Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Federal Premium ammo is it hot or is it just me?

Was out at the range yesterday and ran into Bear in Fairbanks and he happened to be working some new loads and had a chrono out. I fired 2 shots threw my 300 WSM using Federal factory ammo 180 NP's. The chrono read 3250fps and 3310 fps on the 2 shots I fired. Bear advised me that the Federals he shot threw his 270 WSM were off the charts as well but other stuff was within quoted ranges. According to these speeds my gun is shooting the factory 180 Partitions 200-300 fps faster than advertised. Have you guys seen this before.

Altitude?

I have with Federal .300WM 200gr Nosler HE loads. According to the Chrono my last 5 shot string was averaging 3018, about 100 FPS faster than I thought. Federal says 2940 FPS, which is hauling as out of a Win Mag, and I'm 100 to 125 FPS over that. This was at sea level.

360 feet

My 7 wsm Federals with the 150 Nosler Solid Base and the 160 Accubond are both above listed velocities. Not nearly as much as you are seeing though. Mine are running about 35 fps higher than it says on the box.

180 grain Partitions at 3300fps out of a .300WSM is insane.

I had some factory ammo left over when I began reloading.
During the first range session with my rookie handloads I shot a few factory rounds over a Chrony(to test the Chrony and for curiosity's sake).

Results:
.300WSM/24" barrel.
Federal 180 Accubonds made 2965fps/listed at 2960.
Winchester 180 CT Accubonds made 2964fps/listed at 3000.
Remington 180 Scirocco made 3000/listed at 2980.

Did Bear's handloads have faster than normal velocities as well?
I'd suspect chrono was being weird.

SO

Bears loads were inline with his quick load recipes velocity wise. He was shooting 150's out of a 270 WSM at about 2750 or so. I shot 2 rounds to make sure the chrono wasn't crazy but the second shot about floored me when I saw 3310 pop up. It was sunny out and the ammo box was in the sun but outside temps were only high 60's to low 70's. I believe it cant be possible to get those speeds from this caliber but other than finding someone wlse with a chrono and double checking my results I dont know?

That's strange.
Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.
I'd be mildly spooked to shoot any more of those rounds(I'm a pansy though,grin).

Sam

They shoot great (3" groups at 335 yards off a backpack laying down) but dont feel so good on the shoulder.<grin>

It's not just you. I've always felt that the Federal ammo was strong.

Nice shootin' Cub!
Your .300 Whizzum is a Montana right?
A dozen or 20 rounds at the "bench" outta my 85 is enough fun for one day.
They sure do have a slight pop to em when they go off...

Yeah SO its a Montana and according to all the negative posts one of the only good ones <grin>. I was playing with the turret yesterday and enjoying the heck out of it, too bad 335 is as far as I can shoot at our range. This Montana will shoot thats for sure.

I still think Kimber Montana sounds like a porn star's name.....grinnin'

AKCub, you need to check your altimiteter, pretty sure you were about 362 ft. above sea level depending upon which bench you shot around. Thus explaining the hot loads. (grin)

They had to do something with all those HE loads they had left, that'd be my bet.

If it is a shooting chrony, I had weird readings with mine, too. Said my 300 win mag with 150's was up around 3450, which is insane. I no longer have it and the Oehler I have seems to be always spot on. 180's, at the speed you are getting, would be suicide. Don't think it is possible in that rifle. All the wsm's I had, I couldn't get 2960, which is factory, much less 3300, with 180's.

I was getting well above the listed velocities with my 7 WSM and 160 grain NPs a few weeks ago too.

It is hot. Particularly in recently developed chamberings, as the "old gun" factor is negated.

+1 Maybe you should call and find out

If only it weren't long distance......

My cousin has one and it was in the 2880 area with several shots on my chrono with federal factory 180 accubonds(they seemed pretty hot)and it still kicked like a mule. With the lighter rifle it seemed quite a bit worse than the 300 win and weatherbys i've shot.
I have a harder time getting accurate readings with my chrono on sunny days cause the sun can shine in and make shade lines that the bullet flashes through making too fast of a reading or something like that is all I can figure out.
agree with some others. I don't think 3300 is possible.