Anyone shoot Norma Factory ammo?

Z

zach_destroys

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Joined
Feb 10, 2020
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119
Location
Pennsylvania
I ordered a box of bondstrikes for my 300wsm. Advertised at 3080 fps and a .615 g1 bc in a 180gr bullet. If the bc is correct, even at 2900 fps I would be happy with that for a hunting load. Curious to see how they group. I cant find a lot of info out there on norma factory stuff though. Any users?
 
I bought a box of Norma 338 Magnum ammo with 300 SMKs to start breaking in my new rifle. First three shots were all touching and 200 yards. One ragged hole. Their velocity was 2660 fps. My hand loads with Reloder 33 and Berger 300 grain hunter elites are at 2770. I like the Norma factory ammo enough to keep an extra box around to play with. If your gun likes them, they'll be wonderful.
 
Figured I would update this for anyone who is looking. I finally got out to testing this ammo earlier. I chronographed the first 3 rounds. 2986 average. 4 fps extreme spread! Pretty good for factory stuff. I didn't bother to shoot groups but zeroed at 200. Entered data into Hornadys ballistic calculator and resulted in 1st shot hits out to 500 yards.
I plan on running another box out to 750 which is about as far as I can shoot off my back porch. The Norma G1 BC given was .615 which is what I used in my calculations. Seems to be close because bullet drop was dead on. Shooting to 750 will tell more. For factory ammo I'm extremely pleased. I dug one bullet out of the dirt from behind my cardboard at 100 yards. Penetrated about 10" of wet dirt. Resulted in 100.2 grains of retained weight. Lead is definitely bonded to the jacket. No separation.
 
I use the 130 grain black diamond in my 6.5 X 55 build that I finished last year and they will average .4 M.O.A. with the Norma factory load. I have loaded a few rounds with SMK's & Berger and been able to average .5 M.O.A. and in time I will improve on this. Great round coming from the factory and all my testing has be done from 300 - 600 yards.
 
I've shot the Kalahari in a .270 win, velocity was as advertised and accuracy was 3/4 moa off the hood of the truck out of a Christensen barreled Rem 700. I'll be buying more in other chamberings.
 
Seems I found the fly in the ointment. I recently purchased 5 boxes of Norma Tactical .223 Rem, 55gn FMJ advertised @ 3240fps. $6.49 a box. I wasn't really concerned w/speed and I figured they would group good enough for plinking, crows and any other flavor or vermin that ventured on to my property. Bonus: Norma brass!
I was bit surprised and disappointed when the first one snapped. To get a five shot average over the LabRadar I went through seven rounds. Five fired, two didn't.
Thinking it could be my rifle, a Marlin X7VH, I let a bud try some in his R700 SPS; same thing. Out of the first box (20rds) 6 did not go off. Primers all struck, impact looks same as on those that went off. Two different rifles.
The box states, "Highly Reliable. Proudly made in the USA".
Luckily, I wasn't peering through the scope at a Boone and Crockett class feral cat or crow.... :{)
 
I bought several boxes of the golden target 130 grain 6.5 Creedmoor. Shot 15 through a new rifle, shots # 6-10 was .42 average. Needless to say, but I will, I was pleasantly surprised 😁
 
zach_destroys said:
Figured I would update this for anyone who is looking. I finally got out to testing this ammo earlier. I chronographed the first 3 rounds. 2986 average. 4 fps extreme spread! Pretty good for factory stuff. I didn't bother to shoot groups but zeroed at 200. Entered data into Hornadys ballistic calculator and resulted in 1st shot hits out to 500 yards.
I plan on running another box out to 750 which is about as far as I can shoot off my back porch. The Norma G1 BC given was .615 which is what I used in my calculations. Seems to be close because bullet drop was dead on. Shooting to 750 will tell more. For factory ammo I'm extremely pleased. I dug one bullet out of the dirt from behind my cardboard at 100 yards. Penetrated about 10" of wet dirt. Resulted in 100.2 grains of retained weight. Lead is definitely bonded to the jacket. No separation.
Click to expand...

That's good to know, I bought a case for my 300 WSM. Heck the loaded rounds were just about $0.30 more per round than new Norma brass!
 
cohunt said:
Are the bondstrike decent?
Click to expand...
Ive talked to a few guys that used them at fairly close range, they were pretty destructive but the bullets held together. I'm not sure about long range performance. I think Tyler Freel from Tundratalk was using them when he went to Africa but I could be wrong about that. He was very happy with whatever ammo he was using. I need to ask him or re-listen to that podcast
 
zach_destroys said:
Ive talked to a few guys that used them at fairly close range, they were pretty destructive but the bullets held together. I'm not sure about long range performance. I think Tyler Freel from Tundratalk was using them when he went to Africa but I could be wrong about that. He was very happy with whatever ammo he was using. I need to ask him or re-listen to that podcast
Click to expand...
searched the net, they are touted as Long range-- but I cant find the minimum expansion velocity anywhere, and longest shot on an animal i can find on the net is about 350, closest was about 35y iirc
 
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