Range Report 175 30cal smk

[Dski48]

I'm building a 308 for the purpose of shooting 1000 yards and possibly more. Here at my elevation alot of loads drop transonic around the 1000 yard mark in the 308. I'm wanting to load the 175 smk since I have 1000 of them on my hands. The barrel is 21.75" on my 308 ( was supposed to be 22" but the guy cutting it down messed up and measured off the wrong side of his cutter on the lathe) so getting max velocity is harder with the slightly shorter barrel. Will the 175s transfer transonic or should I look at loading something more like the 185 juggernaut.

 

[memilanuk]

The 175s should be fine. The 185 is, IMO, a better bullet overall, but some events have a bullet weight limit for Tac class so they aren't eligible.

The amount of MV difference between a 22 and 24 or even 26" is negligible. It's real, but it's not your limiting factor 99% of the time.

 

[KYpatriot]

If you are willing to change bullets, why not just change cartridges? I like shooting my 308 and its the easiest rifle i have reloaded for...but if my goal is 1000 yards in dense air, there are much better options.

 

[Dski48]

I have a 6xc for shooting 1000 plus. I just like 308. It's my first love as it were

 

[SnowMan]

Try the 175 TMK. I get a little more velocity with it, with any given powder load.

 

[Dski48]

Try the 175 TMK. I get a little more velocity with it, with any given powder load.

How far have you ran them out to? And I'm assuming you're shooting them through a 308?

 

[Sixfivesavage]

I get an average MV of 2586 with 185 jugs from my factory AX tube that was cut to 17". Not sure what powder since I have McCourt load them for me but I doubt it's anything crazy like MR2000 or whatever the faster stuff is out there. They do well in the wind and at distance and I think that's a very respectable speed for the short barrel.

 

[JOS]

 

[JOS]

View attachment 7261463

30 cal, 175 gr Tipped Matchking, 43.9 gr Varget, Alpha SP brass, custom rem 700 built by On the Mark,. 10 shots in a row on left target immediately followed by 7 in a row on right target. Shooting buddy calling wind with a kestrel. I already received 500 185 Juggernaut to attempt to reach farther.

 

[Dski48]

I get an average MV of 2586 with 185 jugs from my factory AX tube that was cut to 17". Not sure what powder since I have McCourt load them for me but I doubt it's anything crazy like MR2000 or whatever the faster stuff is out there. They do well in the wind and at distance and I think that's a very respectable speed for the short barrel.

I'm not crazy for thinking that pretty dang quick for a super short 308 right?

 

[tnichols]

I'm not crazy for thinking that pretty dang quick for a super short 308 right?

No, you’re not crazy to think that. He may have a fast barrel. My 20” AI does 2533 (FGMM) with a 175 SMK for perspective.

 

[Dski48]

No, you’re not crazy to think that. He may have a fast barrel. My 20” AI does 2533 (FGMM) with a 175 SMK for perspective.

I thought not. With luck I'll get a barrel that fast lol

 

[wade2big]

No, you’re not crazy to think that. He may have a fast barrel. My 20” AI does 2533 (FGMM) with a 175 SMK for perspective.

My sako TRG 20” does 2565 with the 175gr FGMM. My tikka 20” is at 2530 like yours and my 20” remington 5R was 2500 flat.

 

[Dski48]

My sako TRG 20” does 2565 with the 175gr FGMM. My tikka 20” is at 2530 like yours and my 20” remington 5R was 2500 flat.

If you guys get 2530 with factory stuff I'd imagine I can get my reloads to go 2600 or more yeah?

 

[wade2big]

I would think you could but I am not a reloader. I am an ammo scavenger and buy out peoples stashes in bulk to keep costs down.

I am shooting at 120’ elevation and i am definitely transonic at 900 yards (furthest my personal range goes). It takes me 9.7 mils of elevation to get there. The 175gr SMK is still very consistent although I have to hold much more wind than I would need to otherwise (BC much lower because of speed I am guessing).

 

[Dski48]

I would think you could but I am not a reloader. I am an ammo scavenger and buy out peoples stashes in bulk to keep costs down.

I am shooting at 120’ elevation and i am definitely transonic at 900 yards (furthest my personal range goes). It takes me 9.7 mils of elevation to get there. The 175gr SMK is still very consistent although I have to hold much more wind than I would need to otherwise (BC much lower because of speed I am guessing).

Honestly if it hits 1000 consistently I'll be content. I have my 6xc for going further. I really don't get the chance to shoot past 1000 anyways

 

[KYpatriot]

I think you’ll be fine. 175smk are known for being a forgiving bullet. Its all I shoot in the 308. I tried the 155 scenar but never got them to shoot as well as the 175s so gave up on them. I dont think transsonic is a big deal with the 175s.

 

[tnichols]

If you guys get 2530 with factory stuff I'd imagine I can get my reloads to go 2600 or more yeah?

Certainly possible if you can find an accuracy node higher. My barrel is on the slow side while I have a buddy with an extremely fast barrel that with handloads approaches 6.5 velocities ??‍

 

[rob.sfo]

I'm not crazy for thinking that pretty dang quick for a super short 308 right?

2586 with 185 jugs from a 17" seems pretty good. For what it's worth, I'm getting 2510 out of a 16.5" barrel w/ 175SMK, 44.2 Varget, Lapua brass, 1500DA, 70*F.

 

[tnichols]

2586 with 185 jugs from a 17" seems pretty good. For what it's worth, I'm getting 2510 out of a 16.5" barrel w/ 175SMK, 44.2 Varget, Lapua brass, 1500DA, 70*F.

And my 20” was a tad faster with the 185 Jugs than the 175 SMK’s both in FGMM??‍. The Jugs shot great but I didn’t have the optimal twist rate and speed to make them work past 800ish in a typically VERY negative DA. Running 308’s out to 1K will very greatly on MV and DA. YMMV

 

[JOS]

30 cal, 175 gr Tipped Matchking, 43.9 gr Varget, Alpha SP brass, custom rem 700 built by On the Mark,. 10 shots in a row on left target immediately followed by 7 in a row on right target. Shooting buddy calling wind with a kestrel. I already received 500 185 Juggernaut to attempt to reach farther.

Getting 2770 from my 26" bartlein barrel with them loaded long

 

[SkyScrapin]

I'm not crazy for thinking that pretty dang quick for a super short 308 right?

I was getting 2690fps with the 185 jug out of a 16.5” AI barrel.

 

[wade2big]

I was getting 2690fps with the 185 jug out of a 16.5” AI barrel.

I am not saying you are making it up but I am saying it’s tough to believe. ? Did you shoot out to at least 800 yards to verify or are you going by chrono numbers? Or did you just make up a number. Crap I already said I wouldn’t say you are making it up. ?

Imagine if you had a 26” barrel, your .308 would have been faster than a winmag ? Maybe you were shooting a shorty winmag instead of a .308. You never said.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

I prefer the non tipped bullets. I can load em slightly longer and stuff more powder in em. I was getting 2750fps out of my 20 inch howa 308 with 175s and 178s (Hornady), with 44.8 of IMR4064. I'm less than 1k elevation when I shoot.

I am using jag brass which loads like Winchester for volume. I had nonlressure signs up to 46gr of 4064, but was not in a node so I backed down to 44.8gr.

It's a crap shoot really, on some days where it is hot and the atmospherics are good, I can get to 1300. On says where it's cool and there are poor atmospherics, 1k is really all I can get.

 

[JOS]

And my 20” was a tad faster with the 185 Jugs than the 175 SMK’s both in FGMM??‍. The Jugs shot great but I didn’t have the optimal twist rate and speed to make them work past 800ish in a typically VERY negative DA. Running 308’s out to 1K will very greatly on MV and DA. YMMV

I had a cartridge maker tell me something similar. He was getting near the same velocities with the 185 Jag as th4e 175 SMK. I can't wait to see.

 

[rob.sfo]

I'm building a 308 for the purpose of shooting 1000 yards and possibly more. Here at my elevation alot of loads drop transonic around the 1000 yard mark in the 308. I'm wanting to load the 175 smk since I have 1000 of them on my hands. The barrel is 21.75" on my 308 ( was supposed to be 22" but the guy cutting it down messed up and measured off the wrong side of his cutter on the lathe) so getting max velocity is harder with the slightly shorter barrel. Will the 175s transfer transonic or should I look at loading something more like the 185 juggernaut.

For what it's worth, I took my shorty 308 out to 1200 this weekend.
DT SRS Covert w/ 16.5" 9 twist barrel
175 SMK, 44.1 Varget, Lapua Palma brass, CCI BR primers
500DA, average muzzle velocity over the day was 2489, I was going transonic around 900y

This was the first time taking this rifle past 100 yards....and I almost couldn't miss at 1000 yards. It was a rockstar. I think it was a 20 inch plate and I'd guess I had an 80%+ hit rate (winds shifting from 10:30 to 1:30 being the main culprit).

On the 1130 and 1200 yard targets things were much less consistent, with maybe a 50% hit rate at 1130 and a 25% hit rate at 1200, but 1000 was rock solid. If I wasn't running a 16 inch barrel, 1200 probably would have gone much better. The 16" required 12.8 mils to get to 1000, 18.9 for 1200.

So back to your original question, you're good to go with the 175 SMKs.

 

[Money Waster]

For what it's worth, I took my shorty 308 out to 1200 this weekend.
DT SRS Covert w/ 16.5" 9 twist barrel
175 SMK, 44.1 Varget, Lapua Palma brass, CCI BR primers
500DA, average muzzle velocity over the day was 2489, I was going transonic around 900y

This was the first time taking this rifle past 100 yards....and I almost couldn't miss at 1000 yards. It was a rockstar. I think it was a 20 inch plate and I'd guess I had an 80%+ hit rate (winds shifting from 10:30 to 1:30 being the main culprit).

On the 1130 and 1200 yard targets things were much less consistent, with maybe a 50% hit rate at 1130 and a 25% hit rate at 1200, but 1000 was rock solid. If I wasn't running a 16 inch barrel, 1200 probably would have gone much better. The 16" required 12.8 mils to get to 1000, 18.9 for 1200.

So back to your original question, you're good to go with the 175 SMKs.

View attachment 7275460
View attachment 7275458​

What scope is that?

 

[StrayDog]

OP: you'll be fine with 21" and 175smks. I had a 22" Rock barrel that was fast, shot 175 FGMM @ 2625, and I'll bet with 43-44 gr Varget you'll get better, and with 2000MR, you'll get above 2700fps with no problems. Rob.SFO ^^^ proves the point!

 

[Dski48]

OP: you'll be fine with 21" and 175smks. I had a 22" Rock barrel that was fast, shot 175 FGMM @ 2625, and I'll bet with 43-44 gr Varget you'll get better, and with 2000MR, you'll get above 2700fps with no problems. Rob.SFO ^^^ proves the point!

I took the rifle out yesterday and using 175 smk, tmk and the nosler rdf's I was getting velocities of 2640 avg. And as a added bonus when running the individual loads through the labradar my highest sd was 4.6 which to me is awesome

 

[rob.sfo]

What scope is that?

ZCO 420