Ammo Test - The Hunt

Az_Speed

New member
Friend Bill,

Like everyone else I've been looking for some "killer" ammo and I thought I would share some of my results and observations. I went to the range the other day to do a quick ammo test, it was windy and outdoors but the only chance I could sneak away. I grabbed four different lots and being short on time I got to the range and had forgotten my targets. I pulled a used target out of the trash bin, put some felt pen dots on it and went to work. Two things about ammo testing that always amaze me. The first is how you know if you have killer ammo. This first picture pretty much explains what I have experienced - on occasion.

Ammo Test Proof.jpg

It was windy and hot (Arizona hot 105+) but I have found that even in conditions IF you have some great ammo, it will show. I do five sets of two shot groups in a row, always return to battery after the first shot. The third row is what I look for and usually don't find. The last dot on that row the windy conditions shifted 180 degrees from 3:00 to 9:00 after the first shot. I saw that it had changed, waited a few moments but being short on time I fired the 2nd shot knowing that it would be affected - it was but the verticle was still quite good. I was pretty excited because I had purchased a case of this lot in 2013 from the Eley testing center for a different gun so I thought I had 3 or 4 bricks left. When I got home I pulled the remaining case...

Eley Test Facility Ammo 1.jpg
Eley Test Facility Ammo 2.jpg

Notice that the lot I purchased on the front of the case was supposed to be 06476 and the first 8 bricks were. The two bricks at the back of the case however were a different lot somehow mixed into this case. As you would expect Murphy's Law held true here and those two bricks did not shoot nearly as well in this barrel (they are row 2 on the target). Anyway I have just under a brick of the good shooting ammo so my hunt continues.

One other thing I have noticed that always amazes me. This 476 ammo shoots really well in this particular barrel but is average at best in another barrel on the same rifle. In fact, out of 12 different lots tested in the other barrel this particular lot finished 11th in CTC groups and 12th in vertical. Go figure.

Your Friend,

Steve
 
Friend AZ_Speed

Friend Bill,

Like everyone else I've been looking for some "killer" ammo and I thought I would share some of my results and observations. I went to the range the other day to do a quick ammo test, it was windy and outdoors but the only chance I could sneak away. I grabbed four different lots and being short on time I got to the range and had forgotten my targets. I pulled a used target out of the trash bin, put some felt pen dots on it and went to work. Two things about ammo testing that always amaze me. The first is how you know if you have killer ammo. This first picture pretty much explains what I have experienced - on occasion.

View attachment 1382

It was windy and hot (Arizona hot 105+) but I have found that even in conditions IF you have some great ammo, it will show. I do five sets of two shot groups in a row, always return to battery after the first shot. The third row is what I look for and usually don't find. The last dot on that row the windy conditions shifted 180 degrees from 3:00 to 9:00 after the first shot. I saw that it had changed, waited a few moments but being short on time I fired the 2nd shot knowing that it would be affected - it was but the verticle was still quite good. I was pretty excited because I had purchased a case of this lot in 2013 from the Eley testing center for a different gun so I thought I had 3 or 4 bricks left. When I got home I pulled the remaining case...

View attachment 1383
View attachment 1384

Notice that the lot I purchased on the front of the case was supposed to be 06476 and the first 8 bricks were. The two bricks at the back of the case however were a different lot somehow mixed into this case. As you would expect Murphy's Law held true here and those two bricks did not shoot nearly as well in this barrel (they are row 2 on the target). Anyway I have just under a brick of the good shooting ammo so my hunt continues.

One other thing I have noticed that always amazes me. This 476 ammo shoots really well in this particular barrel but is average at best in another barrel on the same rifle. In fact, out of 12 different lots tested in the other barrel this particular lot finished 11th in CTC groups and 12th in vertical. Go figure.

Your Friend,

Steve

__________________________


Friend AZ_Speed
:

I once bought a case of Eley red box, unopened, and it contained 4 bricks of Eley Club.....( Eley made it good....this was from Art Cook back when he owned Tomart and was the Eley distributor here in the USA..)

Finding good ammo, big time match winning ammo, is tough today.

I suspect testing in 105 degree heat is pretty challenging too.

And yes, that third row is the kind of ammo we all look for, although hard to find.

Your friend, Bill Calfee
 
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