Is it just me or is the Federal Premium ammo the best in 308?

I have reloaded for almost 30 years and have some dies that are from the late 80s so I have made my share of ammo over the years. But after getting into the 308 and 223 I (Savage 10 FLCPK rifles) I decided to get some Fed ammo to benchmark from. In 308 I tried the 165g tactical tru ammo as well as the Gold medal match in 168g and 177grain. In 223 I tried the 69 and 77 grain as well. I have shot the 223 in bolt as well as high precision ARs and the 308 in 2 different bolt guns and now an AR10. No matter what I put it in the stuff shoots GREAT. In the stock Savage 308 I was getting consistent .45-.65" 100 yard groups and after rebarreling it with a new Brux from Sinman it now shoots that same ammo at .25-.35" range at 100 yards.

The 223 stuff is the same basically. How do they get one load that works so well in every rifle? I have always heard and read here that every rifle likes something different, load till you find it, shoot OCW/ ladders etc etc. I have tried for a year now with some of these rifles to get something that easily beats the Federal Gold medal but it is tough. Another cool thing is that the POI is the same with the 168g match and 165 grain tru tactical ammo also.

Anyone else have similar results?

I got some Federal GM 168gr to break in my new .308
I zeroed the scope during break in, and shot sub 1/2moa groups with that ammo after a 20 round break in procedure.
My handloads do slightly better, but for a factory round, ya can't beat the FGM.....IMHO. YMMV.

At the price they ask for it, it had better carry the game back to the truck too.... Seriously, one can make your own reloads that shoot at least as well for just a fraction of the factory price. Today the most expensive component is brass. The hardest one to come by is powder.

I agree..... I did the same thing while breaking my 10 FCP-K in 308 in. Had a box of FGMM in 168 given to me..so I figure what the heck right?....wow...was i impressed. I like,d them so much i took one apart to see whats under the hood...now Im gonna try to copy them.....
I havent tried them in 223 though but from what your saying?......I wouldnt dought there just as spot on

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eddiesindian

I agree..... I did the same thing while breaking my 10 FCP-K in 308 in. Had a box of FGMM in 168 given to me..so I figure what the heck right?....wow...was i impressed. I like,d them so much i took one apart to see whats under the hood...now Im gonna try to copy them.....
I havent tried them in 223 though but from what your saying?......I wouldnt dought there just as spot on

---

I opened up some 308gm and found 42.8 grains of powder that looked similar to 4064 in the fc brass and 210m primers I'm sure it's not exactly 4064 but it's a good place to start. I like varget and 4064 in mine.

As for the price of gm308 I get it for 23.99 usually so it's not that bad compared to plinking ammo for $20 a box but yes my reloads are cheaper for sure

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rotts4u

I opened up some 308gm and found 43.8 grains of powder that looked similar to 4064 in the fc brass and 210m primers I'm sure it's not exactly 4064 but it's a good place to start. I like varget and 4064 in mine.

As for the price of gm308 I get it for 23.99 usually so it's not that bad compared to plinking ammo for $20 a box but yes my reloads are cheaper for sure

---

I got 42.8grs of powder. It does infact look just like 4064. The bullet had a pretty good crimping mark on it as well. I clocked them going 2800 thru my chrono @ 3800 ft of elev.
Ive got 4064/fed cases/fed 210m primers/and 168smk,s...Im gonna copy (including crimp) everything Ive seen, load em up and shoot-em.
clock them and see if my 4064 load chrg match,s theres. hard to say if in fact it is 100% 4064.......guess we,ll give it a go and adj. accordingly to get there speeds if my 4064 doesnt match theres..

I certainly do not know enough to even comment, but from what I have read and heard from seemingly knowledgeable people (in regards to factory powder), you can't get whatever it is they use. They are more or less proprietary mixes of powder that is pretty much unavailable to the reloading public. Of course, I could be wrong. :)

I've had all the following group under 1/2 inch:
168gr Atomic Nosler Custom Competition, 168gr Nosler Custom Competition, 168gr Hornady match, 175gr FGMM, and HSM 175gr match.

I prefer the 175's in the end due to the ranges I usually shoot.

Sure puts a "Big Vote" up for the OCW reload method! ;-)

Here is the recipe for M118LR, which ain't too far removed from 175gr FGMM

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...3/5915a0a2.jpg

Pretty darn safe bet that FGMM uses 4064, too.

I didn't know that about the imr4064 that's nice!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BoilerUP

Here is the recipe for M118LR, which ain't too far removed from 175gr FGMM

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...3/5915a0a2.jpg

Pretty darn safe bet that FGMM uses 4064, too.

---

Had to let the secret out didn't you!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eddiesindian

I got 42.8grs of powder. It does infact look just like 4064. The bullet had a pretty good crimping mark on it as well. I clocked them going 2800 thru my chrono @ 3800 ft of elev.
Ive got 4064/fed cases/fed 210m primers/and 168smk,s...Im gonna copy (including crimp) everything Ive seen, load em up and shoot-em.
clock them and see if my 4064 load chrg match,s theres. hard to say if in fact it is 100% 4064.......guess we,ll give it a go and adj. accordingly to get there speeds if my 4064 doesnt match theres..

---

Sorry you were right I had 42.8 also on ther 168grain I found 41.8 in the 175 grain version

GM MK is my benchmark standard, though I wouldn't hunt with it.

Only 41.8 grains behind the 175??? that's just barely over minimum. My loads are a bit faster....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rotts4u

Sorry you were right I had 42.8 also on ther 168grain I found 41.8 in the 175 grain version

---

no problem......
According to the ballistics data on the FGMM box, there moving 2650 but at my elevation, they clocked 2800. I dought Ill get the same speed if i go 42.8 but hey?...its almost christmas right?......I might get lucky hit paydirt...it,ll be my own x-mas present to myself...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BoilerUP

Here is the recipe for M118LR, which ain't too far removed from 175gr FGMM

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...3/5915a0a2.jpg

Pretty darn safe bet that FGMM uses 4064, too.

---

wow.....can you imagine ordering 800lbs of 4064?......