TargetTalk

I want to do some ammo testing but do not know what is the best way, iron sights or with a scope (what power X)?
Prone with a sling or on a bench with sandbags or bipod?

I am curious about this as well. What methods to people use to test ammo performance. My question applies specifically at 100 yards/meters.

I personally find that I shoot better prone than off a bench, but that's a personal problem. But because of it, I do all my testing in prone. I feel it's important to test in the way that you will be using the ammo.

The last time I tested ammo, I shot 4 10 shot groups at 100 yards using the torque setting from my last batch of ammo. I didn't measure other than eyeballing the group sizes and chose the best lots (in this case, there were 2 that really beat out the other 6). I then shot 4 more ten shot groups at 50 yards. One was better than the other, so I bought 10k rounds of that one. After I got the ammo, I messed with my torque setting to find where that lot hot the best (note my last ammo shot best at 32in*lbs, and my current lot at 35in*lbs).

For what it's worth.

I order as many lots of new ammo as I can. I share that expense with a bench rest shooter because most of the lots will NOT work very well and spreading the expense with someone helps the cost issue. The reason we can do this is because out of the 10-15 lots we plan to test, only one or two will shine and be relatively worthy of second tests and a final test for purchase and they have never been the SAME lot between us.

Making sure that the temperature outside is within 10 degrees of the season in which you plan to shoot your ammo, I test at 100 yds only preferably on an overcast day with no wind. I use a bench rest (with a scope) to narrow the lots to the top performers - which can be between 3-5 lots. I test those performers to replicate their original performance (verification test). If I don't get a lot that puts at least 2 10 shot groups inside a 3/4" group, it is not worthy of purchase so I won't buy any ammo. If there is a hot performer (or more than one), the ammo gets a test from the shoulder in the prone position. If it works there, it's time to order.

It should be mentioned that I rarely have had to test at 50 meters/yds using this method. Every time I have tested ammo and it has punched nice groups at 100 yds, the 50 yd results are even more phenomenal.

Like Soupy, Once I have proven the ammo from the shoulder, it's time to work your torque settings to find the sweetspot for your rifle. I use a bench rest tuner to refine the groupings even further.

The only difference between my testing procedures during the year comes if I am at Ft Benning with test lots in hand. There, it is very easy to put your rifle in the machine, test lots quickly to narrow down the choices, then immediately walk next door and put them to your shoulder. However, this test only works for 50 meters. There is no 100 yd facility available.

I test about 3 times a year. Once in the Fall when it is about 70-75 degrees. And once in the late spring when the temps reach into the mid 80s. The Fall test covers ammo used for fall and spring matches and Camp Perry. The Spring test covers USA Nationals (Benning where it's very HOT!)

Hope that helps. Bparnall

Guess I forgot to say where I test. We're lucky enough here to have a public range with 30 points to 50 yards and 10 more to 100m indoors. Doesn't get much better than that.

We have been plinking around with ammo testing @ 50' (off of a rest). What we are finding is that the Federal Gold (711) shoots better than Eley, Wolf, and everything else that has a lower velocity (in several different rifles). Why is this? I don't mind shooting cheap ammo, but why is it more accurate at 50'? We do not shoot a lot of 50m but in this case I would imagine that the more costly ammo would be more accurate. Anyone have any ideas?

I have found that a lot of ammo works at 50 ft. I can't tell much difference unless I'm shooting t22 grade ammo. Even if you'll only shoot at 50 ft, you should still yest at 50 m so you can actually see a difference in the ammo.

Shoot prone, with sandbag under your forward hand. Use a 30x - 40x scope, at 100 yards.

Forget all the nonsense about shooting 3 or 5 or 10 or whatever how many 5 SHOT groups. Again, forget 5 shot group stuff.

Shoot 25-50 rounds into the SAME bull. It also doesn't hurt to also shoot through a cronograph. Nothing magic about a chrono, but if you have 2 lots of ammo that you cannot decide between, then I would use the lot with the lowest standard deviation.

After you have narrowed the lots down to about 5, do the same thing at 50 yards/meters.

I have never seen a ammo lot that shot great at 100 yards, but than was lousy at 50 yards. However, I have seen some ammo that shot great at 50 yards, but stunk at 100 yards. RWS R50 was notorious for this back in the 1980's.

Jeff