SK Match Ammo

Ghost Recon

There are two types of SK match ammo available:
1) SK Rifle Match (round nose - BC G1 0.172)
2) SK Flatnose Match (flat nose - BC G1 0.139)
For target shooting (rifle), what are the benefits of one over the other (other than the BC difference).
I haven’t used these yet - just curious to know before I pick some up!

rsole1

Ghost Recon wrote: »

There are two types of SK match ammo available:
1) SK Rifle Match (round nose - BC G1 0.172)
2) SK Flatnose Match (flat nose - BC G1 0.139)
For target shooting (rifle), what are the benefits of one over the other (other than the BC difference).
I haven’t used these yet - just curious to know before I pick some up!

I have tried both, shot over a thousand of each and apart from the price can see no difference. Also tried 500 SK standard , which not a lot of difference either, the odd flier here and there. Tried the SK magazine in bulk tin, also very accurate and worth the money.

extremetaz

Flat nose will punch clean holes in paper which makes scoring easier.

That's it. Nothing else to it.

Wadi14

The only way to know is try them both along with all the other brands out there, but I think you will find the good quality match ammo's are more consistent.
The flat nose SK is the new kid on the block for SK, the round nose match has been around for a long time.
Eley have been producing flat nose match ammo for a good few years now.

JP22

I have shot them all, SK make good quality ammo, never had a misfire yet.

SK RM (red) is their best ammo, what does not make this grade gets packed as SK Std+ (yellow), not sure if Magazine is lower quality again or bulk packed Std+.

SK FN Match equates to SK RM and SK FN Basic equates to SK Std+. I cannot find a difference between FN Basic and FN Match.

It is reported that flat nose rounds are more stable/accurate that round nose. Eley have been making flat nose or semi flat nose for years.

Regardless of the quality of the ammo, if your rifle doesn’t like it, it doesn’t like it. Then it’s down to testing various brands, finding the absolute best for your rifle and then batch testing.

extremetaz

JP22 wrote: »

It is reported that flat nose rounds are more stable/accurate that round nose. Eley have been making flat nose or semi flat nose for years.

Edge, Match and Tenex use that bullet - it has a 'flatter' profile than round, but also has a 'nubbin' in the center. They've made a fair hubbub about it in the past alright. Can't tell you the science behind it, but I've been shooting Edge exclusively for a few years now and it just works. The stuff is unjustifiably accurate.

That being said, I've always found any Lapua, and SK Standard+ or better, to be reliable stuff as well; and I'd use any of them ahead of CCI.

The pigeon man

I would say buy both and try them.

I found that the sk rifle match is the best out of the line. I couldn't notice any difference between the flatnose match and rifle match. So I decided to stay with the rifle match which is cheaper.

JP22

Getting back to SK FN Basic, I recently picked up a couple of boxes for another group test. Groups were shot off leather bags front and rear with a Match 54 - 1809.

As previously stated, I think SK RM is the better ammo and seems to be more consistent in the long run.

Then again, after this latest test I may have to change my opinion and do further testing. I shot this one hole group last week, some really nice tight groups equal to SK RM.

Then out of the blue at about 65/70 rds fired, I started getting 3 in the same hole, then some 4’s and finally five in same spot. Definitely one of the smallest 5 shot groups I have got with budget priced ammo.

So what’s the bad news you ask, have since learnt SK is discontinuing their flat nose ammo. Bummer…😖, you win some, you lose some. 

Feisar

How much extra does the tuner give you out of interest?

JP22

Hey Feiser.

Good question and one that’s asked on many forums time and time again. Truthfully I have not actually physically measured the difference; best guestimate from use over time and from research online is about a calibre or two calibres in width. It would need someone other than myself with far more experience to say whether the rifle is truly tuned or not, maybe it’s just the weight (443g) of the tuner dampening the barrel/muzzle. Remember though, this is a 14.5 pound rifle.

Without the tuner the rifle can shoot five shot groups touching with high end ammo (Tenex, Match, RWS R50 - €15 to €20 a box), slightly larger groups with budget ammo.

With tuner installed, groups overall are fractionally tighter and you can get 2, 3, 4 in same hole, the better ammo giving better results. The really big difference I have noticed is at 100 yds, one inch without tuner, half inch with tuner on a good day.

Obviously, the driver has to do his part as well, good groups are fine but for comps you really need to read the wind and use wind flags. I’m going to retest again with no tuner, I normally use a Cig front rest but my best groups were shot off front & rear leather sand filled bags.

Benchrest, a crazy, mad pastime at best and addictive as hell, it beats hitting a golf ball any day.