Anyone see problems with quality control with FGMM 168s? Had one go about 6 moa low at 560 yards today and another one from the same box wouldn't chamber in a short action AX or a A1 DT SRS.
Thanks.
Thanks.
FGMM 168 quality?
- Thread starter deersniper
- Start date
Federal Gold Medal Match seems to have been the standard for a long time. Mostly as a method to determine if there was a problem with handloads versus a rifle when looking for problems or as a god starting point for determining accuracy of a rifle.
A round hitting almost 3 feet low seems really strange. Not impossible, but strange without another factor involved. You say another round wouldn’t chamber in an AI rifle. Was this the same rifle used for this entire box of cartridges? Did it chamber in another rifle or was there another rifle available to even try?
What’s the range you were shooting at like? Clear or are there any twigs, brush, etc... Unlilely events happen. Round hits a stalk of something growing and slows it.
How many rounds fired that day? Do you track ammo lot numbers? I know I dont.
A round hitting almost 3 feet low seems really strange. Not impossible, but strange without another factor involved. You say another round wouldn’t chamber in an AI rifle. Was this the same rifle used for this entire box of cartridges? Did it chamber in another rifle or was there another rifle available to even try?
What’s the range you were shooting at like? Clear or are there any twigs, brush, etc... Unlilely events happen. Round hits a stalk of something growing and slows it.
How many rounds fired that day? Do you track ammo lot numbers? I know I dont.
Yeah. I wouldn’t think you’d be 3 feet off, but more like a misdialed elevation (one of those D’oh moments) or hitting something before the target. I haven’t experienced any problems with FGGM myself. But I haven’t had to buy any in several years. Mistakes happen in things made by men. I hope that’s your only aberration and the rest of it shoots well.
Beyond 600 168s tend to blow around more. And in a 24 inch barrel the velocity will likely run out of oomph after 800 or 900. I shot 180s and 190s with maximum loads in the Palma match at Perry in the 1980s and the score at 900 was 145/150. At 1000 it was 135/150! It's that sudden.
A buddy and I used FGMM 168's last year in a few matches. We did notice that the newer lots did not have the velocity nor consistency as the older lots. We didn't chrono, but we could definitely tell side by side at groups out to 300.
I shoot FGMM 168s. I usually group between 1 and 1.5 moa with them. Amd often get a flyer. My hand loads are all right around .5 moa. Best group i ever shot was with fgmm though. 5 rounds .27 moa at 200 yards. More of a fluke than anything... but it did happen.
I have shot thousands upon thousands of the Federal Match as well as other members of a "team" I shoot with. That being said there have been times where we have received lots as in a case of it that we have had trouble chambering it in our rifles. Some have not chambered at all others took effort to close the bolt. Some of the guys have match chambers that are tight and others a standard chamber. It happens although hardly ever. Clean your chamber well and if it continues I would return the ammo for a new lot.
