Joe L
04-21-2013, 11:48 AM
Federal and Remington box ammo is so expensive! Some fellows over at SnipersHide suggested trying some Southwest Ammunition loads, so I ordered up 100 rounds and shot a few this morning...
First, I shot at 200 yards with the Southwest Ammunition 168 reloads, Federal Gold Medal Match 168, and Remington Premier Match 168. I cleaned the carbon out on Saturday so didn't know quite what to expect, so I shot 5 rounds of each at 200 yards first before shooting at 300. At 200, all three grouped less than 2" with the Rem hitting .2 mil left of the Fed GMM. The Southwest Ammunition 168 shot 0.2 mil above the Fed GMM but grouped well. Very happy so far.
Next was at 300 yards, calm winds 50F. No wind, none, which explains a lot. The Fed and Rem rounds grouped well but with slightly different POI, just like at 200, then I tried the Southwest Ammo, shot 5 rounds and sure enough, a little high, so I dialed in a 0.2 mil correction and shot this 4 round group...
http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms/Savage-Model-10/i-2X3tXTS/0/M/300%20yd%204-21-13-M.jpg
Yes, less than an inch at 300 yards is a fluke (for me), but it is my kind of fluke. I shot another group after this one and it was the more usual 2" group, still as good as the big brand $2/round box ammo. But, 1"-2" groups at 300 yards with someone else's reloads? I'll take it. Today at least, the Southwest Ammunition reloads were as repeatable as the Federal GMM and Remington Premier match ammo in my rifle. I'm happy. I'm ordering more. I'm very happy. If the next 280 rounds shoot as well as this first box, I'll be happy. Will duplicate the comparison at 545 yards in a few weeks. That will be the real test for me.
Savage rifle/Bushnell DMR scope/Fed/Rem/SW box ammo are all really, really, good. Shooter needs work.
Joe
First, I shot at 200 yards with the Southwest Ammunition 168 reloads, Federal Gold Medal Match 168, and Remington Premier Match 168. I cleaned the carbon out on Saturday so didn't know quite what to expect, so I shot 5 rounds of each at 200 yards first before shooting at 300. At 200, all three grouped less than 2" with the Rem hitting .2 mil left of the Fed GMM. The Southwest Ammunition 168 shot 0.2 mil above the Fed GMM but grouped well. Very happy so far.
Next was at 300 yards, calm winds 50F. No wind, none, which explains a lot. The Fed and Rem rounds grouped well but with slightly different POI, just like at 200, then I tried the Southwest Ammo, shot 5 rounds and sure enough, a little high, so I dialed in a 0.2 mil correction and shot this 4 round group...
http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms/Savage-Model-10/i-2X3tXTS/0/M/300%20yd%204-21-13-M.jpg
Yes, less than an inch at 300 yards is a fluke (for me), but it is my kind of fluke. I shot another group after this one and it was the more usual 2" group, still as good as the big brand $2/round box ammo. But, 1"-2" groups at 300 yards with someone else's reloads? I'll take it. Today at least, the Southwest Ammunition reloads were as repeatable as the Federal GMM and Remington Premier match ammo in my rifle. I'm happy. I'm ordering more. I'm very happy. If the next 280 rounds shoot as well as this first box, I'll be happy. Will duplicate the comparison at 545 yards in a few weeks. That will be the real test for me.
Savage rifle/Bushnell DMR scope/Fed/Rem/SW box ammo are all really, really, good. Shooter needs work.
Joe