I was taking some shots at 350yards using 5.56 PMC 55 grain xtatFMJ and is me or is this ammo really inconsistent. I know each type of ammo has its own variables to deal with, but I was putting some nice groups the day before with Tula .223 and I do regularly with most ammo I use. But not only where my first 6 rounds impacting 7-10" above a 40x40" target, but I would hit dead center, then throw 4 rounds to the wide left (15".) Never have I had such a bad day at the range, I even got to 275 yards and the group I shot was all over. Most would say shooter error but I haven't even got 20" from center in 6 months, and I shoot almost every day. I really just want to know if all their ammo is this bad or did I get a bad box. Because I really hate wasting money.
Issue with PMC ammo
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I have shot a bunch of the PMC bronze (over a thousand rounds) and never had an issue like that, but it does seem to be a bit on the low powered side. Good training ammo though and the brass is good and reloadable. The only XTac of theirs I have shot is about a hundred rounds of their LAP 62 grain green tip, aka m855 that shot OK and it had a little more thump to it then the bronze ammo did.
I had the same issues with American Eagle 55 gr when I was breaking i the barrel on my new DMR build. It was so inconsistant that I had trouble even zeroing my scope. I switched to 77 Gr Match And my shots immediately started touching each other at 100m. I chalked it up to a combination of cheap ammo and the possibility that my 1-8" twist barrel not liking that particular ammo.
Ive shot 10's of thousands of M855 and it put this stuff to shame, I'm heading out again in a couple hours and shooting at 500 yards so I will see how it compares to some other brands I have with the same grain. And I've always thought federals 55grain to be a very light load, the wind would throw those rounds all over for some reason, really want to know what BC it has because other than lighter grain (43 ect) I had never seen wind drift throw a round of so much at the 250 yard light. Usually I would get a 2-4" drift with 55grn, 1-3 with 62grn, but federal was around 5-9" for 55grn. All with 10-15mph crosswind.
I've used PMC 9mm, and it's pretty underwhelming. At the indoor range, it was all they had, so I tried it. From the first round, it was smoky, and it smelled bad. I ran 50 rounds through my Ruger P95, and the barrel was black afterwards.
It left a huge soot deposit on the feedramp, and the firing pin was covered with that red primer glue. What a mess; it took several minutes to get it all off.
I guess it's decent if you can't get anything else, but there are shops selling it for $25 a box here. No way that am I paying that! :lol:
It left a huge soot deposit on the feedramp, and the firing pin was covered with that red primer glue. What a mess; it took several minutes to get it all off.
I guess it's decent if you can't get anything else, but there are shops selling it for $25 a box here. No way that am I paying that! :lol:
The first rounds out of my new Delton Echo 316/moe several months back was PMC X-Tac and I shot a .75'' group at 100yrds. It was only a 3 shot group but all my experience with PMC Bronze and X-Tac have been similar. I think its pretty good practice ammo. I probably have over 1000rds of it that Ive bought over the past year. My Delton has a heavy barrel and an eotech sight and that puppy is a shooter indeed. My accuracy with my mini-14 isnt quite as accurate but its as consistent in my mini as it is my del-ton.
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Have to say, for me, the PMC ammo is good for practice at 200 yds and closer. Have also used the American Eagle 55 grn. stuff and wasn't all that accurate, but OK for practice.
What can you say, practice with the cheap stuff and keep the good stuff loaded for emergencies.
What can you say, practice with the cheap stuff and keep the good stuff loaded for emergencies.
What twist rate is your barrel?
1:9 Twist in my Delton AR and Mini-14.
Thats kind of disturbing. I have never had any PMC fail to light off. Most of what I have been shooting is at least a year and more like two years old. I do have some thats newer, 4 or 5 months old that I have rotated to the back of my stock of PMC.
I always try and shoot up the oldest ammo first but I think maybe I should pull ten random boxes of the newest and see how they act. I very much dislike unreliable ammo, I expect if with Wolf and Tula practice ammo but not PMC.
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The same with the PMC 55gr. I shot last ...... Hits ARE A LITTLE HIGH.
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