Does quality of ss109/m855 vary significantly between manufacturers?

[Chuck Haggard]

I have some IMI stuff that is really accurate. Typically well under 2" when I do my part.

[frozentundra]

After reading some of the responses here, I picked up a case of m193 clone and some of the IMI 77gr OTM "Razor Core" instead of bothering with ss109/m855. The IMI is, I guess, a direct Mk262mod1 clone. I paid about $0.70 per round.

I've only been able to attempt shooting 3 groups with the Razor Core so far, but was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. The first two 5 round groups I shot at 200 yards were both right at 2.5 inches center to center spread.

The third group I had really lost the light and knew it wasn't gonna work well. I fired 9 rounds, 8 of which went into a hair over 3 inches with a real bad shot making the group 5 inches. I was really just guessing at my aiming point by then.

This was from a Troy Defense rifle I paid $600 for with a 16" 1/7 melonite barrel with 5.56 chamber and 13" Alpha Rail handguard, USGI trigger, shooting prone in about 4" of snow on top of concrete, rested on a backpack. $400 SWFA 1-4 classic scope, with mil-Quad DM reticle. Temp was about 28 degrees. I had only fired about 30 rounds through a scoped AR in my life prior to this, about 10 of which were used to get a rough 50/200 zero on the optic with m193. This gun/scope/ammo combo shows promise for the money spent.

If I can manage to shoot 2.5 inch 200 yard groups under these circumstances, I would like to see what a real shooter would be capable of using that ammo. Can't wait for weather that is conducive to good rifle shooting. I don't want to throw a bunch of expensive ammo downrange until I have better confirmed my zero in calm winds. I don't have enough experience for that yet.