Factory ammunition - When is the last time you shot it?

[miningshawn]

I haven't shot factory ammunition (except 22LR) in over 8 years. Just a question, when is the last time you shot factory ammunition?

I reload everything - even the lowly .223. I also neck turn, mandrel size, and never use a powder throw except for pistol. Just asking to see if I'm too OCD - or is it a "thing" to micromanage each projectile? As costs keep rising it has been a comfort to know what each bullet will do exactly before pulling the trigger.

 

[Retired Grunt]

I just shot some Federal .224 Valkyrie a few weeks ago, I compared 20 of it to 20 Reloads and the reloads shot better groups.

 

[Shooter13]

Been a while! At least 5 years now, back then I did shoot some factory load for the .45 AUTO and 9MM but since then everything is handloaded.

 

[std7mag]

About 7 years. My neice gifted me some 9mm. I regifted it to my daughter. Lol

 

[madmixerman]

Over 20 years except for 22 LR & shotgun shells.

 

[SShooterZ]

About 2 years ago for my CCW renewal. In my shotgun, last Dec pheasant hunting. In a rifle though? Can’t remember and just sold what I had left on GB.

 

[jpx2rk]

About 2 weeks ago in the new Savage FV12 22-250. I had a full box of the Win 55g VarmintX ammo dated July '18 that I used for a function test on the new gun. I prefer to use factory ammo for function tests "just in case" something don't work right. 2 of the 20 rds would NOT chamber in my gun, and a range buddy had his factory R700 22-250 on the next bench over. These 2 rounds would not chamber in his either. Both rounds ended up being over max trim length (~1.918 or so) and one of the 2 rds would not FL size down to fit the Savage. I crushed that case and moved on. LOL

Does anyone know (or care to speculate) what powder Winchester used in this ammo back in '18?? When I pulled the bullet, I was curious of the powder charge and it was 41.6g of a ball/spherical powder with some larger flat flakes sprinkled in. The ammo shot pretty good but I could not find a load with that much powder in any of my manuals.

 

[wkdickinson]

Probably 3 or 4 years. I reload for everything (not 22 rimfire of course) except for my Browning 1885 Traditional Hunter in 45-70.

 

[Medic505]

Yesterday

 

[SVT_Tactical]

I often buy a couple boxes of factory ammo for each gun I buy to check potential before i invest in dies and components if I don't have the reloading stuff already. Lets me check potential and provides some brass that is fire-formed as I check potential and get a close zero.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Except for 22lr it has been at least 35 years. Reload everything, start with virgin brass and go from there.

 

[KMart]

I only shoot factory rifle ammo in other folks gun when sighting in their new scopes, for over 40 years now.
I shoot factory pistol loads on the rare occasion that I shoot pistols. I hate reloading small case calibers.
I shoot factory shotgun shells, rarely, because I have a pretty good stash of new stuff from when I got out of Trapshooting 20 years ago.

 

[Dgd6mm]

This past Saturday, 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[jdh47]

I rarely shoot factory ammo except for some pistol and 22. The idea of loading 22 ammo is intriguing. I have reloaded metallic and shotgun for many years. It's just what I enjoy doing.

 

[CaptainMal]

25 acp, 32, 380 and 9mm handgun, rimfire, shotgun and rimfire are the factory shells that come to mind that I shoot. Load 44 and 38/357 a lot as wife and I both shoot them. All rifles are handholds. Been that way for decades.

 

[jelenko]

2007 to check the functioning of my AR. Knowing what I know today, I wouldn't need to use factory ammo to diagnose the same issue.

 

[STOMP442]

Been about 20 years since I bought my first Reloading kit shortly after high school. Haven't fired a piece of factory ammo out of anything I own since.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I can't remember... Been a Loooooong time since I shot any factory ammo. Rimfire excepted.

 

[john 800]

I have equipment to load shotshells, and pistol ammo but I still shoot alot of factory stuff for those. Rifle ammo? I bought a few boxes to shoot with new rifles when I didn’t have dies or supplies yet, one or two boxes and thats it.

 

[SCL]

I haven't shot factory ammunition (except 22LR) in over 8 years. Just a question, when is the last time you shot factory ammunition?

I reload everything - even the lowly .223. I also neck turn, mandrel size, and never use a powder throw except for pistol. Just asking to see if I'm too OCD - or is it a "thing" to micromanage each projectile? As costs keep rising it has been a comfort to know what each bullet will do exactly before pulling the trigger.

Lowly 223? I have multiple calibers of precision rifles. I get my best groups with a bolt action 223. I can get "dime" sized groups at 100 yards all day long. These 2 groups are from 2 different shooters- back to back.
Savage 12, 26" bull barrel. The load is xbr8208, 23.2, 69gr sierra match king @ 2.235 col, cci 41 military primers.
I do find that you really have to take your time when reloading the 223 due to the lower powder charge- compared to larger calibers. Not as forgiving if you our over/under on powder by any slight amount. I also weigh my bullets and group them. So- I am OCD!