Anyone compared the red box Federal Power Shok ammo to the blue box?

[hometheaterman]

So I've been shooting the Federal Power Shok 30-06 ammo I've picked up at Wal Mart in a blue box. It's been not quite a year since I got it. It says 3006A in the upper right hand corner on the end of the box. Like that's the model number or whatever. My rifle is very picky accuracy wise but it likes these and the Federal Fusions. They also both have the same POI at 100 yards and are both 150 grain. They have been out of stock for months now. Anyway, I finally found some instock now but it's in a red box. I bought several boxes and when I got home I noticed it now says WM3006A instead of just the 3006A. Is the WM in front of it to indicate it's for Wal Mart? It's also a red box instead of blue like it used to be. I know the only way to know for sure is to try it myself but in the meantime I was wondering if anyone else tried this stuff in the red box after having used the blue box stuff. Did it shoot the same poi? Did it shoot as tight of groups? Could you tell any difference?

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Don't know about the difference between red and blue, but, more importantly is the lot number which is usually stamped on the inside of the flap. Try your new ammo and if it shoots good or great write down the lot number and go back to wm and buy as much as you think you may need in the future.

All ammo has lot numbers and anytime any component is changed the ammo is given a new lot number. It may just be a new lot of primers (same mfg. just a different lot number).

Does wm on the box stand for walmart? I doubt it, but I have no proof. You might check Federal's website as that will give you their code numbers.

It's late, but I hope this answers your question.

 

[acmax95]

I have no proof but I have heard that one is supposed to be a little better than the other but cant remember if it is the red or blue.

 

[Col. Plink]

Often the difference is only in weight (grain).

Sometimes they are different grades: red box (Champion), blue box (Power Shok, etc.)

 

[alfack]

If they are both Power Shok, then the red is 150 grains and the blue is 180 grains. That would be the only difference. I just bought some of these from Wally World last week. $13.97 a box. Not bad for the price.

 

[hometheaterman]

Well, they are both Power Shok and both 150 grain. The only difference that I can see is the WM3006A listed on the box instead of the 3006A listed on the old box. I also bought the blue box ones probably 7-9 months ago and the red box ones are what they have now. I will try to post some pictures later on tonight but they might be cell phone pictures unless I can find my cable to my camera.

 

[hometheaterman]

Well, I thought they looked the same but I did notice you could see maybe 1/4" or so of lead on the blue box ones where as you couldn't see any from the side of the bullet on the red box ones. Hmm I wonder if this will shoot different. Also looked like at the crimp part where you see the ridges in the bullet looked like you could see slightly more ridges. I hope these things shoot as good as the old ones. I wonder if these small changes will matter or if they are just from being a different box of ammo or if they made changes. I will post pictures shortly although you can't see that much.

 

[hometheaterman]

Ok so here are the pictures.

Here are the two different boxes.


Here is the end of the red box. You can see it clearly says WM3006A


Here is the end of the blue box. You can see it says 3006A and doesn't have the WM there.


Here are both with the bullets


Here are the bullets side by side. The one from the older blue box is on the left and the one from the red box on the right. You can kind of see how you can see a tiny bit of lead on the end of the one from the blue box.


Tip of the bullet from the blue box.


This one is from the blue box. You can see how you can see a little bit of lead from the side.


These two are from the side of the red box ones. You can see there is no lead showing from the side.

 

[Yellowtail3]

for 30-30, I believe they've changed the box color, nothing else

 

[hometheaterman]

Well, I shot the red box stuff back to back with the blue box stuff today and they both seemed to shoot about the same. The rifle I was shooting them in doesn't get the best groups. 1.5" groups or so are about as good as it usually gets so if the poi was half and inch off I wouldn't be able to tell. They were very close anyway. Shot just as well also. I like this ammo so far just as I did the blue box.