Most consistent factory ammo brand ???

[rustyinbend]

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.

 

[Snipe260]

Berger Ammo is very good. Also the lapua Ammo! Prime is also good they say!

 

[BLKWLFK9]

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

 

[rustyinbend]

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.

 

[rustyinbend]

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

Helpful ... thanks. That's 2 votes for Berger.

 

[Baron23]

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	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Berger Match, 140 gr	20	2870	2883	2852	31	9.95

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	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Fed Premium Berger Hybrid, 135 gr	19	2933	2955	2910	45	10.93

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

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Prime, 130 gr	20	2967	2989	2935	54	14.33

Hornaday ELD-M is in the running also

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Hornday ELD-M, 140 gr	19	2792	2825	2761	64	15.8

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Hornday ELD-M, 147 gr	18	2798	2820	2779	41	12.85

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.

 

[Snipe260]

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.

 

[Snipe260]

Also not considered factory Ammo but copper creek has great Ammo!

 

[rustyinbend]

I've been doing some chrono of 6.5 CM lately and do like the Bergers

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Berger Match, 140 gr	20	2870	2883	2852	31	9.95

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	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Fed Premium Berger Hybrid, 135 gr	19	2933	2955	2910	45	10.93

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

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Prime, 130 gr	20	2967	2989	2935	54	14.33

Hornaday ELD-M is in the running also

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Hornday ELD-M, 140 gr	19	2792	2825	2761	64	15.8

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Hornday ELD-M, 147 gr	18	2798	2820	2779	41	12.85

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.

 

[TripleBull]

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.

 

[FCS]

Ammunition from McCourt Munitions, LLC

McCourt Munitions, LLC is a manufacturer of high precision, match ammunition. While the FFL to load commercially is new, I have been building high quality ammunition for my own use for many years. I have been competing in shooting sports since 1991. Everything from IPSC & IDPA, to 3 gun, to...

www.snipershide.com

 

[Sniperwannabee]

I've been doing some chrono of 6.5 CM lately and do like the Bergers

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Berger Match, 140 gr	20	2870	2883	2852	31	9.95

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	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Fed Premium Berger Hybrid, 135 gr	19	2933	2955	2910	45	10.93

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

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Prime, 130 gr	20	2967	2989	2935	54	14.33

Hornaday ELD-M is in the running also

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Hornday ELD-M, 140 gr	19	2792	2825	2761	64	15.8

Ammunition	# shots	Avg fps	High fps	Low fps	Max Spread	Std Dev
Hornday ELD-M, 147 gr	18	2798	2820	2779	41	12.85

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

 

[Baron23]

I thought the federal Berger’s were130

Box I have says 135???

The Gold Medals are 130

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Box I have says 135???

Ahh those are the hybrid hunters I was looking at the target ammo

 

[Baron23]

Ahh those are the hybrid hunters I was looking at the target ammo

Yep, I edited my post to show both...expensive stuff if bought from Federal direct. Wow.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Where are you guys buys factory berger ammo?

 

[FCS]

Hybrid Hunter is 135 Gg bullet - P65CRDBCH1

GMM is 130 AR Hybrid - GM65CRDBH130

 

[TripleBull]

Where are you guys buys factory berger ammo?

I've been buying it off the shelf at Mile High.

 

[rustyinbend]

I just bought some at Outdoor-Limited, but I drained their available stock.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

I just bought some at Outdoor-Limited, but I drained their available stock.

Well if your in bend maybe I can drive buy and shoot some hahah

 

[rustyinbend]

Well if your in bend maybe I can drive buy and shoot some hahah

If you shoot at COSSA ... we've probably already shot together, and just didn't know it.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

No I’m about 3 hrs west of you, I would like to make it out there though

 

[rustyinbend]

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.