• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Most consistent factory ammo brand ???

rustyinbend

GySgt USMC 1976-1992
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Dec 9, 2018
    2,996
    3,166
    Bend, Oregon
    A little background before I ask my question ...

    I love to shoot, but don't have time to reload. I can consistently shoot sub-MOA at shorter distances (<=800 yards), but I sometimes struggle beyond that and am starting to feel like the deviations in factory ammo may be a contributing factor. (I'm lucky to have a great local range that goes out to 1,800 yards.)

    I've made a mile shot a few times, but it took a lot to get those hits.

    My distance rifles are a Barrett MRAD (with barrels in 6.5-CM, .308-Win, .300-WM, and .338-LM), a Masterpiece Arms 300-WMBA, a Tikka T3x-TAC-A1 in 6.5-CM, and a LWRCI REPR MKII Elite in 6.5-CM. Interestingly ... the LWRCI in 6.5-CM tends to be my most consistent platform out to 1,400-ish ... even though it's an AR-10 form-factor and everything else is bolt action.

    My usual ammo is Hornady ELD-Match with a fairly heavy bullet available for each of those caliber variants (147gr for 6.5-CM and 195gr for .300-WM). I chronograph everything carefully on a LabRadar, and get standard deviations usually in the high-teens, sometimes more. The deviation from lowest to highest can sometimes be pretty substantial (30-40 fps or more).

    Here's my question ... Is there a factory ammo brand that you've found that is the "best" for consistency of the load, and that provides a standard-deviation that is measurably better than other factory brands?

    Thanks for the advice ... without investing the time and money in reloading ... I'd like to try some better and more consistent factory ammo, primarily in 6.5-CM and 300-WM, but I'm just not sure what might be better than the ELD-M stuff I'm currently using.
     
    Berger 140 hybrid 6.5cm ammo is unlike any ammo ive used. 1 hole accuracy and single digit SDs. Then u get lapua brass with it
     
    Berger Ammo is very good. Also the lapua Ammo! Prime is also good they say!
    Thanks ... do you have any standard-deviation measurements on any of those that you've personally taken? Just curious. I've heard Prime is very good, but the recommendation has always been anecdotal and not part of an empirical measurement.
     
    Helpful ... thanks. That's 2 votes for Berger.
    I've been doing some chrono of 6.5 CM lately and do like the Bergers

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Berger Match, 140 gr20287028832852319.95

    Now I did shoot some Fed with Bergers and they shot pretty dang consistently but for some reason I'm seeing much higher velocities than published on the box (actually, seeing that with a wide range of ammo).

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Fed Premium Berger Hybrid, 135 gr192933295529104510.93

    I have only chrono'd one box of Prime so far

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Prime, 130 gr202967298929355414.33

    Hornaday ELD-M is in the running also

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Hornday ELD-M, 140 gr192792282527616415.8

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Hornday ELD-M, 147 gr182798282027794112.85

    Not sure that any of this is of sufficient set size to be significant.....and I'm not sure it will be helpful to you but this is what I have found so far in exploring 6.5 CM factory ammo.
     
    Thanks ... do you have any standard-deviation measurements on any of those that you've personally taken? Just curious. I've heard Prime is very good, but the recommendation has always been anecdotal and not part of an empirical measurement.
    I don’t. All I know is that it works.
     
    Also not considered factory Ammo but copper creek has great Ammo!
     
    I've been doing some chrono of 6.5 CM lately and do like the Bergers

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Berger Match, 140 gr20287028832852319.95

    Now I did shoot some Fed with Bergers and they shot pretty dang consistently but for some reason I'm seeing much higher velocities than published on the box (actually, seeing that with a wide range of ammo).

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Fed Premium Berger Hybrid, 135 gr192933295529104510.93

    I have only chrono'd one box of Prime so far

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Prime, 130 gr202967298929355414.33

    Hornaday ELD-M is in the running also

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Hornday ELD-M, 140 gr192792282527616415.8

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Hornday ELD-M, 147 gr182798282027794112.85

    Not sure that any of this is of sufficient set size to be significant.....and I'm not sure it will be helpful to you but this is what I have found so far in exploring 6.5 CM factory ammo.
    Just ordered a few boxes of the Berger 144gr Match to try out ... couldn't find any 140gr. Like that single-digit SD ... THANKS for the data.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Baron23
    Thanks ... do you have any standard-deviation measurements on any of those that you've personally taken? Just curious. I've heard Prime is very good, but the recommendation has always been anecdotal and not part of an empirical measurement.

    I've shot 8 boxes of the newer Bergers (with Lapua brass) in 338LM. 7 of them ran SDs of 8-9 and 1 was a bit over 11 on a very hot day. Every round was chrono'ed with a LabRadar. Lapua Scenar factory ammo in 338LM typically runs in the SD range of 15 to 17. Hornady ELDM 225s in 300PRC typically run SDs of 12 to 15.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Baron23
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Jscb1b
    I've been doing some chrono of 6.5 CM lately and do like the Bergers

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Berger Match, 140 gr20287028832852319.95

    Now I did shoot some Fed with Bergers and they shot pretty dang consistently but for some reason I'm seeing much higher velocities than published on the box (actually, seeing that with a wide range of ammo).

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Fed Premium Berger Hybrid, 135 gr192933295529104510.93

    I have only chrono'd one box of Prime so far

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Prime, 130 gr202967298929355414.33

    Hornaday ELD-M is in the running also

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Hornday ELD-M, 140 gr192792282527616415.8

    Ammunition# shotsAvg fpsHigh fpsLow fpsMax SpreadStd Dev
    Hornday ELD-M, 147 gr182798282027794112.85

    Not sure that any of this is of sufficient set size to be significant.....and I'm not sure it will be helpful to you but this is what I have found so far in exploring 6.5 CM factory ammo.

    I thought the federal Berger’s were130
     
    I thought the federal Berger’s were130
    Box I have says 135???

    1600562749440.png


    The Gold Medals are 130

    1600562874662.png
     
    Best to stay overnight in Bend, and go to COSSA at first light. Wind picks up late morning and makes longer distances challenging. The Long Range and Gas Gun competitions (more "fun" and less "compete") on the first weekend of every month are a blast ... distance on Friday-Saturday (out to a mile - starts at 7am) and gas-gun tactical ranges and targets on Sunday (200-1,000 yards - starts at 9am) ... next one is Oct 2-4. I can get you in as a guest ... let me know (via PM) if you're headed out this way. If you can only come one day, make it "Gas Gun Sunday". It's so much fun it should be illegal. Tons of targets all over the place ... peepers hiding in wooden forts and bushes, IPSEC's, hangers, longer distances with reaction lights, spotters to coach your misses and impacts ... it's a no-miss day if you've got a good gas-gun in some range that can stretch to 1,000-ish. I usually take my LWRCI REPR MKII Elite in 6.5 Creedmoor, or my 6.5 Grendel. Took my .224 Valkyrie last time and figured out that 750-ish yards is about the effective limit ... dinged 100% out to 700, and struggled after that. In prior month's "bonus time" with my LWRCI 6.5, I was 1-shot/1-kill out to 1,300 yards (when the match is over, you can hang out and shoot any of the targets used over the weekend. Anyway ... enough bragging about my local range ... launch me a PM if you're headed out here and need a "range buddy" with a COSSA membership.