Hornady 30 cal 168 eld-m issues

[JMGlasgow]

Any tips on loading for these? I've tried 3 different lots, 7 different powders (IMR4064, Varget, AR Comp, Benchmark, H4895, RL15), Alpha LRP brass, FC brass, 3 different primers, loading long and at 2.82", etc. Nothing I've tried has produced sub MOA groups.

The rifle is a Rem700 Varmint 1-12 twist factory barrel with less than 1000 rounds shot, Grayboe Renegade stock, suppressed, factory trigger (I know, it's on the list).

Federal GMM 168 easily shoot sub MOA so I don't think the barrel or rifle is the problem.

Does my barrel just hate this bullet?

Please help.

 

[rangerovn]

what has those 1000 rounds consisted of? what bullet? my experience when i shot 308 is mixing sierra bullets (gmm) and hornady bullets didnt go well. i shot nothing but hornady amax and got nothing but sub moa all day. but when i went to sierra it shot like shit. I then cleaned my barrel out of all copper fouling and "seasoned" with sierra. After that the hornady shot like shit and sierra shot sub moa all day.

So now thats my practice, shoot the same bullet manufacture when you find one that works and it has never steered me wrong.

PS: My best powder in 308 was 8208 XBR, very similar to varget but better SDs.

 

[JMGlasgow]

I've shot exactly one box of 20 FGMM 168 just to see if the barrel was shit.

Other than that I broke the barrel in and zeroed on Hornady BTHP 168, and the rest has been 168 ELD-m, and 100 Speer match 168 bullets (which this barrel absolutely hated, but my M1A SM loves).

I haven't tried XBR8208 mainly because it hasn't been available locally, and I've only used what I had on hand or was easily obtained to try.

I'd say 500 rounds of the ELD-m from Midsouth that was sold in their bulk bags and another 300 were 100 round boxes of different lots off the shelf at Sportsmans Warehouse. I even tried the Lapua 168 Scenar with terrible results, plus the BC of those is pretty bad.

I have a box of Barnes 175 Match that I'm going to try, but I'd still like to shoot a modern 168 because it's easier to get good speeds and lower recoil.

 

[winniedonkey]

I run the 168s with H4895 at 2815 (22"). Love the combo. Mine run .020 off around 2.865 COAL. Was an easy load development.