Are you anal about ammo?

[Brnsvllyjohn]

I no longer reload (that might change soon) so I try to select a factory load that my gun likes. Once I have found something I can live with I buy more as soon as I make that decision. Once I get the new boxes home I label each box so I know when I purchased it so I can keep everything separate. I started doing this a number of years ago after shooting mostly Remington premium loads that they would change the recipe on frequently and point of impact would be way off from one year to the next. Some of my best groups with the Remington stuff (Accubonds, Scirocco and Core-lokt ultra) would be great for a couple of years then the next batch would be way off but still hold a decent group so I had to adjust my scope accordingly. I now label everything and try not to hunt with a box of ammo that I have not run at least 2 rounds though my gun at the range. I just feel better knowing that that second and third box of ammo I purchased shoots the same as the box I sighted the gun in with. As an old reloader we always did that with every batch of ammo we loaded and to me it makes since to do the same thing with the factory ammo.

I am never comfortable with a guy in camp running into town to buy a box of ammo to go hunting with that they have never shot at the range.

 

[KTKT70]

Good info. I am wondering a lot of that stuff. I hope to find a good out of the box 30-06 but I'm also working on some custom rounds. So if we work up 10 of each kind we are doing. Would I than need to test the next group of 10 if I find one that works or once you have the recipe will they all be the same? I'm thinking that it's best to test one or two from every batch we work up. Even if we are making the one we think is best. At that point if I have used 3-5 and have 5 good rounds left. Am I ok to take the extra 5 to the field. I'm pretty sure the answer is yes. I'm just covering all options. Thank you for the help. All lots of good things to learn.

 

[Mr. Luckypants]

Just make sure the the ammo came from the same lot#. This way you know the powder came from the same consistent grade. I don't buy factory ammo accept for 22lr but if I did this is what I would do.

 

[Brnsvllyjohn]

Good info. I am wondering a lot of that stuff. I hope to find a good out of the box 30-06 but I'm also working on some custom rounds. So if we work up 10 of each kind we are doing. Would I than need to test the next group of 10 if I find one that works or once you have the recipe will they all be the same? I'm thinking that it's best to test one or two from every batch we work up. Even if we are making the one we think is best. At that point if I have used 3-5 and have 5 good rounds left. Am I ok to take the extra 5 to the field. I'm pretty sure the answer is yes. I'm just covering all options. Thank you for the help. All lots of good things to learn.

When I said we would shoot a couple from every batch we loaded we were generally loading 50 rounds or more of a known load. Sometimes the primers would be from a different batch or the powder would come from a different can so we shot a few. IF you are loading from the same exact batch of powder and primers I would think once you know your load is good just load a bunch exactly the same way and you should be good. Where I saw guys getting into issues is using brand x rifle primers one time and brand y the next time. We almost never saw a change in point of impact in our hand loads but I still felt better shooting a couple.

As far as making sure the factory ammo is from the same batch sometimes you cannot do that if you purchase ammo in different years. That is why I shoot a couple from almost every box I get. Hey the practice is not a bad thing. It gives me the opportunity to go back to the range and run a couple more rounds down range with a cold barrel again.