Thinking of ReChambering

clayne_b

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 18, 2009
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Saratoga Springs, Utah
I have pretty much decided I would like to shoot 155 SMK Palma Or 168 Berger VLD's

I have loaded both, and can not get the accuracy I want when seated to fit in my mag.

Rifle is a Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .308 with a 26 inch barrel

Thinking of rechambering it with a 2011 PALMA reamer.

Here are some numbers for the nuts that under stand it.

168gr Berger VLD

Loaded to fit the mag
2.170 to the ogive
2.860 over all to the tip

Measured my chamber with hornady tools

2.350 to the ogive
3.041 over all to the tip

155 Palma #2156

Loaded to fit the mag
2.183 to the ogive
2.845 to the tip

Measured my chamber with hornady tools

2.403 to the ogive
3.062 over all to the tip

Here are the specs on the reamer.
forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3751116.0;attach=866923

Any thoughts or input?
 
My thought is that Remington didn't want you to reach the lands.

As a test, you might load some rounds longer / closer to the lands, and single load without using the mags just to see how they shoot.

You might try Sierra Match Kings at mag length and see how they do.
 
I have loaded them both as long as the case will hold them and they shoot better the closer to the lands I got.

But single loading will not work for me. I shoot this in a local match with tight time limits

168 SMK shots very good out to 6-700 yards, but past that they get crazy
 
I have loaded them both as long as the case will hold them and they shoot better the closer to the lands I got.

But single loading will not work for me. I shoot this in a local match with tight time limits

168 SMK shots very good out to 6-700 yards, but past that they get crazy


So how do they shoot? Any pics? My SPSS shoots 155-168AMAXs .5moa or less seated to 2.825ish. Thats like .110" off the lands.
 
Here are the best I have done with the 168 berges, and he 155 PALMA's

But they do not fit in the mag, they were loaded very long






Here are 2 groups at 510 yards with the 168SMK




I like the 168 smk, but at the longer range it goes to shit.
 
My opinion would be to skip cutting a new chamber in a factory Remington barrel and put the funds towards a good after market barrel. I dont see anything wrong with what your rifle is doing now. Do you expect to actually cut your groups in half with another chamber job? A bad wind call is going to make more of a difference I think. Of course if your budget is tight and it will make you feel better then by all means do it.