Factory ammo accuracy comparisons

[player0ne]

Re-posted this from my WAguns.org thread. Seemed to make sense to put it here too.

This is the kind of stuff I search for and rarely find, so hopefully this will be of help to someone. If you've been sitting on a pad of ammo notes of your own, by all means post 'em up.

Platform & Caliber: AR-15 in .204 Ruger
Barrel: 24" Shilen, .920 profile, 1:9" twist. Cleaned every 20 rounds.
Bolt:Shilen, matched to barrel
Trigger: GI trigger, stoned trigger sear & JP yellow springs
Misc: Shot from a Caldwell Lead Sled. Mid-afternoon, 55F. All measurements taken from center to center with a Vernier caliper. Best size of three groups published.

100 yards, 5 round groups

26 grain
Cor-Bon Varmint Grenade.................0.580"

32 grain
Hornady V-MAX................................0.215"
Nosler Custom.................................0.450"
Winchester Silvertip.........................0.650"

39 grain
HSM Calhoon Silver Double HP..........0.675"

40 grain
Remington Accutip-V BT....................0.545"
Hornady V-MAX................................0.760"
HSM Match Varmint Berger BT..........0.975"


My .204 data is currently a work in progress, and I have more brands and weights waiting to be shot and published. Initial tests seem to favor the 32gr bullets, which is surprising given the barrel's fast 1:9" rate of twist. The exercise so far has made it painfully apparent to me how inferior the GI trigger is for precision shooting, and I'm looking forward to a quality 2-stage replacement.

Obviously, these accuracy figures should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm just an untrained townie who's nursing a Friday night hangover while shooting his homemade gun.

Apologies if you were looking for group averages, I don't find them useful beyond testing lot consistency. This information is primarily for myself, and I'm interested in what my own best work behind a trigger is capable of.

Edit: These group sizes irritate me every time I look at them. A Geiselle Hi-Speed Match trigger arrives on Monday, I'll re-test these and post up averages as well.

[bow shot]

thanks kindly brudda!

[Tokimini]

Thanks man. I love stuff like this. I have a Shilen 9 twist in 204 on my Rem 700 and I was also quite surprised how well it shot the 32 gr Vmaxes.
For factory ammo you have some very nice groups. I was surprised the Bergers did so poorly. My barrel loves them.