Do Different Brand of Bullets make a Difference?

[texastrophies]

The answer for me in my .280 is yes.

Went out and did a little experimenting this weekend. At a 100 yards, I took 4 shots with Rem. 150 gr PSP Core-Lokts (you know, the el cheapo ammo), 3 with Federal ballistic tip 140 gr and 3 with Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 140 gr. (the high dollar stuff). The results were interesting.

Did the 4 remingtons first, they centered about an inch high, with a sub inch grouping. Then switched over to the Winchester, actually shot 4 rounds, but the first one was pretty much a floater switching over from the rem., anyways they were about 2 inches high and an inch right with a little over 1 1/2 inch grouping. Then switched to the Federals, and shot 4 rounds. Experienced the same floating affect from the first round, then the next three were within 3/4" grouping about an inch high & left.

No changes were made to the optics during this experiment and all were from a solid rest on a Caldwell lead-sled. I guess the outcome just shows for my rifle, the high dollar ammo isn't the best for it.

Unfortunately with my sons .270, it likes the more expensive Federals.

Here is a picture of the target.

[doubleA]

It really comes down to what your particular barrel prefers, some will shoot various bullets /weights to the same POI and some wont. Some will shoot everything well and some wont. Barrel harmonics play a huge roll in this and this is why with handloading you can tweak different things and get better/worse results. Changing anything in the recipe will affect harmonics, from powder,bullet,seating depth etc.

With that said, with factory loads you are stuck with what you have. To experiment, one will have to purchase different brands/weight/types to see which one will have optimum results. I dont think price is a big factor on the way a load will shoot, by that I mean the more expensive it is the better it will shoot is simply not true.

I dont shoot alot of factory ammo but did this little test before hunting with Randy in Wisconsin last year.

These were all shot at 300 yards in a Sako 270 WSM using the "big 3's" premium 140gr loads. Pretty easy to see that the Federals aint working, though I knew that because their 100yd groups were around 3 inches but shot them at longer distance to confirm.

[dawgitall]

Yes. I tested Federal, Winchester and Remington in my .270 and .308. Same basic results. 1 Federal 2 Winchester and 3rd was Remington. Good Luck

[wtnhunt]

Interesting how it goes Jeff. My .270 likes the 150 grain core lokts, get under 1 inch groups from the bench at 100 yards, good enough for me for deer hunting. My oldest daughter was shooting sub 1 inch groups at 100 yards with the .270 prior to their trip.

The wifes savage in .243 will shoot about anything in 100 grainers we have tried in it, and it is a very accurate shooter, but that rifle does not seem to like the 85 grain varmint loads I tried through it. My daughters A bolt will shoot the winchester power points in 100 grainers in sub 1 inch groups, but opens up a bit with 100 grain core lokts, which does not make a lot of sense to me.

Sometimes the cheap ammo is not so bad.

[csualumni21000]

Yes

[Jeramie]

Yeah they make a huge difference!

My favorite rifle wont shoot Corelokt. It stinks because I dont think there is a better round for the money.

It will, however, shoot Federal. I also handload Hornady BTSP. They shoot just right of the Federal but stack in the same hole.

Guns can be really picky some times.

[toddyboman]

It really comes down to what your particular barrel prefers, some will shoot various bullets /weights to the same POI and some wont. Some will shoot everything well and some wont. Barrel harmonics play a huge roll in this and this is why with handloading you can tweak different things and get better/worse results. Changing anything in the recipe will affect harmonics, from powder,bullet,seating depth etc.

AMEN!!

Dad, a friend and myself all have the exact same rifles. Not one thing is different between the 3. You set all 3 down together you can not tell the difference between the 3.

We reload all our ammo...but for these guns each one takes a different type of bullet, a different weight and variety of powder and a different brand of primer.

It showed me very quickly how each gun/barrel likes different ammo.

[scottgray18]

Yes it does. It all depends on the load you want the specific brand you want to shoot and the type of bullet that that cartriges are topped with. I prefer Remington loads, but Federal loads are compareable.

[Missed160]

"Did the 4 remingtons first, they centered about an inch high, with a sub inch grouping. Then switched over to the Winchester, actually shot 4 rounds, but the first one was pretty much a floater switching over from the rem., anyways they were about 2 inches high and an inch right with a little over 1 1/2 inch grouping. Then switched to the Federals, and shot 4 rounds. Experienced the same floating affect from the first round, then the next three were within 3/4" grouping about an inch high & left."

With these results it doesn't look like there is any real difference between the Remington & the "Expensive Federals" - with less then a 1" group and currently shooting 1" high - there is no reason not to shoot the Remingtons.

[johnf]

Yep, my 243 loves winchesters, and will shoot remington and federal almost as good. My 25-06 is a tack driver with rimingtons at 150 yards, but I can only muster about 2" at 100yards with winchesters.