[Ben Beam 750]

Hello all- I’ve been trying to find a board to call home and this one seems to be vibrant and well so I plan to give it a shot - I hope you accept my rare post and also my often just lurking trying to learn more and more about the sport I have grown to love. I am trying to put an accurate .223 together and today I picked up some Black Hills Match in many different weights to see if I could find a load my barrel likes. The groupings were strange but that could be a PSA loose barrel but- I’ll check that but what are yalls thoughts on this ammo? From everything I’ve read it is great but it sure looks nasty and the hollow points are not close to matching each other but maybe this is normal? I don’t think so but wanted another opinion before calling the guy I bought it from. The price was VERY good so I’m not too upset regardless.

The hollow points are also filled with cardboard or something it appears. If this has happened to anyone else- any ideas how to remove it? It seems it would alter the POI a bit, no?

 

[Robert Cowles]

Never used Black Hills ammo, but had a similar experience with carboard/Styrofoam in hollow points. Back when I first began reloading 308 I used the original boxes (foam tray in a carboard sleeve). Loading a magazine one day I noticed carboard in one of the points. When I checked, many were the same. Best I can figure, with time and transporting, the weight of the rounds had pushed them down into the foam and in some cases into the cardboard. Switched to plastic and the problem disappeared. I shot them with no problem or apparent change in point of impact.

 

[68c15]

Black Hills Ammo is remanufactured. Recently they had a big fire. I haven't heard if they are back up and running again.

I have an Axis 223 and I worked up a hunting load for it. That'll do under 3/8MOA. I did same for target loads and that one does under 1/4MOA. I'm using FC brass with no dots on head stamp, sorted by weight, Varget and 69 grain Sierra match kings, 68 grain Game Kings for hunting

 

[jim brady]

Welcome to TFF!

If you want top accuracy, there really isn't much of a substitute for reloading your own. You need to tailor your ammunition to YOUR rifle. The twist rate of your barrel will determine what grain (weight) of bullet to start with, and as every rifle has it's own particular taste for the 'right' pressure/velocity, you will need to experiment with different powders to get the pressure/velocity/burn rate that your rifle functions best with.

For a commercial factory to recycle brass and load it into what they call 'Match' is a tad of a puzzle to me. I understand Black Hills ammunition costs a little less than other actual ammunition producers, but I kind of/sort of don't think any top competitors ever use it in a serious Match. Just saying.