Handload vs Factory Load

[pownal55]

I have hand loaded all rifle and pistol ammunition for the last 35 years. All brass is trimmed as needed, each powder charge is weighed, and OAL is checked every fifth round. All rifle loads must group three shots under an inch at 100yds or gets scrapped. Factory ammo makers claim their stuff is just as good, i know it's better than it used to be, but how good is it?

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

These days, who can afford enough of it (or even find it for that matter) to really find out?

It does seem to have improved over the last 20 years, but that is only an observation based on watching friends who don't load, shoot the stuff.

 

[Missionary]

Good afternoon
I have been around handloading all my life (My dad). It would be difficult for a factory round to BEST a tailor made " Hand Fitted" cartrige. A factory round MAY equal a precision handload.. but I have not seen one do it.
Benchrest shooters would gladly try a factory load IF they thought it could match their personal loads.
I shot STEEL for years with a 41Dan Wesson. I have NEVER found a factory load that would = my favorite RAM SMASHER.
My 30-06 Interarms will shoot less than 1 MOA at 100 yards with several handloads. I never fired any factory load in that rifle that would do the same.
So why bother to find out ? I have not bought any hunting ammo for so long I would feel unsettled to try some on game.
I did buy a bunch of "factory" stuff 10 years ago for my military rifles... But that stuff is not meant for Precision shooting and it will not be expended for that.

 

[Blaidd]

It's funny you ask. My dad has been working on my mom's .243 for years and had done just about everything to try to get it shooting tight groups. Well, I was sighting in my .243 Encore and had him bring mom's to shoot. Well, his "factory" ammo was shooting maybe at best 3" groups at 100 yards. He tried some of my handloaded 95gr Nosler using H414 and the groups pulled to just under an inch. After seeing that, I would rather handload my own any day. The only thing I've found factory ammo good for is the brass and getting on the paper when sighting in.

 

[m657]

....what's "factory loads"???HAR!

The only factory loads I can think of using in the last 30 years is a box of 20- 308. Still got part of it.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have several hunting rifles that have never fired a single round of factory ammunition. I've always reloaded for them.

When shooting M1 Garand in service rifle matches I was required to use M2 ball ammunition. I remember doing a couple of test targets at 100 yards to compare the issue ammo to my own reloads.

With the GI issue ball ammo (LC 1960's production) my Garand will regularly shoot groups of 3 inches at 100 yards. With my practice ammo (reloads, 147-grain FMJ boat-tail surplus bullets, segregated case lots, trimmed, full-length resized, etc) the same rifle will regularly shoot groups of 3 inches at 100 yards.

This is an unaltered, as issued M1 rifle (Winchester 1943) in well-used condition.

It appears that the best that I can do is to reload ammunition that is equal to what was produced in huge quantities for the military.

 

[JohnK]

LOBO, in my humble opinion, bullet quality is the marker of accurate loads.

I assume the pulled bullets are from issue ammo. Try commercial bullets of known high quality. Nosler Ballistic Tips shoot like match bullets in all my loading.

 

[jbouwens]

I HAVE to load my own, seeing 3-4 groups and fliers from factory ammo just is not acceptable. I load to the rifle's chamber dimensions plus .010 to get the bullet on it's way without jumping a huge gap. I have a Win pre-64 in 30.06 that is real short so I HAVE to trim brass and load no more than a 150 grain bullet in it to get good groups. I have a .244(6mm) Remington 722 that does not like anything but my 75 grain Hornady bullet load, pretty much can't find factory ammo in anything for that calibler that is not 85, 95, or 100 grains; it shoots sub half inch groups until the barrel warms too much( 8-10 shots). I load my Garand ammo really long, as-a-matter-of-fact I seat the bullet past the recommended OAL measurements because the chamber is over .125 longer that the standard 30.06 OAL. Oh yea, my groups will change with primmer brand and brass manufacturer-- so it is federal primers in Remington brass for all of my seious bench rifles. I only buy factory in 22 lr and mag and that has been crap for the last year or so. Shortage = get what we have out of hear A.S.A.P-- "screw it, they'll buy it" seems to be the mentality from the manufacturers lately.

 

[WR Moore]

Kinda depends upon what type of ammo you're talking about and who made it. FWIW, I tried Hornaday 75 gr HPBT match ammo for my .223. Did 1/2 MOA at 200 yards. The same rifle did 1 MOA (threw one) with Fiocchi 55gr ball. When checking out a new .308 varmint gun a few years ago, I bought a box of UMC ball. Did 1 MOA at 200 from prone with a sling.

With handloads the .308 is a half minute rifle-or a wee bit better. But a change of powder or bullet and we're back to 1 MOA. Both are way better than rifles did in the 1960's.

 

[David LaPell]

If you work at handloading ammunition long enough, you will see why factory is never as accurate as handloads. But this also entails that you are trying to work up an accurate load. If you just pick a single load out of a manual and stick with that one and never try any others, you won't really know how accurate handloaded ammo can be. My .357 Ruger doesn't really care for factory ammo whether it is .38 Special or .357 Magnum, but it loves handloads, especially ONE load. But it took a while for me to find that load. My Smith 27 used to thrive on 6.0 grains of Unique and a 170 grain lead bullet. Try that same bullet with 2400 even at the same velocities and it was all over the map. Handloading, while some do it for economic reasons, is better if you are striving for the most accurate load for your gun.

 

[DonD]

I reload for most everything. I do have a bunch of Fiocchi for my Ruger Mini 30 (7.62x39) but that has more to do with reloading for a semi auto rifle and the good price than anything else.

If I were going to Africa for dangerous game (that isn't going to happen), I might want to go with factory loads for my .458 Win. Don

 

[n4zov]

I have been handloading since the 1950's and during that time the difference in acccuracy between factory and handloaded rifle ammo has narrowed significantly. This is because commercial loaders are now using bullets that are far superior to what they used to produce. Many are using high quality bullets from Sierra and other custom bullet makers that make their factory loads much more accurate. However a careful handloader can still better factory ammo by tailoring his loads to a particular rifle.

I haven't noticed that much change in handgun ammunition, and I still prefer factory loaded ammo for defensive use in handguns.

 

[Fishslayer]

My guess would be that factory loads today are better than they were 30 years ago. Better production methods, etc.

But with bean counters running things, who really knows?

I reload because I can't AFFORD factory ammo...well... as much factory ammo as I WANT, anyway...

Plus more selection in bullets & whatnot...

At home they rest loaded with factory HP...