• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

F T/R Competition Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

protoolsnerd

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
May 11, 2011
112
0
44
South Florida
Hi Guys,
I have a shoot coming up that is going to be out to 1k yards. unfortunately i don't have the time to work up a load and my current 168 gr berger vld load just won't cut it .

I'm trying to decide between all the major manufacturers 175gr offerings for match ammo. Of course i'm leaning towards the Federal Gold Medal match 175gr smk, but i've heard good things about Fiocchi Exacta and HSM. They're all around the same price give or take a few dollars .

On the table as well would be black hills 175 gr smk and the hornady match 178gr. My rifle didn't care for the 168 gr hornady but we'll see . Tomorrow i'm testing out the hornady and black hills but i already don't like what i'm seeing. The black hills ammo has more then .007 runout on every round . The best were the 168 gr federal gmm that i have at around .003.

Has anyone had good luck with any brands? I'm running a 26" remington varm barrel , regular rem varm contour , 1 in 12 twist ( i know , my new obermyer will have a 1 in 11 ) , muzzle brake in a b&c stock. I've shot sub half moa with this rifle with FGMM 168gr rounds and my own handloads so i know it's capable

thanks very much for all your input

Aaron
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Applied Ballistics? Lapua brass, every charge weighed, Berger OTM bullets. They supplied the ammo for some of the foreign teams at last week's Spirit of America Match (the main US Palma match).
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: nhm16</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Applied Ballistics? Lapua brass, every charge weighed, Berger OTM bullets. They supplied the ammo for some of the foreign teams at last week's Spirit of America Match (the main US Palma match). </div></div>

Thanks NHM i'll check em out .

The hornady did not shoot well in my gun today, the black hills was passable , but really pricey
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

A last minute decision and a competition is rarely a combo for success.

With that said the Black Hills is good. There have been pressure issues with the Hornady Superformance Ammo. FGMM is usually a safe choice.

Heck my Rem 700 SPS-V when new shot cheap Win 150 PSP hunting ammo sub moa out to 200 yds when testing - not a good bullet choice for 1K.

I'd stick with 175 from either Black Hills or FGMM when going long in factory fodder.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

That's exactly what i was thinking as well. The black hills shoots well in my gun, but it's a bit pricier then the FGMM and also they have crimped primers. Since i'll be reloading the brass it'd be a pain to have to swage them all.

The trick is going to be finding someone that has the FGMM in stock that isn't the 7.62 version with crimped primers as well. No one seems to have the 308 version in stock .
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Gunnerd, as mentioned above Applied Ballistics Munitions, but theI 155.5 Berger Fullbore loading, expensive but you are getting Lapua brass and ammunition well capable of sub moa at 1000the yards.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Your best bet is Copper Creek Cartridge Company or Southwest ammunition. If you need it quick, CCCC due to expedient processing of the order. Both companies make top notch ammo which i've used with great results at extended ranges.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jpspeeddemon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Your best bet is Copper Creek Cartridge Company or Southwest ammunition. If you need it quick, CCCC due to expedient processing of the order. Both companies make top notch ammo which i've used with great results at extended ranges. </div></div>

The copper creek looks great especially for the price . What results have you had with it ? What are you shooting it out of ?
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

If you want the very best, it's the Litz Tactical 175gr Ammo, that stuff is second to none in terms of accuracy and flight, I gained .3 mils in elevation and it cuts the wind by at least .3 also compared to standard 175gr ammo.

http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Munitions/ABMTactical.html

This stuff rocks, I shot it at a local match against all the zippy wind cheaters and tied for second. Was right there with the 260s 243s, etc.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thegunnerd</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jpspeeddemon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Your best bet is Copper Creek Cartridge Company or Southwest ammunition. If you need it quick, CCCC due to expedient processing of the order. Both companies make top notch ammo which i've used with great results at extended ranges. </div></div>

The copper creek looks great especially for the price . What results have you had with it ? What are you shooting it out of ? </div></div>

Shot out of a 20" AI AE MKIII, getting 2590fps at the muzzle. Sub 1/2moa accuracy when i can do it. Low vertical at 600yds and farther.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Cool thanks guys .

The applied ballistics rounds look great but they're just way too pricey. I prefer handloading but i don't have the time before the 1k yard class i'm taking . I need about 200 rounds so anything that's between 20-25 dollars per 20 is about my limit .

I have def been eyeing the HSM as well. Thanks for the info
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Gold medal with 175's should do the trick or the Black Hills with 175's.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

I used to shoot BHA out to 1k in the day....avoid the moly coated if you are shooting a factory BBL - they'll JUST get there....

But the regular BHA, all day long.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thegunnerd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cool thanks guys .

The applied ballistics rounds look great but they're just way too pricey. I prefer handloading but i don't have the time before the 1k yard class i'm taking . I need about 200 rounds so anything that's between 20-25 dollars per 20 is about my limit .

I have def been eyeing the HSM as well. Thanks for the info </div></div>

Going to a class, false economy to go with "cheap" ammo. Better the ammo shoots, the more you'll learn so in long run the more expensive ammo is better overall deal provided the ammo actually shoots better out of your rifle.

Why not run your 168 Berger load?
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McCourt Munitions LLC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thegunnerd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cool thanks guys .

The applied ballistics rounds look great but they're just way too pricey. I prefer handloading but i don't have the time before the 1k yard class i'm taking . I need about 200 rounds so anything that's between 20-25 dollars per 20 is about my limit .

I have def been eyeing the HSM as well. Thanks for the info </div></div>

Going to a class, false economy to go with "cheap" ammo. Better the ammo shoots, the more you'll learn so in long run the more expensive ammo is better overall deal provided the ammo actually shoots better out of your rifle.

Why not run your 168 Berger load? </div></div>


Absoluetly correct. How can anyone fix you if we dont know if its you or the ammo shooting not so good
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

I love the way my berger loads shoot , but i'm unsure if it will stay stable out to 1k . For all i know it might but i haven't had to opportunity to test it out that far.

I can shoot those loads down to .5 moa all day long , and i know i can hit consistent steel out to 600 yards . But i haven't gone passed there as of yet due to not being able to go to a range that is that large.

As the cost of the applied ballistics rounds go, they're just incredibly expensive , even when compared to the FGMM 175gr and the Black Hills 175gr . I'd be more apt to shoot those as opposed to paying nearly 2x as much . I've had great results with the FGMM 168gr but then again 168gr rounds and a 1in12 barrel go together like peas and carrots .

I'll prob still go with the FGMM 175 , but felow SH member McCourt Munitions above has given me a lot to think about .
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

I don't know what your 168 load is, but when I shot 168's it was @2875 FPS and that gets to 1000 easily. Ballistic apps are your friend!

At 0 feet above sea level, my load would be running at 1150 FPS at 1000 yds.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Hi verdugo
What are you shooting your 168 load out of? What's your recipe? I haven't been able to chrono mine unfortunately .

As ballistic calcs go i'm using Ballistic AE
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Have anyone weight the charge of Applied Ballistic Ammo?


Some newer gonna adapt from that detail such as they did on FGMM.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Gunnerd,

I was shooting 45 grains of Varget in Winchester brass @ 2.82 COAL. This was in a stock barreled Savage that actually shoots relatively slow(maybe 50 FPS slower) compared to other guns I chrono'd with the same ammo.

A chronograph is pretty much essential for hand loading, well worth $120 bucks for a base model if you are going to be serious about this sport.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

your $20-25 per 20 limits you to Fed GMM and maybe a few others.
I have been running the Fed GM762M2 which is their 7.62x51NATO offering with 175 SMK's generally can be had for less than $20/box of 20 at CTD, Midway, etc. Is mil spec brass, with crimped primer and not nearly as "shiny/pretty" as the GM308M2 which is the same load in 308 with 175SMK's with noncrimped primer.
I'd have thought the NATO stuff would be less "hot" than the 308 due to different SAAMI pressures, but they ballistic info from FED is same for both and I shot them both interchangeably out to 500 yds at my rifle club and they are close to identical. Must be mil spec brass/primer but a .308 "charge". It does not hav ethe nato cross in a circle on it so i'm guessing its not truly 7.62x51mm NATO spec ammo???
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

I'm getting .4 MOA to 500m with SW Ammo factory 155 Scenars in WW brass.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

A third vote for Southwest Ammo.... we cant all be wrong
smile.gif
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Copper Creek, McCourt, and Southwest.....you can not go wrong with any of them.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

If you're workin with $20-25 you must reload. Don't bother with somethin made to standard spec. Roll ur own and fit it to ur gun.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

Some of the ones listed make really great ammo but when you need the best look no further the Andrew at McCourts Ammo.

He puts blood, sweat, and tears in his ammo. More detail and it will show on your target.
 
Re: Best Factory Ammo For .308 out to 1k yards

No doubt, Andrew McCourt is right up there with the best. You won't find a more honest guy to deal with.

Gil Horsley