155 Lapua

[Bluejazz]

So for you guys that are shooting a 308, are you happier with the 155 SMK Palma bullet, or the 175gr SMK.
I am looking at getting a 5R, but if the 155gr Palma is not the ticket, I will go with a 260.
Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[MinorDamage]

Re: 155 Lapua

Of the two I recommend the 175 SMK. However, I recommend the 155 lapua scenar over either of them.

Josh

 

[5RWill]

Re: 155 Lapua

I really like the 175gr bullets. They buck wind better than the 155s and most have a higher BC than the 155gr lapua scenar. Only difference is you can run the scenar around 2800+ with ease. I'm shooting a berger 175gr BT LR right now @ 2615fps.

Are you talking about getting a rifle or a barrel? If i had to choose i would take the .260 over my .308. But i got a 700 5R to start out with, and i'm going to stick with .308 just due to the load development and bullets i've bought.

 

[banks74]

Re: 155 Lapua

I would choose the 155 Scenars as well. I get close to 2900 without any pressure signs.

 

[vman]

Re: 155 Lapua

Its a debate that often comes up (155 vs 175).

They can both shoot great.

I find the 175 is better suited to factory rifles as it can be loaded to magazine length and still shoot well.

The 155 scenar needs to be close to the lands. There are others that say they have had good results with jump, however I have not seen the accuracy they are getting out past 100.

So, unless your chamber was cut with a palma reamer, chances are the throat may be a little long so it really depends.

Is mag loading an issue for you?

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: 155 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bluejazz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So for you guys that are shooting a 308, are you happier with the 155 SMK Palma bullet, or the 175gr SMK.
I am looking at getting a 5R, but if the 155gr Palma is not the ticket, I will go with a 260.
Any feedback is appreciated. </div></div>

I just got back from the 1k range and loaded up 155 Scenars with 46.6 grs of Varget, Winchester brass and 210Ms. COAL was 2.873" (mag length, but not near the lands) and I was clocking them at about 2868 fps. I was hoping for 2900+, but I didn't get there. Temp was 85*, humidity at 65% and I was
at sea level.

Savage 10FP LE2b w/a 26" tube and about 3100 rounds down the pipe.

To 1k, I was getting about <30.00 MOA.

They shoot pretty well. I only have the older Palma 155 Sierras here, but I didn't bother loading them up with 100 Scenars to fiddle with.

Chris

 

[Bluejazz]

Re: 155 Lapua

Mag length would be an issue, as I am looking to get a RRA Predator in a 308.
My thinking was that I could get pretty good performance out of the 155's, and not have to shoot the heavier 175's,but did not realize that the 155's are a long bullet and COAL might be an issue.

 

[427Cobra]

Re: 155 Lapua

It will be a compressed load, no biggie, I like 46.2 IMR4895 or RL15, find where pressure is and back off .2 and I'll bet they shoot great for ya

 

[vman]

Re: 155 Lapua

Yes they can be long, but thats a good thing in a way.

Try some out, you might be suprised at how they perform

 

[spot69221]

Re: 155 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bluejazz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So for you guys that are shooting a 308, are you happier with the 155 SMK Palma bullet, or the 175gr SMK.
I am looking at getting a 5R, but if the 155gr Palma is not the ticket, I will go with a 260.
Any feedback is appreciated.</div></div>

308 vs 260, not much to compare, even with the 155 Scenars

 

[holdoff]

Re: 155 Lapua

The 155 Scenar shoots very well and tolerates jump. This can be a great solution for long throated factory Remingtons fired from the mag.

While I have not yet found the upper node sweet spot in my rifle. 45.2 grains of Varget will yeild solid 1/2MOA groups, and many measure 1/3MOA at 300m. Velocity for me around 2750fps.

This is a sedate load for this bullett, and for 600yd F-TR the load has very tight vertical, but I lose bigtime on wind drift compared to the heavier bullets.

If you want to maximize their use, you've got to get them to around 2900fps just to match the wind performance of the heavier bullets. At long range.

Keep in mind that if you need a .308 bullet that has the least drop over distance, the Scenars will do much better in that regard.

If you are not constrained in any way by chambering, there are many that trounce the .308WIN

 

[LRS_Ranger]

Re: 155 Lapua

+1 for the Scenars... but the 175's are a good bullet too. Shoot what your rifle likes best, and you won't go wrong with either, JMHO.

 

[flyrodder]

Re: 155 Lapua

I'll have to defer to my rifle on this one. My CZ-550 Varmint doesn't much care for the 155 Scenars, while it does very well with both 168 and 175 SMKs. When I get the baffle strike issue cleared up on my Savage, I'll give the Scenars another go because I like the ballistic possibilities.

As for 308 vs. 260, the reason I have the Savage is to ultimately rebarrel it in 260.

 

[Leaddog]

Re: 155 Lapua

Heavier is better for me. I shoot the Berger 185 BT LR and launch them with 41.6grs. of Varget. MV is in the 2580 range and I have alot more left at 1000 than the 155 guys who are burning up their barrels.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet about 155's. Some rifles like them, some don't. Much information posted about how great and wonderful the 155's are is written by a bunch of internet gunshop commandos who rarely, if ever shoot beyond 300 yards.

 

[MinorDamage]

Re: 155 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Leaddog</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Heavier is better for me. I shoot the Berger 185 BT LR and launch them with 41.6grs. of Varget. MV is in the 2580 range and I have alot more left at 1000 than the 155 guys who are burning up their barrels.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet about 155's. Some rifles like them, some don't. Much information posted about how great and wonderful the 155's are is written by a bunch of internet gunshop commandos who rarely, if ever shoot beyond 300 yards.
</div></div>

Really? Considering that the ballistics of the 155 using the Litz BC at 2900 fps shows less drop and greater velocity at 1000 than the 185 at 2580. Sure, the 185 will have less wind drift, but to say that guys are "burning up" barrels with their 155 loads is crazy. Yeah, you may not achieve 8000 rounds, but 7000 is fine for me. 155s at 2900 is not a barrel burning load.

Secondly, I do agree that what is posted on the internet may or may not be accurate. Not every rifle is going to like the Bergers either. I do realize you are using the BT LR, but Berger VLDs have been some of the hardest bullets to get shooting for many people. At the same time, the 155 is a proven performer whether you like it or not.

Josh

 

[5RWill]

Re: 155 Lapua

I'm shooting 175gr LR BTs was shooting scenars but just figured i'd try some heavier bullets. Plus i have a load that is very consistent for me (ES 11 SD 4.5)
If you could push the 175s @ 2750fps it's almost equal to the 155s @ 2900fps, will still have more drop but less wind drift. It's a matter of preference really. Which one do you prefer? Because they both get the job done. With Alliants new 2000-MP powder based off of SBS's results you could probably get that 175gr up to 2750 easy. Hell he got to that with the 185gr lol. Then you could probably get around 3000+ on the 155gr scenar. This is theoretically thinking though.

 

[Rovieairto]

Re: 155 Lapua

It has been my experience that the SMK's are easier to get good results with, especially when they need to jump.
They just seem more forgiving than when other more secant ogive bullets are used.
I'm really impressed with the new palma 155 SMK.
The 175's are excellent, however if you are going to be loading for a shorter barreled autoloader, I'd go with the 155's to keep velocity up.

Both bullets are great, and I doubt any will possess superior ballistics to the other, so shoot the one that is the most accurate.

Trading X for Y:
Low MV's tend to exaggerate vertical dispersment at distance, so sometimes trading for lower wind drift has no real benefit unless your SD's are very low.
A shooter can get very good at calling the wind, but no shooter can ever get good at calling their change in vertical caused by poor consistency, so err on the side of wind (high MV) if your still left undecided.