Deer hunting ammo test results...
08-18-2018, 10:19 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 508
Deer hunting ammo test results...
a few weeks ago, I asked you for recommendations on the best smmo for my daughters 243 for Florida deer and hogs plus Texas deer. I was told to test some ammo before loading up on anything.
anyway, I took your recommendation and got 9 boxes of ammo, 4 for the 243 and 5 for my 308. They were Nosler partition, ballistic tip, power shok copper, fusion and a box of non hunting premium grade match ammo. The match ammo was to calibrate the gun and me, shooting from a stable shooting bench w all the accessories at 100 yards. The match ammo shot better than anything else I shot and the 5 holes were touching each other in most cases. Results were different for the hunting smmo.
243 liked the fusion the best, shot two five shot groups and both were 1 1/8-1.25”. Everything else was just so so with groups of 2-3.25”.
308 liked the power shok copper 150. The fusions were not bad but the copper was much better at 1.25”.
I spent 2.5 hours playing w this, letting barrels cool, swabbing barrels every 5 shots, etc. wanted to like the Nosler but didn’t shoot well for me.
based on above, any reason not to load up on some federal fusion and the copper?
anyway, I took your recommendation and got 9 boxes of ammo, 4 for the 243 and 5 for my 308. They were Nosler partition, ballistic tip, power shok copper, fusion and a box of non hunting premium grade match ammo. The match ammo was to calibrate the gun and me, shooting from a stable shooting bench w all the accessories at 100 yards. The match ammo shot better than anything else I shot and the 5 holes were touching each other in most cases. Results were different for the hunting smmo.
243 liked the fusion the best, shot two five shot groups and both were 1 1/8-1.25”. Everything else was just so so with groups of 2-3.25”.
308 liked the power shok copper 150. The fusions were not bad but the copper was much better at 1.25”.
I spent 2.5 hours playing w this, letting barrels cool, swabbing barrels every 5 shots, etc. wanted to like the Nosler but didn’t shoot well for me.
based on above, any reason not to load up on some federal fusion and the copper?
Last edited by tealboy; 08-19-2018 at 09:05 AM. Reason: Added yardage
08-18-2018, 10:42 AM
#2
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,205
not a single reason, and once that ammos loaded, youll want to re-test, your hand-loads, as they may or may not duplicate the factory ammo,
Id set up the rifle zero to place your shots, or bullet impact, too hit consistently about 3" high at 100 yards to make range estimation in the field less critical.
most game is shot at under 300 yards, most people are less than impressive shots unless they practice frequently and understand their rifle trajectory.
good luck, your already much ahead of the average guy who simply shoots at a coke can at 50 yards hits it occasionally and thinks his rifles all set up.
I worked as a range officer years ago, I have few illusions about the average guys ability's, and while theres obviously many guys who take the skills seriously,
they are in the better and select, minority, and you would not believe the guys that simply buy what ever ammo's currently on sale at Walmart and go hunting.
many seem to think that once sighted in, any ammo that fits their guns going to provide the required accuracy, from then on,
I had one guy tell me he was sighting his 308 win in with 30 year old, surplus 147 grain mill surplus, ammo,\
but was going to use Remington 180 grain on the actual hunt... no sense wasting the "good stuff on paper"
and off the bench rest his group PATTERED like a buck-shot load at 50 yards,
the longest range he tried) and I'm certain the rifle was not the reason.
he was far from unique
Id set up the rifle zero to place your shots, or bullet impact, too hit consistently about 3" high at 100 yards to make range estimation in the field less critical.
most game is shot at under 300 yards, most people are less than impressive shots unless they practice frequently and understand their rifle trajectory.
good luck, your already much ahead of the average guy who simply shoots at a coke can at 50 yards hits it occasionally and thinks his rifles all set up.
I worked as a range officer years ago, I have few illusions about the average guys ability's, and while theres obviously many guys who take the skills seriously,
they are in the better and select, minority, and you would not believe the guys that simply buy what ever ammo's currently on sale at Walmart and go hunting.
many seem to think that once sighted in, any ammo that fits their guns going to provide the required accuracy, from then on,
I had one guy tell me he was sighting his 308 win in with 30 year old, surplus 147 grain mill surplus, ammo,\
but was going to use Remington 180 grain on the actual hunt... no sense wasting the "good stuff on paper"
and off the bench rest his group PATTERED like a buck-shot load at 50 yards,
the longest range he tried) and I'm certain the rifle was not the reason.
he was far from unique
Last edited by hardcastonly; 08-18-2018 at 11:04 AM.
08-19-2018, 07:24 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 172
a few weeks ago, I asked you for recommendations on the best smmo for my daughters 243 for Florida deer and hogs plus Texas deer. I was told to test some ammo before loading up on anything.
anyway, I took your recommendation and got 9 boxes of ammo, 4 for the 243 and 5 for my 308. They were Nosler partition, ballistic tip, power shok copper, fusion and a box of non hunting premium grade match ammo. The match ammo was to calibrate the gun and me, shooting from a stable shooting bench w all the accessories. The match ammo shot better than anything else I shot and the 5 holes were touching each other in most cases. Results were different for the hunting smmo.
243 liked the fusion the best, shot two five shot groups and both were 1 1/8-1.25”. Everything else was just so so with groups of 2-3.25”.
308 liked the power shok copper 150. The fusions were not bad but the copper was much better at 1.25”.
I spent 2.5 hours playing w this, letting barrels cool, swabbing barrels every 5 shots, etc. wanted to like the Nosler but didn’t shoot well for me.
based on above, any reason not to load up on some federal fusion and the copper?
anyway, I took your recommendation and got 9 boxes of ammo, 4 for the 243 and 5 for my 308. They were Nosler partition, ballistic tip, power shok copper, fusion and a box of non hunting premium grade match ammo. The match ammo was to calibrate the gun and me, shooting from a stable shooting bench w all the accessories. The match ammo shot better than anything else I shot and the 5 holes were touching each other in most cases. Results were different for the hunting smmo.
243 liked the fusion the best, shot two five shot groups and both were 1 1/8-1.25”. Everything else was just so so with groups of 2-3.25”.
308 liked the power shok copper 150. The fusions were not bad but the copper was much better at 1.25”.
I spent 2.5 hours playing w this, letting barrels cool, swabbing barrels every 5 shots, etc. wanted to like the Nosler but didn’t shoot well for me.
based on above, any reason not to load up on some federal fusion and the copper?
Last edited by Savage_99; 08-19-2018 at 07:29 AM.
08-19-2018, 07:58 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 508
100. Technically, 105 on rangefinder.
i would have rather had the copper or Nosler work on the 243 bc my experience has been no exit wound and little to no blood trail. However, the result are what they are and there is no disputing what’s on paper. I will go back out and reconfirm the results with a cool, clean barrel but expect the same findings.
I know what a hat a lot of people don’t do this, it is an expensive proposition. Close to 300$ in ammo to find that all but two have wide groups. The remaining ammo will be good for hog hunting since it performs well enough to provide clean kills at normal hog distances of 50-100 yards
i would have rather had the copper or Nosler work on the 243 bc my experience has been no exit wound and little to no blood trail. However, the result are what they are and there is no disputing what’s on paper. I will go back out and reconfirm the results with a cool, clean barrel but expect the same findings.
I know what a hat a lot of people don’t do this, it is an expensive proposition. Close to 300$ in ammo to find that all but two have wide groups. The remaining ammo will be good for hog hunting since it performs well enough to provide clean kills at normal hog distances of 50-100 yards
Last edited by tealboy; 08-19-2018 at 08:04 AM.
08-19-2018, 01:25 PM
#7
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 508
no, I never touched the reticle, purpose was to evaluate groups. I will shoot one more time with the best two loads, reconfirm groups and tweak reticle. The fusion for example only needs 2 clicks to the left, 1/2 inch. The height is already good at 1-1.5 inches high. I may tweak it down quarter inch since it is my daughters gun and she won’t be shooting at 200+ yards.
08-20-2018, 11:20 AM
#8
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 48
not a single reason, and once that ammos loaded, youll want to re-test, your hand-loads, as they may or may not duplicate the factory ammo,
Id set up the rifle zero to place your shots, or bullet impact, too hit consistently about 3" high at 100 yards to make range estimation in the field less critical.
most game is shot at under 300 yards, most people are less than impressive shots unless they practice frequently and understand their rifle trajectory.
good luck, your already much ahead of the average guy who simply shoots at a coke can at 50 yards hits it occasionally and thinks his rifles all set up.
I worked as a range officer years ago, I have few illusions about the average guys ability's, and while theres obviously many guys who take the skills seriously,
they are in the better and select, minority, and you would not believe the guys that simply buy what ever ammo's currently on sale at Walmart and go hunting.
many seem to think that once sighted in, any ammo that fits their guns going to provide the required accuracy, from then on,
I had one guy tell me he was sighting his 308 win in with 30 year old, surplus 147 grain mill surplus, ammo,\
but was going to use Remington 180 grain on the actual hunt... no sense wasting the "good stuff on paper"
and off the bench rest his group PATTERED like a buck-shot load at 50 yards,
the longest range he tried) and I'm certain the rifle was not the reason.
he was far from unique
Id set up the rifle zero to place your shots, or bullet impact, too hit consistently about 3" high at 100 yards to make range estimation in the field less critical.
most game is shot at under 300 yards, most people are less than impressive shots unless they practice frequently and understand their rifle trajectory.
good luck, your already much ahead of the average guy who simply shoots at a coke can at 50 yards hits it occasionally and thinks his rifles all set up.
I worked as a range officer years ago, I have few illusions about the average guys ability's, and while theres obviously many guys who take the skills seriously,
they are in the better and select, minority, and you would not believe the guys that simply buy what ever ammo's currently on sale at Walmart and go hunting.
many seem to think that once sighted in, any ammo that fits their guns going to provide the required accuracy, from then on,
I had one guy tell me he was sighting his 308 win in with 30 year old, surplus 147 grain mill surplus, ammo,\
but was going to use Remington 180 grain on the actual hunt... no sense wasting the "good stuff on paper"
and off the bench rest his group PATTERED like a buck-shot load at 50 yards,
the longest range he tried) and I'm certain the rifle was not the reason.
he was far from unique
