My buddies and I have been getting ready for our annual week of camping out and hunting deer on our farms in eastern NC...For the past 5 years or so I have been shooting the Federal Premium 85gr BTHP in my Ruger .243...I have owned this rifle since 1980, and felt like I knew it pretty well...It threw a monkey wrench into the equation this year...For some reason, with certain lot numbers it won't group as well as it has in the past....I checked out everything I could think of...Then went back to Remington CoreLokts...With these it groups under an inch...In fact, I sighted in with a box that was 10 year old then bought a couple of new boxes and shot it twice...Both bullets were touching and 2 inches high at 100 yards...Looks like I'm going back to them...

In the meantime I sighted in both of their guns with the Federals...Tried 3 different lots...Both grouped well...That's what they are going to use because I have about 8 boxes left...

It amazes me how guns teach you something a little different from time to time...

My point being...Its always good to check your gun, I do it several times during the hunting season, and its always good to have another loading that you know your gun likes...Finally...guns can have a mind of their own, it pays to listen to them and not try to shoot what you like, but what they like...