Hornady 150 gr FMJ BT

[ldlfh7]

Anyone shoot these in 308? Is the accuracy as bad as M 60 pull downs? I have an opportunity to get a large quantity at a very decent price but do not want something shooting 5 moa at 200 yards. Any experience with these? I plan to shoot anywhere from 100-500 yards.
Should I just save my money and stick with the much more expensive match kings?

 

[Sunray]

150's are a bit light out past 300 yards. Use 168's for that. Anyway, milsurp MG ammo is not loaded for match accuracy and the bullets aren't made for match accuracy. I'd be very surprised if they shot into 5 MOA out of a decent rifle though.
Hornady's 150's are hunting hide bullets. Expect hunting accuracy, that will be far better than surplus MG bullets.

 

[CMC]

I have used them before and they were extremely accurate , I dont think I have had bad bullets from Hornady.
Under 1 inch at 100 yards with a Remington 700.

 

[USSR]

Save your $$$, unless they are REALLY cheap and you are just looking for plinking ammo. The only FMJ bullet that will hold a candle to a good HPBT is the Lapua D46 bullet. Just MHO.

Don

 

[herkyguy]

Those same bullet shoot 1/4 MOA at 100 yards from my Remington 700 with a 20" bull barrel. They are 1.5 MOA at 100 yards from my 30-06 Winchester Model 70. Both are 1 in 10" twist to the best of my knowledge. Good bullets, not the best, but good.

Something tells me you're picking them up from a Hornady Lock-n-Load rebate. That's how I acquired my 500 of them. I'd love to have some heavier bullets, but until I use 'em all up, I won't upgrade and I'm happy enough to have 'em.

 

[USSR]

Those same bullet shoot 1/4 MOA at 100 yards from my Remington 700 with a 20" bull barrel.

Then you should definitely start shooting in competitive matches with those bullets; you will win almost all the matches you enter.

Don

 

[morcey2]

I picked up a couple hundred of the Hornady FMJBTs really cheap when I first go into reloading. They shoot much better than I expected out of both of my 1903s. Out of the scoped one I get about 1.5" at 100 yards. I get sub-1" groups in that one from Hornady 168 gr HPBT. HXP M2 ball gives me ~3" groups. All groups are 3-shot groups since this is a hunting rifle and if I need more shots than that at anything I'm hunting with it, I need to hang it up.

Matt

 

[119er]

It would be more helpful if you stated what you are trying to achieve at those distances. Also, the type of rifle firing them.

I load them for M1A and M1 Garand range ammo. The M1 has a match barrel and the M1A is a Scout Squad(18") with a few things done to help accuracy. I have also fired them from a 1903A3. Out at 200yds I shoot at an MR-52 target which is a 600yd reduction target(I realize that this is vastly different from shooting at the actual distance) and I can get 4-5" groups with these bullets and iron sights. The black of this target is approx. 11-1/2". This is mostly with the M1A, I moved the M1 and 03 to 168's as they are shot less frequently and are capable of greater accuracy.

In the M1A, the 147gr M80 pulled bullets shoot roughly the same, but the Hornady's edge them out. This is not scoped rifle precision shooting, so the results are more than acceptable to me. If you are looking to shoot tiny groups at longer distances, you need a better bullet.

 

[herkyguy]

Then you should definitely start shooting in competitive matches with those bullets; you will win almost all the matches you enter.



Don

So long as I can pick and choose my good days, shoot the rifle off of a bipod and rest a bag under the butt.

And when I can't shoot as good as the gun will, those groups will not be counted against me.....

Do you know of a competition that will honor my requests?

 

[Bello]

I would use 150's in my m1a but not my 700

 

[USSR]

Do you know of a competition that will honor my requests?

Nope, this ain't golf - no mulligans.

Don

 

[ldlfh7]

No rebate for the bullets - just have a neighbor who is getting out of reloading and looking to sell 1000 of these at a good price.
I am shooting a savage 111 308 looking for to hit steel out to 600.
I do not expect to shoot a super tight group.

 

[Slamfire]

I shot several excellent groups in one rifle with 150 grain Hornady’s. This same load does not shoot as well in other 308’s, so this may be one of those weird examples of errors cancelling each other out. But, the Hornady 150’s do shoot better than GI bullets.

If you simply want something to shoot while zeroing a rifle, like the first couple of shots to get the rifle in the black, then the Hornady 150 FMJ’s will work. Then you can fine tune with good match bullets.
If you are serious about shooting past 200 yards, you better look for match bullets.


150 grain Hornady FMJBT


148 grain IMI FMJBT


Ball ammunition

 

[herkyguy]

Here's a recent 5 shot group.

It measure .495" with my gage.

Best group was years ago with hornady match ammo.....

 

[Walkalong]

Nice. Of course a soft point bullet is going to shoot better than a FMJ, simply because of the base. That is at least a .6 something, but still very good shooting.

A 1/4" group with 150 Gr FMJ is luck. They just simply are not good enough to shoot that with any degree of repeatability.

 

[jBarnett]

Really good info, thanks for sharing. Just got the Hornady press, and it came with the rebate for 500rds. I was a little worried about the 150gr. SP.

 

[Okcafe86]

I load em up in .308 and 30-06. Accurate enough for me.

 

[jmr40]

Limited experience. I bought a box last summer and loaded up about a dozen just to see how they would work. Not a target bullet, but as accurate at 100 yards as the SST's. I wouldn't use them for serious work, or long range, but if they are cheap enough I think they would make a decent plinking load.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have not shot the Hornady bullets but other factory 150gr FMJ bullets. The mere fact they are commercial name brand bullets will dictate they will be more accurate than military surplus pulled bullets. If the price is good buy them. even if they aren't as accurate as you want them to be they will still serve as good practice ammo for those 600 yard steel shots. Use them in practice and the more expensive bullets for showing off! lol (all IMO of course)

 

[119er]

This thread is getting me excited! I have been really happy with the 150 FMJ's in my M1A. I have some Sierra 168's loaded with RL-15 I have been waiting to try. I think I know what's going to the range this weekend!

OP: If they are a great price, keep a couple hundred and practice shooting your rifle at different ranges in different positions. Sell the rest to buy match bullets. Or just sell them and buy all match bullets; if you can make money on the deal of course.