Just playing.

Alderman

Handloader
Apr 5, 2014
1,268
667
About factory ammo so please remove if not allowed.

I’m pretty much a stuff em and shoot em reloader. My gear is nothing fancy but works well to keep me supplied for plinking and hunting.
I’ve got the RCBS Case Master tool to take some measurements with but I don’t do any neck turning.
I had an opportunity to get the Hodgdon Concentricity tool and have just been messing around and taking some runout measurements just because.
Most of my hand loaded ammo isn’t really too bad with a runout running .003” or below.

I’ve probably not shot more than three boxes of factory center fire ammo in my life.

Out of curiosity I purchased a couple boxes of 180 grain Sierra Tipped Game King factory ammo from a fella who didn’t like how they shot in his 300 Win Mag.
Checking the runout on them with the Hornady gauge I got runouts for .001 to .006. I straightened the first one .006 with the tool but decided to leave the rest as is, the worst of the remaining having a run out of .005.

Got to the shooting bench this afternoon and put some on paper.
The first 4 shots were the ones with the least runout and then shot #5 was the worst of the lot.
3rd shot went astray but I don’t think it was all on me. Then the fifth shot (.005 runout) went back with the others.
Not statistically relevant but something to do on a quiet day.
Still would feel comfortable taking these hunting at the ranges I have to shoot.
72562154db6224ed654ccea5984da9a5.jpg

49273bee6ce379b05ec4ca1e03afc7ca.jpg

3465b53a1e6450179e045ef436abb19b.jpg

e86618814d486cc0f2203cbf21276e02.jpg

5b51d4c6c8eb296bd9b66501fae20f28.jpg

d3573d9792f8c4496abfa04d7685b284.jpg

3b95eb62bd26011ea826b1ab4991eb3b.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Interesting Alderman. I've never messed around with any of that. Probably because I'm just a hunter.

All the best

Kevin
 
I didn't know that Sierra, made ammunition. I have never measured runout, and really would have no idea how to do it. My most accurate rifles shoot under 1/2 MOA, and the worst about 1.5". They all seem to be adequate for hunting.
 
Some factory ammo is just peachy, and likely all one really needs for hunting.

I handload because I enjoy doing so. Usually my home-built ammo is pretty good, but honestly I can't think of any big game I've ever taken that couldn't have been handled quite nicely by factory ammo.

BTW - it was the superb performance of Federal's .308 Win Gold Medal Match ammo with the 168 grain Sierra Matchking that spurred me on to improve my handloading, 20+ years ago or more. That stuff shot GREAT and made me realize that I wasn't producing handloads as good as that factory match ammo. I had fun fixing that issue, and became a better handloader.

Guy
 
All my reloads show a max of .003. Most less.
 
Back
Top