ammuniiton differences at 100 yards.

[zeneffect]

Assuming the shooter does their bit and there arent fliers what could a person reaosnably expect to be the difference between El cheapo wolf / brown bear .223 and decent factory match ammunition at 100 yards? Is it inches or is it a matter of a quarter of an inch or so in terms of a grouping size?

at 100 yards the group size delta can be much larger than 1/4". Its going to be closer to 2-3" on most barrels. The only difference its going to make you look like you went from average shooter to decent with only the change of ammo. This should tell you something, if you are outshooting your ammo then you dont know/cant test the potential within your rifle or yourself.

[sigstroker]

I tried to help a guy sighting in a bolt gun, .308 at 100yds. He was all over the place. Groups were a foot or more. I took a few shots with his rifle and ammo; first couple of shots about an inch apart, third was wide by almost a foot. Second three shot group didn't have 2 shots within about 5 inches of each other. I made sure he was OK with putting my reloads through his rifle, and had him shoot a 5 shot group with my bulk (AR-10) ammo. All 5 in an inch and a half. I put three into about an inch. He had been shooting Winchester white box (ball ammo? Don't remember now); turns out his rifle really didn't like that stuff.

White box has a mild steel jacket too. Probably not great for barrel wear either.

[ShaunBrady]

White box has a mild steel jacket too. Probably not great for barrel wear either.

When did that start?

The stuff I have has been regifted a couple times and I'm not sure which Bush administration it was produced in, but a magnet says no steel anywhere.

[smoothy8500]

When did that start?

The stuff I have has been regifted a couple times and I'm not sure which Bush administration it was produced in, but a magnet says no steel anywhere.

I have come across quite a bit of Win White Box 308/7.62 in the past that has bi-metal (steel) jackets.

[ShaunBrady]

Thanks for the heads up guys.

I've had some of it for more than 20 years after someone else had it for quite a while. I think there was another generation of quite a while before that. I just don't have much use for it. I assumed it was loaded with the 10 cent Winchester 55 fmjs.

I'll start checking it before I shoot it through decent barrels.

[ar15barrels]

A headwind or tailwind can also shift poi up or down.

Not very much at 100yds.
Also, we were inside of a 3 sided shooting bay with 12ft tall dirt berms and there was no wind to be noticed.
Maybe there was a slight wind over the tops of the berms but we were shooting in prone and the cardboard target stands were not moving a bit so I don't think wind was a factor in my case.

[smoothy8500]

Thanks for the heads up guys.

I assumed it was loaded with the 10 cent Winchester 55 fmjs.

OK, I see the confusion. We were discussing WWB being shot from an AR10 (308). The 308/7.62 Winchester ball is bi-metal.

[deadcoyote]

I can’t say on the steel ammo. For what it’s worth, just my two cents, I’ve always thought why buy steel when you can buy PMC bronze, Perfecta, or PRVI surplus for a tiny bit more. The days of perfecta seem to be over, at least they don’t sell it in my area anymore. But I still find ready sources of cheap Serbian brass cases 5.56 and it works just fine. In my white oak rifle the difference is about the same as someone else referenced above. Maybe 1.2-1.5” groups with nato spec burner ammo vs .5-.8” groups with match grade ammo.

For cheap match grade ammo I have found the Hornady Frontier match at $12.79 a box shoots very well in my 20 inch white oak 1:8 rifle. The Hornady Frontier is $11.99 and the Frontier Match is only 80 cents more a box. I’m not an ammo scientist but it appears to me to basically be the same ammo but with higher grade projectiles.