Best factory ammunition for Browning A Bolt Gold Medallion

[djh935]

I realize that very soon I will have to take the leap to hand loading but for now, does anyone have any experience with the best factory load for a Browning A Bolt Gold Medallion? The best I have been able to find are Core Lokts and Barnes triple shock X's.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Rifle caliber and what game you plan on hunting might help us with assisting you in your search.

Also, no 2 rifles are a guaranteed match. One Browning might like Federal Premium, another might like HSM. You'll just have to try them out.

My 2 A-Bolt II 7mm RemMags both liked the Federal Premium P7RK ammo, which hasn't been made in over a decade. I have several boxes still sitting in the safe, since I have been handloading, but am not willing to part with them.

You will have to try a few to figure them out. In the meantime, shooting all that ammo will give you alot of brass to load up for when you do start handloading.

If you have a Browning in one of the 7mm calibers, it has a 9.5 twist, and won't be of much use beyond the 168 grain bullets.

 

[djh935]

Mudrunner,
Thanks for that fast reply!

Sorry, should have added....300 win mag. It is an A Bolt original -not a II. A gift from my father in law that I have grown fond of so I am trying to maximize what I can get out of it.

You are the second to mention Federal Premiums so I will try those. I know that no two rifles seem to like ammo the same way but I was trying to save a few bucks by not buying a box of every type of 300 win mag ammo there is.

Game has included african plains game (kudu, gemsbok, zebra), bear and elk (this upcoming fall). I have mostly shot 150 and 180 grain. Groupings around 1.5+ inches at 100 but I was hoping to tighten it.

thanks again for the expertise!

 

[Dr. Vette]

I know that no two rifles seem to like ammo the same way but I was trying to save a few bucks by not buying a box of every type of 300 win mag ammo there is.

The easiest is to find someone else locally to you who also shoots 300 Win Mag, and buy 3-5 each of different bullets from them. I've "sold" friends some 30-06 and 270 ammo this way to recoup some of the money I spent buying several types of ammo to try in my rifles.

 

[Rick Richard]

I found the Winchester silver tips in 180 grains to shoot the best out of my Abolt.

 

[djh935]

Dr Vette, great suggestion. With over 20+ different types of 300 win mag ammo available to me, at $40+ per box trying everything can get very expensive..

Rick,
What size groupings at 100 yds were you able to get with the silver tips?

Thank you both for the help!

 

[MudRunner2005]

If any of these will shoot, they would be an excellent load.

HSM Trophy Gold Ammo 300 Winchester Mag 185 Grain Berger Hunting VLD

HSM Trophy Gold Ammo 300 Winchester Mag 168 Grain Berger Hunting VLD

Hornady Custom Ammo 300 Winchester Mag 165 Grain InterLock Spire Point

Nosler Trophy Grade Ammo 300 Winchester Mag 180 Grain AccuBond Box of

Barnes VOR-TX Ammo 300 Winchester Mag 180 Grain Tipped Triple-Shock X

Nosler Custom Ammo 300 Winchester Mag 165 Grain Partition Box of 20

 

[Rick Richard]

Always better than MOA and usually around .75

 

[The Oregonian]

In my .270 win stainless stalker, I get about 1 MOA from both Barnes VOR-TX and Nosler Trophy Grade Accubond, both in 130gr.

But I tried several more. Didn't do as well with Hornady and some others.