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308, RL17- What bullet weights will work?

GJgo

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Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 19, 2010
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Hey guys, this is my first post although I've been lurking here for a while. I usualy post over at THR but for this question I'm pretty sure their heads would explode and I wouldn't get a real answer.

I have a big jug of Reloder 17 from a failed 270 WSM effort. This was kind of the impetus that led me to searching out a new project for long range paper punching work. To make a long story short, I ended up with a Savage Savage 10FCP HS Precision. I topped it with a 20 MOA rail and a SS 16x. Here's a probing thread I started over there on the subject.

So of course, I've been focusing on the 208gr Amax for this job, especially after the in-depth work some of the members here have put into it. (Thanks guys!) The kicker is, no one sells this bullet in my neck of the woods- I'd have to mail order it, which I'm not a big fan of for consumable supplies. This begs the question, what other projectiles will work well in the 308 with RL17? How light can you go before RL17 loses its appeal?

Locally I can get the following heavies- 190, 200, & 220gr Matchkings, 200gr Accubonds ($$$), & 175-190gr Bergers (match & hunting). With the price of bullets this year I can't afford to just go buy them all, so I'm resorting first to some research as to what has been proven to work well for others. I thought it would be good to start a thread where other guys could log what bullets they've tried with RL17 & the 308, and say if the combination was successful or not.

TIA!
 
Re: 308, RL17- What bullet weights will work?

I've gotten promising results with Berger's 185 gr. BT out of a 26", 1:11 Krieger:

elevation: 800 ft.
atm pressure: 30.02 inHg.
humidity: %69
temp: 55 F

48.0 grains, lot 02709
Wolf LR, lot 8-09
Lapua case, 0.002" neck tension
~2.82" oal, jumping about 0.025"

2673
2672
2670
2674
2675

high 2675
low 2670
es 5
avg 2673
stdev 1.92

Accuracy was your typical
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quarter sized group at 100 yards, will see how this really works in March.
 
Re: 308, RL17- What bullet weights will work?

Thanks guys. So some have tried Matchkings, and some have tried Bergers with success. I have yet to read anything where someone has tried out the 200gr Accubond- I've had lots of luck with that bullet in other rifles. This pretty much reflects what I've found from Googling the subject for the last 3 months.

MBrown- what were your velocities?