Comparing Reloading to Over The Counter Quality-Performance

[338winmag]

I decided the beginning of this year to test a number of manufacturer's 338 Win Mag, 300 Win Mag and 30 06 cartridges. (I might throw in 7mm mag as well) I want to compare to my reloaded cartridges on a number of approaches and measurements. This is pretty expensive and very time consuming so it will be done over 4 or so months. (I cannot buy all these boxes of ammo at once - the amount of time for measurements and recording for each box of 20 is over 3 -4 hours as well and that is before even going to the range)

What I am discovering is quite a bit disappointing (probably not shocking to most of you). People all work hard for every dollar they earn and to see advertising that does not quite live up to its very ridiculously high cost of purchase can make anyone a little frustrated. Yeah I know. Welcome to reality.

The term "Premium and Custom" is used very loosely. Maybe it is only because the "bullet used" is called "premium". I do know and recognize the extreme amount of science and production that goes into a bullet so no one will get an argument from me there though I might just say that if you hit the animal in the vitals with good shot placement, the bullet type might not make all that difference. The problem with some of my findings so far is that some of these preimium manufactured rounds that advertise "don't take a chance with anything less" might just be the round that performs so poorly you did miss that trophy bull, buck, ram or bear.

So far, I don't believe the shooter is getting all that much for the extra $30 a box of 20.
1. Case weights are varying greatly
2. Case lengths are varying considerably
3. Case base to ogive on loaded rounds are varying as much 3.32
4. Powder weights varying greatly
5. Concentricity deviation within a box is very poor on many of the premiums and I mean very poor!

I am finding a lot more but will test with a number of rifles and see if some of these findings make a difference or if the "premium bullet" corrects all these deficiences and hits the 1 1/2 - 2" bullseye at 200 yards everytime regardless.


One very very surprising note so far. The "very very inexpensive" over the counter 300 Win Mag Federal Soft Point was so dramtic in all the measurements that half way through my measuring, I restarted to make sure my measuring was correct!

Maybe it is just this one box (will find out with a few more boxes later), but the measurements were so tight that one would have thought they were buying a "very very expensive" Premium or Custom round. Not just some but all the types of measurements I was performing were incredibly tight and extremely minimal in deviation.

Does all this make a difference. We as handloaders believe it does. It was too windly at the range yesterday to test alot of rounds but we managed to get 9 rounds off with these cheap bullets when the wind died down for a few minutes. At 200 yards, 2 of the 3 shot groups --> you ready for this? They were touching! Yup, incredible groups. Now in all fairness, they were shot from a Savage 111 Long Range Hunter with a Nightforce scope so maybe this might not be produced in everyone's rifle but the excellent quality for these cheap rounds took me by a very big surprise.

I am not going to mention what the premium and custom ammunition right now till after we go to the range but the pre-firing test measurements so far are just not up to the cost they charge for them. Might not mention afterwards either. I don't want to get sued.

Thanks
338WinMag

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Great write up! Can't wait to read the results

 

[Guy Miner]

It will be interesting to see your results.

Many years ago I found that I had no problem beating factory ammo with my handloads.

Over the past ten or fifteen years, I've seen some very impressive factory ammo, that is difficult to beat at the range. One impressive example is Federal Gold Medal Match .308 Win ammo. I've seen it fired from dozens of different .308's, always turning in sub moa performance, and sometimes breaking 1/2 MOA, even out at 300+ yards. Pretty good performance for something Federal churns out in mass production.

I've seen equally impressive results from Hornady .308 TAP ammo, particularly with the 155 gr A-Max bullet.

Haven't yet tried any of Nosler's premium ammo - but with the bullets they produce, it's got to be good.

Mostly though, I roll my own. Regards, Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Umm - also probably worth noting that some of the "premium" bullets place the priority on penetration & expansion, while not being noted for generating anything other than average accuracy.

 

[JD338]

338winmag

Welcome to the forum, happy to have you here.

As a rule, factory ammo is pretty good these days but there can still be lot to lot differences, same with the componentes we use to hand load. The premium loads offered are good and they carry a premium price tag. Outside of using premium grade bullets, I truly do not know what else is done to make them custom or special. I have NEVER bought a box so I cant speak to it.

I have been loading for 36+ years, can't remember the last box of factory rifle shells I bought. I use Premium Custom loads by JD338. :grin:

My loads consist of preped cases, primed with Federal GM2xxM Gold Metal Match primers, hand weighed powder charges and topped off with Nosler bullets. These loades are tailored to the rifle and tested over an Oehler 35 chronograph to ensure I have low ES and SD's. My loads may not be Max or have the highest possible velocity but they will shoot under MOA, well under MOA.
Accuracy gives you confidence and surgical precision shot placement kells every time. :wink:

I think you will find your test to be an expensive disappointment. IMHO, I would put the money spent on factory ammo towards a chronograph and components.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

I doubt that I can match the velocities of commercial ammunition, but accuracy is quite another story. I shoot a lot of factory ammunition on custom guns, and most is not as impressive as the price might suggest. The careful handloader still has an advantage by building the ammunition for his own rifle.

 

[SJB358]

I could not afford to shoot my rifles using the same bullets if I had to buy factory ammo. I am pretty sure I am more accurate with my own stuff, but every once in awhile, I run across a load that shoots really well. Case in point, 257 Ackley sent me a box of 200gr Silvertips to try in my 358 Win. Man, they shot really well, so much so that I couldn't really beat the accuracy, but again, they are 40-50.00 a box, so I won't be shooting many of them! Scotty

 

[skinner313]

You can't beat reloads when they are a 1/3, if not more than the price of "premium factory loads".Especially when you can get once fired brass from people that don't realize how much they can save by rolling their own.Gotta love it :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[FOTIS]

This will be interesting.

 

[Elkman]

I am also very interested although I haven't bought a box of rifle ammo in ? years. Somewhere near the turn of the last century I think ???

 

[SJB358]

I bought a box of cheapo 25-06 Rem ammo for my M700 25-06 and it was 30.00! That is the reason I load my own! Plus, there were two cartridges in the box that wouldn't chamber in the rifle! Scotty

 

[jmad_81]

The one major thing I like about making my own rounds is that I can usually get the bullet that I want to shoot. With factory ammo you don't have that many options if one brand of loaded ammo doesn't shoot the bullet you want how you want it.

Not sure how much money a guys saves if he just shoots a few hundred rounds a year. But if you shoot 1000 or more I would like to think that the savings are worth it.

 

[SJB358]

It is very much worth it to me. If I didn't reload, I would have to find another hobby, and I hate golfing and watching TV most of the time. Yeah, reloading is the good hobby and really allows us all to tailor our loads to our rifles, each and everytime. Plus, there is an immense amount of pride that goes into taking our own loads hunting! Scotty

 

[Elkman]

I hate golfing

Whats golf ?????? Can you eat them and are they fast? How big to they get???? Take care all!!!!!! :lol:

 

[DrMike]

I hate golfing

Whats golf ?????? Can you eat them and are they fast? How big to they get????

+1

I picked up a gold club once, but since I couldn't find the trigger, I threw it down in disgust.

 

[1Shot]

My friend owns a gun shop. My hunting buddy does all the sighting in of rifles for the shop. They have found that the cheap-O Federal Blue Box ammo is incredibly accurate in almost any caliber. This is the ammo that they sight rifles with when people don't specify what ammo they want or don't bring handloads. I live 300 miles away from them but go over every deer season for 3 weeks to hunt and I get to help my buddy with the sighting in. I get to shoot many of the newest and latest boom sticks and get paid for it. :mrgreen: I don't know what the terminal effect of the bullets on game that the Federal Blue Box ammo has but it sure is accurate.

As a side note. Why is it that people will spend $600 to over $1000 for a rifle and put a $100 scope on it?
Also, Why is it that people can't sight in their own rifles but expect to be able to kill a deer 300 to 500 yards away with their new super duper hotrod whizzbang mag rifle?

 

[Guy Miner]

I think you know the answer to your questions... :grin:

As for golf... A terrible waste of a good rifle range!

 

[caribouhunter]

The one major thing I like about making my own rounds is that I can usually get the bullet that I want to shoot. With factory ammo you don't have that many options if one brand of loaded ammo doesn't shoot the bullet you want how you want it.

Not sure how much money a guys saves if he just shoots a few hundred rounds a year. But if you shoot 1000 or more I would like to think that the savings are worth it.

That's the reasons i started reloading for my 300 ultra, not much offers in factory ammo, and 75$ a box of 20.
now that i'm reloading, i use the bullet i want, and a box of 20 will cost between 27 and 35 dollars depending on the bullet used.(premium bullets)
i shoot about 200- 300 round a year with this rifle so 10-15 box @ 40$/box in savings= 400-600$
yearly. i must confess that before i started reloading i was shooting only about 100 round a year
so i don't save all that much... but i'.m a better shot now :twisted:

 

[DrMike]

Caribouhunter,

I believe you have expressed a truth that is not stated often enough. Handloading may not actually save money, because the handloader will shoot more. However, because the handloader will shoot more, he will be a better shot and enjoy his rifle more.

 

[SJB358]

Well said Mike! I love to shoot. I will even do it in the freezing cold or blazing Summer! As long as I am pressing the trigger, I am pretty happy. It is a bonus when the groups are good! Scotty