Hornady Superformance- not so super

[KiloTrooper]

FYI to all, don't bother with Hornady Superformance ammo- it isn't worth it. It ain't super and it ain't performance.

I got a Remington 700 VTR in .243 Win. in late April. Been trying out the Hornady 80gr GMX Superformance. So far have shot about 65 rounds. Average group I'd say is > 1.75" at 100 yards. Accuracy at 200 and 300 poor compared to the Hornady Custom 58gr Vmax. Wallyworld Federal 100gr. PSP much better at $13.47 a box and <.5" group at 100 yards--so I know it ain't the rifle. Also using a Nikon Prostaff 4-12x-very nice!!!

Factory 24" muzzle velocity is 3425
Actual average 22" muzzle velocity out of my Rem 700 VTR was 3126.

Thought those considering Superformance may want to know. Yeah, every rifle is differnet, but mine don't like the GMX bullet, and perhaps yours may not either.

Kilo

[blueorison]

FYI to all, don't bother with Hornady Superformance ammo- it isn't worth it. It ain't super and it ain't performance.

I got a Remington 700 VTR in .243 Win. in late April. Been trying out the Hornady 80gr GMX Superformance. So far have shot about 65 rounds. Average group I'd say is > 1.75" at 100 yards. Accuracy at 200 and 300 poor compared to the Hornady Custom 58gr Vmax. Wallyworld Federal 100gr. PSP much better at $13.47 a box and <.5" group at 100 yards--so I know it ain't the rifle. Also using a Nikon Prostaff 4-12x-very nice!!!

Factory 24" muzzle velocity is 3425
Actual average 22" muzzle velocity out of my Rem 700 VTR was 3126.

Thought those considering Superformance may want to know. Yeah, every rifle is differnet, but mine don't like the GMX bullet, and perhaps yours may not either.

Kilo

Great post, kilo. In my opinion, the "every rifle is different" thought is somewhat bs. It has some weight to it but accuracy from the rifle mostly arrives from

1. shooter skill
2. chamber tolerances
3. bbl quality/construction/shineyness :lmao:
4. bbl twist

and hardly "the rifle" itself. I'd say mostly the bbl, as most chambers on brand name rifles unless assembled incorrectly at the factory/incorrect spacing etc (happens to 2k$ sniper rifles), will have good chambers.

So it basically comes down to your bbl quality and twist. I'd bet my money you're a darn good shot, so it ain't that. I've long held the opinion that Hornady match ammunition was junk for the pricepoint and value compared to other mfgs. I did test their TAP 75 gr load, and it was as you said of their other match ammo, disappointing.

Guess the kids over at barf.com wet their pants over and over posting pictures of their TAP hoard for nothing.

I have EA 1x fired ammunition OTW to me, they are only 55 grainers but we'll see.
Even 55grainers are gtg up to 300 yds. Just as long as the wind doesn't go 20 mph on me.

A little badass birdie on my shoulder told me that I might be receiving something else to test. :lmao:

[KiloTrooper]

I'm thinking about painting blue tips on my Federal 100 grain PSPs.

I think my barrel is good to go. I just think my rifle is a finicky eater. It doesn't like the high $$ restaurants- just Wendy's. It didn't like the Berger HSM loads I just tried with it either, bullets on lands/cases to long. Darn consistent muzzle velocity on HSM loads!!!

I think I will feed to my Savage/Stevens 200 and see how Stevie likes it.

Kilo

[blueorison]

I'm thinking about painting blue tips on my Federal 100 grain PSPs.

I think my barrel is good to go. I just think my rifle is a finicky eater. It doesn't like the high $$ restaurants- just Wendy's. It didn't like the Berger HSM loads I just tried with it either, bullets on lands/cases to long. Darn consistent muzzle velocity on HSM loads!!!

I think I will feed to my Savage/Stevens 200 and see how Stevie likes it.

Kilo

Which HSM loads are you using? You're speaking about factory?

I'm not sure how well the original HSM mfg is still doing; but I've shot BVAC OTM's and they are horrible. 69gr and 75gr match ammunition and accuracy was incredibly bad. BVAC is a branch off HSM.

Federal match ammunition is quite impressive; you might try that.

[ehryk]

a bud came over to zero his rifle for elk season and had some .30-06 superformance 180s. Velocity was between 2713 and 2784, thats pretty bad IMNSHO. Accuracy was about as good as the velocity spread giving 4 inch groups at 100 meters (yes, meters lol). His rifle does have only a 22 inch barrel, so that could account for the lower velocity than the published 2820. I for one was not impressed. Although, after feeding my barrel only fine home cooked meals, I could just be spoiled.

[blueorison]

a bud came over to zero his rifle for elk season and had some .30-06 superformance 180s. Velocity was between 2713 and 2784, thats pretty bad IMNSHO. Accuracy was about as good as the velocity spread giving 4 inch groups at 100 meters (yes, meters lol). His rifle does have only a 22 inch barrel, so that could account for the lower velocity than the published 2820. I for one was not impressed. Although, after feeding my barrel only fine home cooked meals, I could just be spoiled.

18 inch bbl at 300 meters would do better than that. I'd get his bbl checked. I'm not a big fan of Hornady, but that's pretty horrible accuracy.