Expected consistency from factory ammo

[Boon321]

So, I have been getting my setup together for my 300wm. A 24.4" barrel with an RXD30TI suppressor. Considering I usually hunt in PA and NY, shots over 100 yards are about nonexistent. This was to get ballistic data for a 2026 western hunt. Terminal ascent 200 grain groups nicely in my rifle, and I wanted to get some more exact velocities. I grabbed a deal on a Caldwell G2 chrono. The first box I shot was purchased about a year ago when I got the rifle. That box performed as I would expect from what I have read, with velocities a bit above what was on the box. I recently picked up three more boxes. I cracked one, and the results were much lower in velocity, by over 100fps difference. I have not opened the other two boxes yet.

Is that normal in factory ammo or did I mess something up? This was my first time using a chronograph.

Group Summary:


Group 1:


Group 2:

 

[wind gypsy]

That is not out of the norm but I'd also say it's not acceptable. 2725 FPS MV with a 200 grain bullet is pretty darn pedestrian in a 24"+ 300 wm barrel. This is why you'll see people saying to buy up a bunch of a certain lot of ammo if it is proven because this kind of variance seems to be ever more common lately.

Only factory 300WM ammo i've shot is berger 215s (which i think is discontinued) and 200 Gr hornady precision hunter. The 215s were 2890 FPS and 200g hornady was 2950+ in 26" barrels.

 

[JohnJohnson]

That is not out of the norm but I'd also say it's not acceptable. 2725 FPS MV with a 200 grain bullet is pretty darn pedestrian in a 24"+ 300 wm barrel. This is why you'll see people saying to buy up a bunch of a certain lot of ammo if it is proven because this kind of variance seems to be ever more common lately.

Only factory 300WM ammo i've shot is berger 215s (which i think is discontinued) and 200 Gr hornady precision hunter. The 215s were 2890 FPS and 200g hornady was 2950+ in 26" barrels.

Maybe it's just a very slow barrel? The recent 18" 6CM barrel I'm trying out seems a bit slow too, or maybe Hornady factory ammo is just slow as hell in 6CM. Two different lots of 108gr ELD-M, one was 2760 and the next was 2715 average which seems a bit slow even for an 18" barrel. I'm hoping to get a velocity gain (only 60 rounds through the barrel right now) but we'll see with the 103gr ELD-X ammo I'm trying out in a couple days if it's a trend.

 

[wind gypsy]

Maybe it's just a very slow barrel? The recent 18" 6CM barrel I'm trying out seems a bit slow too, or maybe Hornady factory ammo is just slow as hell in 6CM. Two different lots of 108gr ELD-M, one was 2760 and the next was 2715 average which seems a bit slow even for an 18" barrel. I'm hoping to get a velocity gain (only 60 rounds through the barrel right now) but we'll see with the 103gr ELD-X ammo I'm trying out in a couple days if it's a trend.

He said a different lot is over 100 FPS faster so clearly there is ammo lot variance. Maybe one lot was hot and one was slower than avg but that is still a big swing. 24.4" sounds like tikka to me so yeah i'd expect them to be a bit slower.

2760 Sounds close to what i've experienced with 108 6CM factory hornady in an 18" tube but there's been other reports here of turd/slow lots of that lately too.

 

[Boon321]

Thanks for the feedback. It is a Tikka Roughtech.

Are any factory loads known for being a bit more consistent? For a one-time long-range hunt, I am not looking at starting to reload.