Match Grade vs Standard Ammo
Ammunition and magazines are two of the major factors that can affect the performance of your firearm, with ammunition being the biggest factor. There are different qualities of ammunition, the predominant variations being Match Grade and Standard ammunition.
What is Match Grade Ammunition?
Match Grade is used a lot online to denote “good” ammunition, but what is “Match Grade Ammunition” and why is it better than normal ammunition?
Match Grade ammunition is ammunition that is held to a higher level of quality control than Standard ammunition. This means the powder loads, cases, primers, and projectiles are all made as similar as possible throughout the entire batch.
However, this quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. This is because there is no industry standard that defines the quality level that “Match Grade” has to meet. It just has to be better than Standard.
Benefits of Match Grade Ammunition
If only the quality control is better, why should you consider using Match Grade ammunition? This question has a few nuances to it, and it comes down to what you want your ammunition to do.
The primary benefit of Match Grade ammunition is better precision. The ammunition won’t make you shoot better, but it will make the shots more consistent. This consistency allows you to get the most out of the firearm you are using with the skill that you have.
The next benefit is less variation. Match Grade ammunition has a standard deviation that is more narrow than normal or bulk ammunition. Handloaders have managed to get a standard deviation of less than 10 measures per load. Mass manufactured ammunition will have more deviation than a handload, but Match Grade will have a smaller deviation.
This lower amount of deviation over more ammunition means you’ll know what to expect out of an ammunition lot. If you notice a significant amount of variation you will then be able to track it back to the lot it was manufactured in to see if anyone else experienced the same issues.
The final benefit is long range performance. The precision, consistency, and low deviation combine to provide better performance at greater distances. This means that if you are going to shoot targets beyond 100 yards, Match Grade ammunition will make it easier. This is because the ammunition will introduce less variables during shooting.
Is Match Grade Ammunition Worth the Effort?
For most applications, Standard ammunition will be enough for the average person’s needs. But if you are trying to get the most precision at distance, Match Grade ammunition will be the better option, especially when dealing with 200+ yard shots.