Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: j_h_nimrod on March 05, 2017, 09:31:04 PM

Title: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: j_h_nimrod on March 05, 2017, 09:31:04 PM: I recently bought a new rifle and then bought 100 rounds of Nosler Match Competition to break in the barrel and get some brass fire formed. After shooting a box I decided to pull some bullets and work up some loads with the powder and bullets I am hoping to run. I pulled bullets and being a bit curious started weighing the individual powder loads. I was surprised that "Custom Competition" ammunition had a variance of almost 2 grains (a bit over 2% difference) over 14 weighed charges. I had been a bit underwhelmed with the accuracy I was seeing and now it makes a bit more sense. Has anybody else had this problem with Nosler factory loads?
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: Magnum_Willys on March 05, 2017, 10:03:01 PM: That makes me curious about a lot of my factory rounds now......
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: kselkhunter on March 05, 2017, 10:51:58 PM: Interesting. I've chron'd multiple factory rounds through my 7mm RM long range setup, and Nosler was the only round to chrono to their claimed specs. Everyone else (and I mean all other factory rounds I tried) were lower than their claims. Some quite a bit lower. Was very impressed with Nosler stated velocities.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: ASHQUACK on March 06, 2017, 02:03:11 AM: Shooting some of their 7stw 175gr loads and they are over pressure in my son's rifle. Shot 3, looked at the cases and will not shoot the rest.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: TVHunts on March 06, 2017, 03:35:13 AM: Did you contact them? I surely would let them know, they will likely make it right with you. Even if they were factory over runs or seconds that is a huge swing.

Good luck!
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: Karl Blanchard on March 06, 2017, 05:53:58 AM: I am by no means an expert on factory ammo as I am a reloading junkie but I got to run some Nosler custom through a cooper last year and the velocity spread through the magneto speed was impressive. I think it was only like a 10 or 12 fps variance. They didn't shoot the best in that rifle but they seemed very consistent.

Last year Nosler donated 4 boxes of NC 300 win 180gr e-tip to our Veteran hunt down in Oregon. Same thing with the speed spread but in the Hells Canyon Armory custom they shot in the .3's.

As was stated earlier, give them a call. They are an awesome company and I'll bet they will be more than willing to work with you.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: BULLBLASTER on March 06, 2017, 07:02:21 AM: I've only ever shot nosler ammo in my 375. It shot and still does shoot 1/2 moa at 220 yards from a factory win 70 375 hh for me. I've done my best to replicate it in handloads but am 50 fps slower still.
I haven't chronoed much of it to know Es and sd but to put a 260 partition under an inch for 5 rounds at 220 it has something right that's for sure.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: ASHQUACK on March 07, 2017, 12:06:44 AM: I haven't contacted them yet. These were the first factory 175 grn ammo I could find for the stw. I bought a box as I only had 3 of my reloads left for my late buck hunt. I ended up only needing one
I gave my son the box to shoot out of his rifle and like I said they are way over pressure. The head stamps were smooshed flat. My loads are fine. I'll try and get ahold of them some time soon.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: RadSav on March 07, 2017, 01:13:12 AM: I think it may have to do with what powder they use. Some powders are a challenge to get consistence weights without a trickle by hand. What shape were the granules in that load?

My 7 Rem absolutely loves factory Nosler ammo. I can better it by hand, but not by much. And have never bettered it with Nozler bullets.

On the otherhand, my 25 Bob is the more accurate rifle but it absolutely hates factory Nosler loads. Yet that gun and round seem to love darn near every handload and bullet I've ever tried. Seems impossible to mess it up yet Nosler somehow did. :dunno:

Maybe you just got one of those rounds Noslers equipment struggles with.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: huntnnw on March 07, 2017, 02:45:24 AM: All the nosler custom out of my gun has been excellent
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: j_h_nimrod on March 07, 2017, 12:23:10 PM: It is a fairly short grain extruded powder, similar to 7828 ssc. Accuracy was a bit vertically strung, hard to really tell at 100 yards but horizontal stringing was only ~3/4" shots but ~2" tall over 20 shots. Not all on the same target so it is a bit of an extrapolation.

I must say published velocity was very close though. Spread and sd were a bit high, almost 100fps and over 20 sd. If I had bought this Match Grade ammo for other than the brass I would be a bit pissed, but seeing as I just bought this for the brass and to break in the barrel I am not bummed enough to contact Nosler. I may just as an fyi though.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: Jonathan_S on March 07, 2017, 01:12:07 PM: Nimrod, could it have been from some powder sticking to the brass inside?

The Nosler custom I shot in my 300 wsm was great. Sub MOA at 300+ yards. Bangflopped a coyote with it at ~520 earlier in the year. Took me a long time to get better handloads :chuckle:
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: SilkOnTheDrySide on March 07, 2017, 01:27:20 PM: I've shot it fine for years until I stared reloading this year.

I also did the above test a few weeks ago, and greatest powder difference was 2.1g.

Most was much tighter, but that's where I claim all my "flyers" were! 😂

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: jackelope on March 07, 2017, 01:47:21 PM: Just bought some Nosler Custom .300 win mag/180 Acccubond ammo to try in my Encore. Hopefully it shoots as well as the reports here seem to imply it will.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: ballpark on March 07, 2017, 02:03:50 PM: Based on my performance at the range and in the field last year, I'm sold on Nosler Partition 180 grain for my 30-06. Confidence does wonders :tup:
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: love to hunt on March 07, 2017, 02:11:26 PM: It might be time for a little science project!!!
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: Bofire on March 07, 2017, 06:37:58 PM: :) 30 years ago I chronoed a bunch of factory 7mm Rem Mag ammo. none of it met factory published specs.
Carl
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: j_h_nimrod on March 07, 2017, 07:35:36 PM: Quote from: Jonathan_S on March 07, 2017, 01:12:07 PM
Nimrod, could it have been from some powder sticking to the brass inside?

The Nosler custom I shot in my 300 wsm was great. Sub MOA at 300+ yards. Bangflopped a coyote with it at ~520 earlier in the year. Took me a long time to get better handloads :chuckle:

Nope, collet bullet puller and I double checked the cases. Other than a grain stuck in the random primer hole they were clean.
Title: Re: Dissapointed in Nosler Ammunition
Post by: Jonathan_S on March 08, 2017, 11:33:55 AM: Quote from: Bofire on March 07, 2017, 06:37:58 PM
:) 30 years ago I chronoed a bunch of factory 7mm Rem Mag ammo. none of it met factory published specs.
Carl

Yeah the differences in barrel length, chamber sizes, twist rate and groove design make those specs kind of useless