I know that there are many things to consider regarding bullet selection when it comes to 1000 yard shooting out of a .308. I'm just curious if there's any special considerations to be made about shorter range shooting. I've typically just used 168/175 SMKs.
- Thread starter wwrhodes91
- Start date
I've had really good luck with just about every 168gr bullet at that distance. Speer, Hornady, Sierra, Nossler...etc. all perform very well and under 1MOA if I do my job and the rest of the loading operations are followed.
I will say, I've not had much luck with 150gr SP/flat base bullets out of Remington barrels, but, they work perfectly out of my vintage Savage 99.
EDIT: Just to clarify, I've found that my 700 SPS-V does NOT like it when I use max loads with Hornday pills. SMK and Nossler are more "flexible", but, its still up to me to do the rest.
I will say, I've not had much luck with 150gr SP/flat base bullets out of Remington barrels, but, they work perfectly out of my vintage Savage 99.
EDIT: Just to clarify, I've found that my 700 SPS-V does NOT like it when I use max loads with Hornday pills. SMK and Nossler are more "flexible", but, its still up to me to do the rest.
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Yeah. For some reason, 168 seems to be the most accurate for me in the short distances. I haven't tried the AMAX though. The 168 SMK regularly shoots 1/4 moa or under from my 5R (3-5 rounds).
At those distances one can really take advantage of the speed and inject a 130gr Barnes TSX or TTSX and do what is designed to do best.
Shoot flatter and expand better than heavier solid bullets.
Speed kills.
Shoot flatter and expand better than heavier solid bullets.
Speed kills.
This would still be for paper punching, not hunting. Thanks for the input though.
Oh, ok. Sorry.
Look into the 155gr offerings.
A-max are super accurate.
SAme thing with the nosler competition and have value packs for $200 for 1000.
Also look into the speer 125gr varmint. A mild accuracy load will yield submoa consistently.
These w/o swaging or pointing the bullets.
Berger and Lapua are hard to beat too but you know, they are harder on the bank account.
I have seen good deals on teh 155gr amaxes in the LGS. Here hard to beat bundles that shoot very well...
Speer TNT Varmint Bullets 30 Cal (308 Diameter) 125 Grain Jacketed
Nosler Custom Competition Bullets 30 Cal (308 Diameter) 155 Grain
Look into the 155gr offerings.
A-max are super accurate.
SAme thing with the nosler competition and have value packs for $200 for 1000.
Also look into the speer 125gr varmint. A mild accuracy load will yield submoa consistently.
These w/o swaging or pointing the bullets.
Berger and Lapua are hard to beat too but you know, they are harder on the bank account.
I have seen good deals on teh 155gr amaxes in the LGS. Here hard to beat bundles that shoot very well...
Speer TNT Varmint Bullets 30 Cal (308 Diameter) 125 Grain Jacketed
Nosler Custom Competition Bullets 30 Cal (308 Diameter) 155 Grain
I am very new to reloading. What are the advantages of faster burning powders?
They do better with shorter barrels. Speed translates into flatter shooting and better terminal ballistics. Not super long range
but if you look at the 155gr they do not give up much.
The UK developed a new round optimized for their 16" LMTs L129A1 because of that reason.
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Yeah but faster burning doesn't automatically mean faster bullet velocity.
You are right, nothing can be categorically asserted w.o details but..
normally it does when a bullet is optimized to shoot on a 22" barrel and one is trying to shot it on a 16" barrel. A lot of powder is burn outside the barrel
and speed is lost. So a lighter bullet with more case capacity and faster powders will produce faster speeds at the muzzle.
There are other factors like primers, rifling and bullet construction but normally more of the same powder can produce more speed but it also might enjoy
extra runway to fully burn. Therefore faster powders are looked into to level the equation. Radway Green has reformulated their powders to achieve this
in the shorter rifles.
It's a nice thought to have short range loads and long range loads. But you will have two seperate loads to keep track of, differant zeros, ballistics, etc.
The same load that works at 1000 yards WILL work as well at 100 yards.
The only reason I change up a load is if its for a specific purpose, Hunting, Barrier, Etc. Then I jump over to the load, zero, and use it untill I repeat and go back
Maybe your expirence will be differant, keeping a bunch of loads all straight is a pain. Plus you have to work up a load twice.
My point is, settle on what works for you, if the 168 class bullet shoots well go with it, most myself included dont shoot at 1k near as much as inside 800
The same load that works at 1000 yards WILL work as well at 100 yards.
The only reason I change up a load is if its for a specific purpose, Hunting, Barrier, Etc. Then I jump over to the load, zero, and use it untill I repeat and go back
Maybe your expirence will be differant, keeping a bunch of loads all straight is a pain. Plus you have to work up a load twice.
My point is, settle on what works for you, if the 168 class bullet shoots well go with it, most myself included dont shoot at 1k near as much as inside 800
I would second trying 155 Grain bullets.Less recoil and higer velocity.It just depends sometimes if your barrel and twist rate like them.I would try most of the brands and see what your barrel likes,
Regards,Mike
Regards,Mike
Thanks for the responses guys. My rifle is a 20" 5R if that helps. I know my rifle loves 168 and 175 SMKs, but I will try to use some 155s in the future. H/IMR4895 seems to be a popular powder choice for the 155s, any others I should try?
A friend has a load with Ramshot Tac and 155's that shoots very well and fast !
I don't see any ballistic advantage (at least at the velocities I could get from a 20" barrel) of the 155 over the 175 SMK. I think I might just stick to the 175 SMK and 178 AMAX for now.
