When you buy a rifle you expect it to at least behave with common factory ammo. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they act like they’ve got a vendetta against commercial loads. The causes are the usual suspects: inconsistent chamber/throat, rough bores, crowns that aren’t clean, or a stock that lets the barrel flex. Whatever it is, you waste time switching boxes, adjusting turrets, and blaming the shooter. These rifles won’t reliably print tight groups with off‑the‑shelf ammo — and you should know that before you spend a weekend chasing cloverleafs.
Browning A-Bolt
The Browning A‑Bolt is a handsome rifle with a smooth action, but in some barrels it’s picky about factory rounds. You’ll see one load sing and the next scatter, which points to throat/chamber differences or subtle crown issues more than anything else.
That inconsistency shows up as vertical stringing or a stubborn flyer that ruins small groups. For many shooters the fix is seating depth tweaks or handloads tuned to that particular barrel. Out of the box and fed random commercial ammo, the A‑Bolt can leave you switching boxes and wondering why a quality rifle won’t stack shots like you expected.
Ruger M77 Mark II
The Ruger M77 Mark II is solid mechanically, but a handful of barrels have stamped reputation for being temperamental with factory ammo. You might get a rifle that prefers one brand and nothing else, hinting at a throat or bore dimension that’s off from the factory standard.
That quirk becomes obvious on the range: one box clusters, the rest don’t. If you’re unwilling to handload, that means a lot of trial-and-error with commercial offerings. A competent gunsmith can often diagnose the issue—chamber rework or barrel swap—but out of the box you may find yourself cycling through brands until you hit the one that the rifle tolerates.
Savage 110
Savage 110 variants are everywhere because they’re affordable, but some barrels on the entry-level lines have inconsistent crowns or chamber finishes that don’t play well with off‑the‑shelf ammo. The owner reports you’ll read online—tight groups with a specific load and disappointment with anything else—aren’t myths.
Often the rifle responds to bedding, headspacing checks, or a trip to a smith for a throat polish. If you like to reload, it’s solvable. If you want a rifle that will group with any factory box, some Savage 110s can be a frustrating lottery right out of the crate.
Remington Model Seven
The Model Seven is light and handy, and on the right load it can shoot well. But there are examples where factory ammo gives wandering groups, which usually points to slight throat or crown issues rather than a bad action. You’ll notice early fliers that don’t follow any pattern.
Hunters who want reliable factory performance often find the remedy in adjusting seating depth or testing brands until one behaves. If you’re not into that, consider a pre‑purchase test or a used rifle with a proven record—otherwise you may be trading case after case looking for a load that clicks.
Marlin 336
Lever guns like the Marlin 336 are built for brush work, not bench rest harmony, and factory loads can be inconsistent in any of them. The tubular magazine and bullet shapes complicate consistency, and some barrels will never like a certain factory bullet profile.
What that feels like at the range is vertical or horizontal spread that doesn’t tighten up, even when you do everything right. These rifles excel inside 150 yards for meat and speed, but if your goal is small paper groups with modern factory rounds, the 336 can frustrate you unless you find the handful of loads that suit it.
Tikka T1x
The Tikka T1x is a light, modern bolt gun that handles well, but a percentage of barrels—especially early production runs—have proved picky about commercial ammo selection. You might get a rifle that loves heavier bullets and spits lighter ones all over the target.
That behavior usually signals a chamber/bore match issue or a specific throat dimension. A lot of shooters end up testing half a dozen factory loads before they find the one that behaves. It’s not a condemnation of the platform—most Tikkas are great—but don’t be surprised if one of these needs load pairing to sing.
Sako 85
Sako 85 rifles are typically praised for accuracy, but oddball chamberings or certain barrel batches can react poorly to mass‑produced hunting rounds. When that happens, groups open unless you pick a particular commercial load or make handloads.
The fix for many is simple: find the brand/bullet the barrel prefers, or get a gunsmith to evaluate throat dimensions. For folks who want to buy a top‑end rifle and run any factory ammo, having to match ammo to barrel is an annoyingly common lesson—one that sometimes surprises owners of otherwise excellent Sako actions.
CZ 550 American
The CZ 550 family is rugged, and many hunters love them. Still, certain big‑bore variants sometimes show a finicky side with factory soft‑point ammo. You’ll see one brand cluster and another split, which often traces back to chamber/bullet profile mismatch.
That doesn’t mean the rifle is bad—just that the barrel likes a specific bullet shape or seating depth. If you’re not a reloader, expect to try several factory lines before finding one that groups. Once you do, the rifle is dependable; until then you’ll be swapping boxes and scratching your head.
Bergara B‑14
Bergara makes barrels that are widely respected, but production variance can leave some B‑14 rifles fussy with common store ammo. A rifle that should be a tack driver can surprise you by refusing to group with the first three brands you try.
Often the answer is seating-depth tuning or handloading; sometimes the throat shows slight variance. For most owners it’s a solvable mismatch, but if you’re expecting uniform performance from any factory box, you might be annoyed until you find the rifle’s preferred load.
Winchester Model 70
The modern economy Model 70s are different animals from classic customs, and some later production runs have shown sensitivity to commercial ammo choice. You may find one load that clicks and twenty that don’t, pointing at chamber or barrel nuances.
That’s not to say the design is flawed—more that manufacturing tolerances and headspace interplay matter. Hunters who want plug‑and‑play factory accuracy will sometimes be disappointed; those who test loads or work with a smith can tame the rifle. Expect to experiment unless you buy a proven example.
FN SPR
The FN SPR platform is capable, but older or budget sporter variants sometimes have throat or crown issues that make grouping with commercial ammo spotty. You’ll get good strings with certain match or premium loads and poor results with typical hunting rounds.
It shows up as odd fliers and inconsistent vertical strings. Handloaders usually get this sorted quickly; non‑reloaders will need to test multiple factory brands. If you want a rifle that loves mass‑produced ammo without fuss, some SPR variants might not meet that expectation right out of the box.
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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
