another site I'm thinking of).

If I hadn't had that box of Lapua, I would have probably dropped a pretty penny trying to fix imaginary accuracy issues. The way seating length affects accuracy is huge, as well. Most advanced shooters will load their own ammunition and either be chasing the lands or using longer, high BC bullets. That explains why I've never seen this phenomenon mentioned with cheap factory ammo.

The most irritating part is how many people watching were so eager to blame it on fundamentals...they just scowled when another competition shooter shot a 3 foot group.