Good day! I’m a long time reader from South Africa and decided that it was time to finally register on the fire. Is there perhaps a database that I can be referred to which gives true, tested MV figures of factory ammo? I am specifically interested in the Federal Premium .270win 150gr Partition load (code P270E) which is listed at 2830fps. Thanks for any pointers.

It used to be that MV on a box of ammo was usually pretty optomistic, but anymore, it tends to be a pretty good number for a 24" barreled rifle in my limited experience. I mainly reload and therefore shoot very little factory ammo. The little I have run over a chrony in the last ten years really surprised me how close it was to what it says on the box.

Thanks Miles. I don’t own a chrony and just haven’t got into the reloading thing yet, but I will at some point. I picked up three boxes of the above ammo and was just wondering what the real world MV would be. I think you have a point though as I did once fire a Winchester PP 150gr round through a friends chrony and it read 2834fps. This surprised me as the listed MV is 2850 and I only have a 22.5” barrel (Sako 85). I have no experience with the Federal loads however.

I recently ran two loads, both Federal Premium, over the chrono. Different bullets, but the same weight and same advertised velocity. From a 22" barrel, one was right on what the box said and the other was 100fps slower.

Thanks prm, that's interestng if a little inconsistent. Were any of those two a Partition, and if so, was it the quicker one?

In part, muzzle velocity of ammo depends on the firearm it is fired in. Each firearm is a constellation of variables so muzzle velocity of the same ammo will vary between firearms.

Yep, the only "true" muzzle velocity is the one from each rifle. Looking at a chart of results from other rifles won't tell you that.

Fair enough,thanks.

Anywhere from 25-50 fps difference between individual guns with the same length barrel is normal and I've seen 100+ fps. I've seen 20" barrels shoot faster than 22" barrels. Just because ammo is 100 fps slower than advertised doesn't mean the ammo makers claims are false. It could just be the individual rifle.

I shoot mostly hand loads, but my chronograph usually shows speeds pretty close to what the books say. Same with the few factory loads I've shot over it.

No, they were 200gr Trophy Bonded Tip and 200gr Trophy Copper. The copper was slower. Fired from same rifle on same day, no extreme temps, same magnetospeed chrono. In this example, it matched my experience of getting slower velocities out of E-Tips (a Trophy Copper is nearly identical to a Nosler E-Tip). VERY long bearing surface.

Two other factors in variation from specified velocity:

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institude (SAAMI), a group of mostly North American companies, agrees on certain specs for factory ammo, to make sure it works in all rifles. SAAMI's standards allow for plus or minus 90 fps for a particular lot's velocity in a standard test barrel.

Many if not most of the powders used in factory ammunition are not particularly temperature resistant. The factory velocity is standard at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but will vary some at different temperatures.

So, are we saying that a particular rife, "rifle A", could be a fast shooter and will generally shoot the same factory ammo faster than another rifle "rifle B", with the possibility that these two rifles are the same model from the same manufacturer. I.e you just get some rifles that shoots faster than others? Sure hope I have one of those. Thanks for all the input guys, appreciate it.

I had some 130 Corloks that were at 2,782 fps vs 3,060 on the "box". 22" M70. They still make meat though.

If I might, why do you want to know?

Don't we all. While having a firearm that shoots ammo faster is preferred, it is meaningful mostly for bragging rights.

no experience with a .270. I can tell you the federal high energy 180 grain 30-06 nosler partition was rated at 2880. it clocked 2888 out of my 30-06. a very stout load, and great game bullet.

I've found Federal and Winchester .270 150 grain loads to be spot on with their published velocities. Unfortunately my chrony went haywire before I got to try 280 Rem 140 core lokts. I've been wondering about them ever since.

Been a couple or so years back I got to chrono two rounds of the .280 140gr. Rem PSPCL though a Rem Mnt rifle. Scant notes show 2753fps avg.

Just last week I measured the last 2 140gr Core Lokts I had in an old box in my new M70 FWT. They ran 3008 and 2968.

Two 140gr Federal Fusions ran 2881 and 2874.

Both were advertised at 3000.

Did you find that rifle to have a slow barrel or was that the ammo's fault?

Those are solid numbers !

Don't know for sure. The guy showed up while I was chronoing a .25-06 load. He just used factory ammo. Actually got rid of the rifle after season. Fine looking piece to.

I know that its theoretical, but having an understanding of true MV allows for more accuracy when calculating ballistic tables. It’s a new rifle and load for me and with my shots regularly ranging from anywhere between 40 yards (two days ago on a Kudu bull) to over 300 yards, it will help me to understand my equipment a bit quicker. I am hoping that the load averages over 2,800 fps from my rifle, in which case I am happy to use it for everything. I wouldn’t be happy if it was closer to 2700 fps as I am then not maximising the ability of the caliber, reloading aside.

Apparently there's no way for you to chronograph the loads in your rifle. But hunters used to get by just fine out to 300+ yards before chronographs became cheap enough for the average guy, by actually shooting at 300-400 yards to determine the drops.

You can just look at the posted velocity and use it as a starting point for predicting your actual trajectory. Then go out and actually shoot out to your maximum range to get your actual drop chart. I would suggest shooting at 200, 300, 350 and 400 yards. That will give you real world numbers. Too many variables to trust a ballistic table without actually shooting.

And even if the muzzle velocity is 100 or even 150 fps different than listed, there will be zero practical difference in the field out to 400.

I don't trust any calculation any farther than I could throw the sheet of paper its printed on.

To do ANYTHING other than fire your load from your gun up to the max distances to get actual confirmed drops is a dis service to you and your intended target.

There can be more than a few variations beyond MV that can affect how the bullets impact.

The ONLY thing I use calcs for is to have an idea where to start on paper. I don't recall any of my JBM calcs not having to be corrected for actual drops ever. Maybe not at 300 yards but certainly further out.

I intend to put the hours in, I’m just trying to make a head start. I will ask a friend if he will join me at the range with his chronograph. I know that the ammo is good and groups well from my rifle (used it successfully on a hunt this past weekend) and now understand that there is no magical database that I can refer to. Thanks to all who shared their views and for their input.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

After you have developed a drop chart you can use soft ware to "back"
into a table by playing with the vel and bc in the soft ware but since most folk use the soft ware to generate the drop chart what is the point?
Pavementends

Thankfully someone said it....

I recall pre phonograph days...Wyoming bull elk and 30/06 with 150 Power Point factory ammo. Paced off at about 350 yards after the fact. First shot a hair far back and the second through the slats. Dead bull.

Oh...scope was a 3X.

I bet that ammo was no better than 2850 fps. We obsess way too much.