Zeroing, Scope, Ammo issues Factory vs. Reloads!

[TheDomFather]

Ok folks,
I posted a few weeks back about what I thought was a problem with my scope and zeroing my rifle.

I am running a Sig MCX with a 16" barrel and a Sig Tango 6 scope on top. After taking it to the 100yd outdoor range to zero it, it just wasnt happening, rounds were landing on either side of the target. I initially thought it was the scope or scope mount so I got a new one piece (to replace the two Piece) scope mount for the rifle. Back to the indoor 25yd range to try to get it to hold zero. No luck shooting 6" groups at 25yds with American Eagle 5.56 factor 55gr FMJ ammo, Range officer cant believe it either and tells me its your ammo try your reloads. Switch to shooting my reloads and it shoots great. After a long thread on here I thought I would get a few different kinds of factory ammo, I test a few different low end factory rounds and some high end match grade rounds as well as my own ammo, See the video below for the results. Anyone have any idea why the American Eagle ammo is so bad??????
TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO!


Thanks,
Dom

 

[Walkalong]

Anyone have any idea why the American Eagle ammo is so bad??????

Bad bullets is the likely cause. It's cheap blasting ammo. I would thing a Federal product would do better though, and it might in other guns. Sometimes a gun simply doesn't like a particular bullet. The gun obviously shoots some things well, so quit using the Federal and quit worrying about it.

 

[FROGO207]

I am under the impression that the AE ammo is the lots/runs that test "off" when QC checks them. They are not bad enough to have them sold as scrap and have to be pulled but are not within published specs for better quality ammo. I have not shot any of it for many years but recently a buddy was shooting some of it in a 40 S&W at the range and you could see and hear the difference shot to shot as he emptied the MAG every time. It looked like buckshot on the target at 10 yds LOL. He bought those two boxes at WM so they probably will buy ammo with looser tolerances to get the price point they want I am assuming. I gave him 2 MAGs of my reloads to shoot and it was almost one ragged hole. That may have just convinced him to learn to reload. Told him the Wolf steel ammo would shoot better than that stuff!

 

[TheDomFather]

I am under the impression that the AE ammo is the lots/runs that test "off" when QC checks them. They are not bad enough to have them sold as scrap and have to be pulled but are not within published specs for better quality ammo. I have not shot any of it for many years but recently a buddy was shooting some of it in a 40 S&W at the range and you could see and hear the difference shot to shot as he emptied the MAG every time. It looked like buckshot on the target at 10 yds LOL. He bought those two boxes at WM so they probably will buy ammo with looser tolerances to get the price point they want I am assuming. I gave him 2 MAGs of my reloads to shoot and it was almost one ragged hole. That may have just convinced him to learn to reload. Told him the Wolf steel ammo would shoot better than that stuff!

Unreal, I measured them last night and they were very consistent COL, makes me think the projectiles are complete crap. I might try to pull a couple of them and take a closer look. I bought these at my range. I wonder if anyone has had a good experience with these?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like already mentioned, the bullet itself is probably the problem. There are reasons why some ammo costs less, bullets are at the top of the list.

Which bullets are you using in your handloads? Are you using the same weight bullets as the American Eagle ammo?

 

[TheDomFather]

I am using both 55gr FMJ as well as 63gr HPBT both of which are Hornady bullets and both of which are inexpensive

 

[Berserker]

Some guns just like different bullets. I have two rifles, same length and twist. One likes Partition and one Interlocks. Same grain, and pretty much same bullet. But using the same powder, I have had no luck switching between the two. Tried longer COL on one. No good. Just write it down.

 

[wanderinwalker]

As I said in your last thread, the American Eagle .223 ammo just isn't very good ammo, in my experience as well. Granted, 6" at 25 yards is TERRIBLE, but it's also pretty indicative of a major ammo problem.

I'd bet it's not the consistency of the OAL that's to blame either. It's most likely a problem of consistency of the bullet weight and possibly an issue of the bullet diameters. Either way, the easy solution is to just not use that ammo.

And at any rate, it looks like you've got your SIG sorted out and shooting like it should!