Disgrunted with Nosler Ammunition

[bruce moulds]

Fact check time:

please check your ammo and see if the box says “loaded in Sweden”.

the large bore Nosler ammo is made by Norma.

interesting.
bruce.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Fact check time:

please check your ammo and see if the box says “loaded in Sweden”.

the large bore Nosler ammo is made by Norma.

Well, what do you know, Made in Sweden..........

The advertised MV is 2350 fps and I recorded ~2400 fps with my MagnetoSpeed. Cool looking box too.

 

[rookhawk]

It appears that the Norma ammo is out of spec, not the Nosler US loaded ammo.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Well, what do you know, Made in Sweden..........

The advertised MV is 2350 fps and I recorded ~2400 fps with my MagnetoSpeed. Cool looking box too.

View attachment 334321

View attachment 334323 View attachment 334324 View attachment 334325

Fact check time:

please check your ammo and see if the box says “loaded in Sweden”.

the large bore Nosler ammo is made by Norma.

I checked my ammo, it is all Made in Sweden.

 

[Ray B]

In 458 bullets Nosler has four listings. Two are for 45/70; 2 are for 458. I'm wondering about the alloy used in the 458 bullets. The solid and the partition both resemble the older style partition as they resemble bronze rather than brass/gilding metal. attached is a photo of a Nosler for 45/70 - appearance is like other Nosler bullets; while the middle one is a new production 458 partition and on right is an old production .308 partition. Since the ammo is loaded in Sweden, I'm wondering if the bullets are made there.

 

[krish]

I don’t know about Nosler’s factory cartridge velocity short comings, but for $99.00 US for two boxes and free shipping? You almost can’t buy forty new cases, bullets and powder for that in some of the Safari calibers? The cheap stuff in .458 WM is $80-$100/box at LEAST, plus shipping? I enjoy reloading, but for those who don’t I think this is a GREAT deal, if for nothing else, sending some bullets downrange!
AND NOT FROM THE BENCH! Ha! Ha!

I did buy a case of Nosler 458 win mag about the same time of 99 dollars for two boxes.
I do have both labrador and pro chroni. I will send some rounds down range with my CZ 550 SAFARI MAG 458 WINCHESTER AND GIVE UPDATES. WEATHER NEEDS TO WARM UP A LITTLE.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I did buy a case of Nosler 458 win mag about the same time of 99 dollars for two boxes.
I do have both labrador and pro chroni. I will send some rounds down range with my CZ 550 SAFARI MAG 458 WINCHESTER AND GIVE UPDATES. WEATHER NEEDS TO WARM UP A LITTLE.

Sounds good! It’s supposed to be a high of 16F on Sat and 12F Sun here. Maybe I’ll go to the range on one of those days? When it’s chilly like that, you don’t notice the rifle’s recoil as your trying to stay warm and keeping your fingers from getting frostbite. Ha! Ha!

 

[krish]

Cold weather will give you reduced velocity. But high up in Colorado has thinner air. So they may cancel out.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Cold weather will give you reduced velocity. But high up in Colorado has thinner air. So they may cancel out.

Hmm... never thought about that before?

 

[krish]

Yes when we travel to Colorado for hunting we have to check our zero over there as the point of impact will be higher for extreme powders. Because they are less sensitive to temperature changes. Atmosphere pressure is lower than plains.
Krish

 

[C.W. Richter]

Finally, the weather here gave way for me to get back to the range.

Last week I went to the range to get some shooting time in with my new 44 BFR, 458 Win Mag, and 375 H&H.

My 458 WM reloads have about +/- 60 fps variant: hi: 2105 fps low: 2045 fps.
Thinking and having read all the hoopla about how good factory Nosler ammunition is suppose to be, I bought 7 boxes. Every round dropped 6 to 12 inches below the 12 inch x 12 inch target at 100 yards and only 2 hit the bottom edge of the 12 x 12 inch target at 25 yards.

Set up the chronograph:
Nolser 500 grain solids (factory loads):
1. 2050
2.1970
3. 1965
4. Err
5. 1968
6. 1824

Nosler 500 grain softs/bonded (factory loads):

1. 2067
2. 2014
3. 1975
4. 1914
5. 1960
6. 1943

SO!, What is so great about Nosler factory loaded ammunition?

I even reloaded Nosler Bullets, (Solids, Dangerous Game, 500 grain), based on published Nosler reload Data and after talking with a Nosler for 20 minutes on the phone. My reload results were worse than the factory loaded ammunition.

So what's so great about using Nosler ammunition and reload data and bulltes, when spending thousands of dollars, traveling thousands of miles, for that once in lifetime shot to fall short, because Nosler ammunition and bullets are Suppose to be better(?)?

My next step is to get a box of Swift A frame to test. If the hype about Swift ammunition is anything like the hype about Nosler ammunition. I'm going to stick with the Hornady's and my reloads for my upcoming DG hunt. At least my reloads are more consistent on target.

I got rid of my 458 years ago in favor of a 416 but did a considerable amount of shooting and hand loading for it. The the factory fusion ammo shot really well but your typical 2090 ft per second. As case capacity is limited the woodleigh softs and full metal jackets are best in it as they are the shortest and you can wring 2150 out of it. I tested out some nosler factory ammo on a 375 years ago and it grouped terribly. Same for their custom ammo in 257 which also fell short of the velocity claims. That said I am a big fan of nosler partitions and ballistic tip varmints for hunting in America. They group very well in everything from 22-250 to 416 and the velocity and accuracy is completely up to your hand loading.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I gave up on using most factory ammo when I was 16 as I soon realized I could make 80 more accurate higher velocity 300 win mag rounds for the same price as 20 poorly grouping models from the store. There are some great high-end factory rounds out there today. You just have to pay for them. Individual guns are often finicky about what they eat... I've seen guns shoot five shot one hole groups with $10 Winchester and Remington ammo and 2 inch groups with low velocity from so-called custom factory ammo.

 

[krish]

I recently bought 500 SPEER AFRICAN GRAND SLAM SOFT POINTS. THEY ARE THE SHORTEST 500GR 458 BULLETS WITH VERY GOOD REPUTATION. ALSO HAVE SOME AGS TUNGSTON SOLIDS TO COMLIMENT IT FOR THE 458 WIN MAG.
More over in CZ 550'S THE 458 WINCHESTER MAG CAN BE LOADED WITH A LONGER COL.

 

[Angelo_orygun]

My experience with the 500 Gr. Nosler Ammo in Lott has been an average of 2080 out of a CZ 55O measured with a Magnetospeed.

ES 27
SD 13
10 round average.

Sounds like that would agree with the speed you saw in the Win.

It’s accurate in my rifle, and cheap on sale, so I’ll use it to practice and then end up taking my 404 over the pond to hunt!

 

[TOBY458]

I gave up on using most factory ammo when I was 16 as I soon realized I could make 80 more accurate higher velocity 300 win mag rounds for the same price as 20 poorly grouping models from the store. There are some great high-end factory rounds out there today. You just have to pay for them. Individual guns are often finicky about what they eat... I've seen guns shoot five shot one hole groups with $10 Winchester and Remington ammo and 2 inch groups with low velocity from so-called custom factory ammo.

Agreed. I've had very few rifles that wouldn't shoot at least acceptably well with Remington Core Lokt ammo. If the bullet was actually decent, then I'd be on to something! I've had far too many core lokt bullets fail on Whitetail deer to trust them on anything larger.

 

[MS 9x56]

Finally, the weather here gave way for me to get back to the range.

Last week I went to the range to get some shooting time in with my new 44 BFR, 458 Win Mag, and 375 H&H.

My 458 WM reloads have about +/- 60 fps variant: hi: 2105 fps low: 2045 fps.
Thinking and having read all the hoopla about how good factory Nosler ammunition is suppose to be, I bought 7 boxes. Every round dropped 6 to 12 inches below the 12 inch x 12 inch target at 100 yards and only 2 hit the bottom edge of the 12 x 12 inch target at 25 yards.

Set up the chronograph:
Nolser 500 grain solids (factory loads):
1. 2050
2.1970
3. 1965
4. Err
5. 1968
6. 1824

Nosler 500 grain softs/bonded (factory loads):

1. 2067
2. 2014
3. 1975
4. 1914
5. 1960
6. 1943

SO!, What is so great about Nosler factory loaded ammunition?

I even reloaded Nosler Bullets, (Solids, Dangerous Game, 500 grain), based on published Nosler reload Data and after talking with a Nosler for 20 minutes on the phone. My reload results were worse than the factory loaded ammunition.

So what's so great about using Nosler ammunition and reload data and bulltes, when spending thousands of dollars, traveling thousands of miles, for that once in lifetime shot to fall short, because Nosler ammunition and bullets are Suppose to be better(?)?

My next step is to get a box of Swift A frame to test. If the hype about Swift ammunition is anything like the hype about Nosler ammunition. I'm going to stick with the Hornady's and my reloads for my upcoming DG hunt. At least my reloads are more consistent on target.

A perfect example of why I load my own. I have had nothing but good outcomes using Nosler bullets but never factory loaded. Good hunting.

 

[IvW]

My Nosler ammo using 300gr Accubonds trots out the barrel at about 25 to 30 fps faster than what is on the box, it is 338 Lapua but the rifle has a 30 1/2 inch barrel..speed is consistant....

 

[TOBY458]

My Nosler ammo using 300gr Accubonds trots out the barrel at about 25 to 30 fps faster than what is on the box, it is 338 Lapua but the rifle has a 30 1/2 inch barrel..speed is consistant....

What do you use a long barreled 338 Lapua for?

 

[IvW]

My Mugabe gun.......

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

A perfect example of why I load my own. I have had nothing but good outcomes using Nosler bullets but never factory loaded. Good hunting.

@MS 9x56
I'm glad you have good outcomes with Nosler bullets. I have had mixed results with them from good to absolutely useless.
I have loaded some 115 grain nosler combined technology silver tip in my 25 and look forward to trying them.
Bob