Range Report Looking for a different 308 load

[BND2763]

I’m fairly new to the game. I have a R700 SPS Varmint 308 26” 1:12. I don’t reload and I’m not quite ready to make that leap.

I’m having great results (sub-MOA) out to 800 yds shooting factory 168 FGMM SMKs. I’m not seeing the same consistency at 1000. I suspect it’s due to going transonic somewhere around 900 yds.

I’ve tried the 175 SMKs and have had poor results. According to ballistics calculators they should be stable from my setup, but the 175 groups are about 2-2.5 MOA at every distance I’ve shot them. Since I have good results with the 168s I don’t think it’s an equipment or operator issue?

Wisdom from the folks here is greatly appreciated. With my setup and results, what would you recommend to make the next stretch without reloading? Do you think I’d see better results with a different factory loaded 175, or should I be looking at 155 options? Something else? Thanks for the help!

 

[bfk4lyfe]

Hornady 168 eld?

 

[culater]

I would rebarrel to a 1-10 twist then you can use any bullet under 200 gr. 168 smk bullets have a hard time in the transonic zone unless you have a tighter twist.

 

[BND2763]

Thanks for the input. I’m going to pick up a couple boxes of the ELDs and see how they do. I haven’t seen them locally, had to purchase online.

I figured I’d shoot this barrel out and then switch to 6.5. I guess between hitting the limits of 168 and the shipping on non local ammo it might happen sooner than later..hate to waste a perfectly good barrel though! Let’s see how the ELDs run.

Enjoying the journey...

 

[culater]

Youll be waiting long time before you shoot out a 308.

 

[BND2763]

Youll be waiting long time before you shoot out a 308.

Right! I probably wont make it. Goals...

 

[Darkside-Six]

Look at the Berger 175 ammo.

 

[krw]

Your where we were at 25yrs ago. We were shooting Sendero’s and Varmint Special’s. Had Terry Cross build a 308 w Kreiger 1-11. He told me to load 43.3gr Varget w SMK175. Rifle went to an apprecitive home. Still shoot same ld in my other 308.

 

[AMAC79]

Also check of the Hornady 155 Eld ammo as well as the Berger 155.5s

 

[918v]

Maybe it’s the way you assemble your ammo? There are several steps that make or break a load. What is your process?

 

[ShtrRdy]

The 168 gr Sierra Matchking is known to go unstable in the Transonic portion of flight.

 

[isofahunter]

I had same experience with GMM 168. I moved to 168 TMK and much improved for your twist rate. My 1:12 never liked 175's so I bought enough TMK to wear out the barrel. It holds up to 1100 then runs out of gas in my rig.

 

[Kbh]

I would try fgmm 185 juggernaut or the berger 175 or 185 loads. Berger says the 185s will stabilize in a 1-12. The fggm load is very accurate in my 1-10.

 

[BND2763]

Maybe it’s the way you assemble your ammo? There are several steps that make or break a load. What is your process?

I’m shooting factory loads.

Lots of great recommendations for me to work through. Quite a few that I didn’t know existed. Thanks all!

 

[xdeano]

I started off back in the day with the 168 fed gmm, then went to the 175 fed gmm. Then started reloading my own. Then I found the 155grn lapua. It has the same bc as the 175smk. So a win in the bc and velocity. Now there are so many more bullet offering than there was 15-20 years ago. I sold off all my 308s 10 years ago and went lighter, faster. I just recently purchased a 308 with a 12twist again. I dont know what I was thinking.

Another thing you can make your 308 do, and I use to do this all the time before the 300blk came out, but when the whisper was in the shadows is slow bullets down subsonic using trailboss and drilled out primer holes. Now with all the cool subsonic bullets from lehigh defense it makes it even more fun.

If youre wanting to stay with the 175ish range take a look at the a
Hornady 176grn Atip when theyre available. They have a good bc and theyre suppose to be 12twist minimum. The Atips have been working very well in my 6.5. Otherwise id stick to the 155s and get the velocity out of it.
Xdeano

 

[nn8734]

+1 for ammo featuring the Berger 185 jugs. Couple of my buddies shoot them out of M40 clones (12 twist, 6 groove Schneider’s) and report single digit SDs and more consistent hits at 1000-1200 vs M118LR/175 smks. Will be picking up some 185s for load development in my A5 soon.

Federal Premium Gold Medal 308 Winchester Ammo 185 Grain Berger Match

Features• Extremely high ballistic coefficient • Bullet dimensions designed to run well under SAAMI specifications for OAL• Less wind...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[glock63]

Factory loaded hornady 178 grain ElD loads are exceptionally accurate and more than capable of 1k yards in my experience. I'd still be using them if I didn't reload.

 

[BND2763]

Just wanted to update that I went to the local 100 yd indoor range to test out some factory 155 and 168 ELD-M. Consistent bug holes with the 155’s. I’m glad the 168 superperformance weren’t the sweet spot, that was about my threshold for comfortable shooting.

I re-zerod and brought it back out to the outdoor range and hammered 1000 yd steel consistently. Thanks for the help!

 

[Cleanmiss]

I'm glad you asked this as I've been looking around for some new factory 308 for my 20" tikka. You said the 168 superformance wasn't your thing but did you try them at 1000 by chance? My gun loves em but I haven't tried them past 500 yet. Was curious if they suffered at 8-900 like the smk 168s. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll get to see for myself but for now I'll settle for second hand info

 

[BND2763]

The 168 eld-m superperformance were good to go at 1000. They did have the largest groups out of my rifle, and I also had more misses on steel, but I think some of that may have been shooter induced since I caught myself flinching with them. Theoretically they should be more forgiving to bad wind calls.

I’ll probably try to take the remaining superperformance out a couple hundred more yards next time I get out to shoot.

 

[FishDr]

I see the problem.... the bolt on your rifle was assembled on the wrong side! That causes the rifle to twist backward and makes all bullets unstable. Sell it immediately!

Seriously, tho.. my Remington PSS 26" 1:12 308 wouldn't shoot any 168 grn bullet. It liked the 175 SMK and was decent with black hills. Then I tried a handload with the 155s and never looked back. Turned it into a serious accurate rifle and pretty consistent out to 1000. Then, it became popular to rebarrel to a smaller lighter caliber. ...
155s at the 2900s will still hang in there!

 

[BruceLeroy]

Definitely look at 178 Eld rounds. X or M, doesnt matter. I stay super past 1200 where I live and It may help you with the iincrease in BC.

 

[mcm308]

This piqued me interest. I may look to give 155's a go in my .308! Anyone try the Sierra 155 palma matches?

 

[theLBC]

have you tried superformance match? maybe the extra velocity will get you past 900?