Range Report 155 gr bullets at long range with 20" barrel.

[RRW]

As the title says does just looking for feedback if anyone shoots .308 with the 155's at longer ranges,out to 1000 m in 20" barrels w/ success. I have an AI/AE MK II with a 20" Lothar Walther barrel in 1 in 12 twist. Would I be wasting my time with a shorter barrel? Thanks.

 

[MrSwede]

1000m is no problem with the 155's. Find an accuracy node around 2700 fps and go shoot it.

 

[ksthomas]

RRW,

You need somewhere right around 2950 fps to keep most of the 155s supersonic at 1,000, and that's a pretty stiff order for a 20" barrel. Most of us shooting Palma guns use 29"-30" barrels, and even then the loads are pretty warm. If you want to run these sorts of ranges with a 308 in a 20" barrel, you're going to need to step up to a heavier, very high BC bullet and load them to the max. Tall order here for a 308.

Just an aside, we use the 155s in Palma competition not because they're the best, or even the ones that we'd like to use. They're used because that's what the International rules REQUIRE to be used. In matches that don't adhere to the international rules, assuming you've built the gun to use them, most shooters will use something in the 185-190-200 grain range. My own Palma rifle was set up specifically for the 155s (tight bore, 1x13" twist), so that's not an option for me; 155s all the time, no others.

 

[308Gunner]

I could not get 155 fast enough to stay supersonic in my 1-10 Broughton switched to 175s and have not looked back

 

[stangguyaz]

I just shot both my rifles out to a 1000yds last weekend, I shoot 155gr Palma match bullets in military brass with 42.5gr of Varget. Both my Armalite ar10 with 22'' barrel and my 700 with 26'' barrell did fine I had know signs of keyhole impacts everything looked good but man if there was any little gusts of wind it would blow the bullet all over. I brought out some 175smks to shoot but never shot them since the 155s were working fine. I'm going to do some more load developing with the 175s then try them out. but I've got close to a 1000 hand loads with 155s since my Ar10 shoots them sub moa. everyone that I was shooting with said they wouldn't work but they did probably not as well as a heavier bullet but I was happy with them. How often are you going to be shooting a 1000yds