Posted: 11/10/2014 5:58:30 PM EDT
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Please help, I am shooting a 20 inch Savage .308 I have the Nikon BDC combo package.
Last year I zero this rifle with Hornady American Whitetail-I also shot a fair bit with 147 grain 7.62 x 51 I Rezeroed with the Hornady, and put it in the safe. Yesterday I pulled the rifle out for a hunt. Long story short I missed my target by nearly a foot-I spent some time at the range today. I got it on paper with 147 grain 7.62 x 51. Then I tried some fusion 150 grain .308 It was 4 inches high-I Rezeroed, shot a three round touching group, and came home. Is this variance and performance normal with different types of ammo? Do I need to marry one brand of bullet for hunting? Please be gracious to me as I am new to bolt action rifles and 308 performance |
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find a good round for hunting that the gun shoots well and stick with it. you will drive yourself nuts trying to shoot good groups with various mix and match ammo.
I have seen as much as 3 to 4 inch difference as well as extreme left and right when shooting different brands and weight bullets but a foot is a bit much if your talking the same distance you sighted in at. perhaps the scope was bumped when not in use as well. |
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Your experience isn't unusual. You can see even greater 100 yard spreads when the bullet style or brands change.
Pick a load and stick with it unless you are shooting so close that you can get away with it if you don't have an opportunity to re-boresight when you hunt. |
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Preach, I am a bit confused. You used WT, it shot well, shot a lot of FMJ, but rezeroed with WT? Then it was off with WT?
I guess my confusion, is reading your post, it seems like you are saying that it was good with the Hornady WT, but then it was off, after not touching it. Please advise. |
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I strongly suggest you double check your scope mounts, make sure everything is tight. As well as any action screws
As for the difference between ammo... yeah, it will be off by a little bit , and 4 inches is at the extreme end of the spectrum ( 100 yds ? ).. but is possible. Remember the difference in bullet construction between those two is quite a bit. The Fusion is pretty much a plated bullet , while the Horn. is a conventional cup and core. So they will fire differently. So far every OEM Fusion load I have fired, ( .223, 5.56 Gold Dot, 7.63x39, .308 and 300WM ) has had a obviously different POI compared to cup and core bullets. They also seem to run the Gas Guns softer... the chronograph has shown them to be mild velocity.... but the Fusion bullet doesn't need max velocity to work properly. I try to use a specific, known accurate for every hunt. Changing to a different brand and make of ammo will require range time. So , yes , I suggest , for the time being, you stick to what you know works. Changing your scope everytime you buy different hunting ammo will be a PITA and cost money. At the range it shouldn't matter ... big target, just always aim at the same spot... it won't matter if the Fusion all hits 4" high, since you are looking for group size... if the Horn. had a smaller group at the 3 o'clock position... you now know which shoots smaller and can choose which you want to use, and adjust the scope as needed. I put red dots in a star pattern on blank paper... that way I can easily see what the various brands are doing. It can be very educational in respect to ammo variations. Also... did your re-clean the bore after its storage and prior to your range session ? |