Hermitage Walmart Federal 223

[ac3boyz]

100 count value packs @ $35 each.  At least 20 boxes on the shelf at 1030.  No limit

[gregintenn]

Why'd you leave them? They don't make real good reloading brass, but man do they shoot good!

[ac3boyz]

had to leave some for others

[musicman]

My Antioch Wally had the same today. I snagged the last 2 :-)

[Oh Shoot]

...They don't make real good reloading brass, but man do they shoot good!

 

Ever chrono them? Rather disappointing really, most of the Russian stuff is hotter.

 

- OS

[musicman]

Are they disappointing for 223 or 5.56?

[gregintenn]

Ever chrono them? Rather disappointing really, most of the Russian stuff is hotter.

 

- OS

No. They don't seem hot, but they will cycle the action in all my guns, and shoot little bitty groups. The paper doesn't mind how fast the bullet is going.

 

The brass would be o.k., but for some reason the primer pockets get loose after a couple of loadings. They are good for one reload anyway.

[TripleDigitRide]

Like much of the other Wal-Mart ammo, I've always found it to be decent plinking ammo.

[Lumber_Jack]

[quote name="musicman" post="1121847" timestamp="1394289697"]Are they disappointing for 223 or 5.56?[/quote] I've never chrono'd any but all have functioned fine for me. Plenty sufficient for target shooting. I've got better stuff for soft tissue anyway :)

[ac3boyz]

I never considered the specifics...just thought 35cents / round for plinking to be a decent price.

Edited March 8, 2014 by ac3boyz

[Oh Shoot]

I never considered the specifics...just thought 35cents / round for plinking to be a decent price.

 

38.3 actually. :)

 

I'm just kinda miffed that it's underpowered compared to all the "junk" Russian stuff a lot of folks diss at up to a dime a round cheaper. Assuming the latest new panic doesn't really take hold.

 

I first noticed several years ago when Wolf and Tula and Brown Bear and whatnot would hit higher on target at 200 yards, and then confirmed with a chrono test in the last year. Just kind of expect to get around 3000 fps with .223 55gr ammo from the major brands, but Federal is gonna gouge ya that extra little dab of powder.

 

- OS

Edited March 8, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[gregintenn]

38.3 actually. :)

 

I'm just kinda miffed that it's underpowered compared to all the "junk" Russian stuff a lot of folks diss at up to a dime a round cheaper. Assuming the latest new panic doesn't really take hold.

 

I first noticed several years ago when Wolf and Tula and Brown Bear and whatnot would hit higher on target at 200 yards, and then confirmed with a chrono test in the last year. Just kind of expect to get around 3000 fps with .223 55gr ammo from the major brands, but Federal is gonna gouge ya that extra little dab of powder.

 

- OS

The Russian stuff doesn't function reliably in my ARs. (I think you could shoot most anything through my mini 14 and it would work.) The Federal value pack stuff is flawless in them all.

[Oh Shoot]

The Russian stuff doesn't function reliably in my ARs. (I think you could shoot most anything through my mini 14 and it would work.) The Federal value pack stuff is flawless in them all.

 

Hmm. I shoot Russian steel 90% of time through 3 AR rifles and an AR pistol. Stuck empty casing once in a blue moon, easily remedied with quick light mortar. Flawless other than that.  And of course, through my Minis also.

 

- OS

[Garufa]

The Russian stuff doesn't function reliably in my ARs.

 

How so?

[gregintenn]

How so?

I'll get a failure to feed every few rounds, and the bolt never locks back after the final round. It almost acts like it's underpowered to me. It is accurate however. Same thing with two different guns.

[Oh Shoot]

I'll get a failure to feed every few rounds, and the bolt never locks back after the final round. It almost acts like it's underpowered to me. It is accurate however. Same thing with two different guns.

 

It generally is considered underpowered, which is why I was so surprised to see the Federal loafing along at 2840, when I was getting 2929 out of Monarch, 2872 from Wolf WPA, and even 2843 from Tula (all 55gr, same 16" barrel, 3 shot averages)

 

Seems to me if underpowered loads are the prob in relation to your gassing parameters, if you can run Federal you could run anything.

 

Myself, I want my rifles to be able to run anything, even if they are a bit over-gassed using the hottest 5.56 rounds. I don't have adjustable gas blocks on any of them, but of course that's likely the best way to go.

 

- OS

Edited March 9, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Wingshooter]

Hmm. I shoot Russian steel 90% of time through 3 AR rifles and an AR pistol. Stuck empty casing once in a blue moon, easily remedied with quick light mortar. Flawless other than that.  And of course, through my Minis also.
 
- OS

Same here. I put a lot of rounds through my AR's for 3-gun, and i always use the cheapest Russian ammo i can find. It runs flawless for me also. I can't recall ever having a failure with any of it. I was impressed during my last range trip with the accuracy I was getting from Tula at 100yds with the irons.

I load up "premium" rounds for my precision AR, but I have no complaints with the Russian steel for most of my shooting.

[gregintenn]

It generally is considered underpowered, which is why I was so surprised to see the Federal loafing along at 2840, when I was getting 2929 out of Monarch, 2872 from Wolf WPA, and even 2843 from Tula (all 55gr, same 16" barrel, 3 shot averages)

 

Seems to me if underpowered loads are the prob in relation to your gassing parameters, if you can run Federal you could run anything.

 

Myself, I want my rifles to be able to run anything, even if they are a bit over-gassed using the hottest 5.56 rounds. I don't have adjustable gas blocks on any of them, but of course that's likely the best way to go.

 

- OS

I wonder if it isn't a combo of underpowered rounds combined with the powdered steel cases that hold on inside the chamber a bit better than a brass case.

 

Could be I simply need to clean the chambers on my guns.

Edited March 9, 2014 by gregintenn

[Guest SavageOne]

I shoot very little steel case stuff through my ARs. I did shoot a 3/4" 100yd group durring qualifications using Silver Bear in my BM 13 1/2". Function was fine.

[Oh Shoot]

I wonder if it isn't a combo of underpowered rounds combined with the powdered steel cases that hold on inside the chamber a bit better than a brass case.

 

Could be I simply need to clean the chambers on my guns.

 

 

Possibly. With regards to steel ammo and sticking though, the more likely scenario is that after shooting x amount of steel, and without cleaning, you switch to brass and a brass one will stick. But yeah, really getting with an AR chamber brush surely wouldn't hurt to try.

 

Seems like you built that upper, not sure I remember? I'd suggest making sure gas port is aligned well so you're getting full gas pressure, but then you say you have no failure with the Federal that's in the same power range or less, so guess it's probably not that.

 

Whatever, one of the first things to try when narrowing down is to load one round in mag. Note (1) ejection angle and distance and (2) whether it locks bolt back.

 

Oh, and you didn't arbitrarily use a heavier buffer or spring in the tube, didja?

 

- OS

Edited March 9, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[gregintenn]

Possibly. With regards to steel ammo and sticking though, the more likely scenario is that after shooting x amount of steel, and without cleaning, you switch to brass and a brass one will stick. But yeah, really getting with an AR chamber brush surely wouldn't hurt to try.

 

Seems like you built that upper, not sure I remember? I'd suggest making sure gas port is aligned well so you're getting full gas pressure, but then you say you have no failure with the Federal that's in the same power range or less, so guess it's probably not that.

 

Whatever, one of the first things to try when narrowing down is to load one round in mag. Note (1) ejection angle and distance and (2) whether it locks bolt back.

 

Oh, and you didn't arbitrarily use a heavier buffer or spring in the tube, didja?

 

- OS

I built one of the guns, the other is a stock Bushmaster. They are both 100% reliable with any handload I've fed them, as well as the Federal Valuepack stuff. Not so with the Wolf steel case ammo. I get the same results with both guns. Maybe I got some bad Wolf ammo? Like I said, accuracy is fine with it; just not reliability.

 

Wolf works great in my Mini 14. I also shoot a LOT of it in an AK and SKS (different caliber of course), and it's satisfactory in every way in 7.62x39.

 

I've tried Hornady Steel Match in my Bushmaster, and it cycles reliably. So it isn't as simple as just a steel case problem. Heck, I dunno.

 

It isn't a big deal as I don't have a big bunch of the stuff in 223, and will simply shoot what I have in my Mini. I just found it odd since I've always had good luck with Wolf ammo in general.

Edited March 10, 2014 by gregintenn