Best .308 for specific application?

[Jedi5150]

Hello all, to begin with, sorry for yet another "help me decide" thread. Before I get too jumped on, I've perused all the stickied threads on related subjects and can't find what I'm looking for.

Here is what I'd like to know; Which match grade commercial .308 ammo would be best for my rifle and uses? It will be for target shooting (100m to as far as I can get), and possibly hunting down the road (I want to get familiar with one round and stick with it for every purpose, if possible).
Rifle is the Remmington 700 XCR Compact Tactical, 20" fluted varmint barrel. I'd like to go with a 175 grain bullet in case I really need/ want to get it out there. I will not be shooting enough (at least initially) to justify reloading, so factory match grade it is.

How do Hornady, Black Hills, etc. compare, and which would be the best 175 grain offering from them? I've never shot Black Hills ammo. My issued round for my M4 was Hornady 75 grain TAP and I was impressed with the quality, but I don't know how it compares to other brands in .308.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alderleet]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

All i can say is buy a box of each and try for yourself.

Thats one of the unfortunate side effects of buying commercial ammunition. However, it quickly becomes apparent which brand your rifle likes more.

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

Jedi,

The 175 gr is a good all around bullet weight for what you have in mind. However, I don't believe that anyone could tell you what is the "best" factory 175 gr ammo. Only your rifle knows for sure, and it's not telling until you go buy some and shoot it....

Some brands to consider, in no particular order:

Cor-Bon Performance Match 175 gr.
Federal GMM 175 gr.
HSM Match 175 gr
Black Hills 175 Gr.
Hornady Superperformance Match 178 gr

Bob

 

[Jedi5150]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

Bob and Alderleet, thanks for your replies. The rifle just shipped yesterday and I pick it up next week sometime. After that I still need to order the scope (at least I have the scope, rings and base all picked out, just waiting on cash to come in, hehe).

In the meantime, I'll follow your suggestions and buy a box from several different brands to compare once I get it sighted in.

Thanks again.

 

[desertHK]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

Remy XCR is a fine rifle. Used to have one. in terms of ammo, 175 SMK all the way. FGMM is good stuff. but it is a bit more than Black Hills. Last I looked they were going for about $36 a box of 20. If you are going to shoot just manufactured ammo, I would suggest that you contact Southwest Ammo and talk to either Mike or Zak. Their pricing on the 175SMK is hard to beat by anybody else. LL has done some testing with their ammo. And he certains gave a thumb up on their ammo.

 

[Cbmax]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

You may wish to try 168 grain bullets for starters. I don't think the heavier 175 bullets will be nedessary until you get past 300 yards. I'd start with Federal Gold Match. If they don't shoot than try something else, but I think you will find that the Federal's are the gold standard.

CB

 

[346ci]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

I'll be doing the same thing soon. I got some FGMM in 168s and 175s. We shot a friends new LTR a few weeks ago, it grouped better with some ammo that was in a battle pack than the FGMM. That battle pack stuff may have been Lithuania, I was shocked..

 

[frog5215]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

Each barrel is a law unto itself; best ammo can only be determined empirically.

 

[2brothers641]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

Midway has Nosler custom competition 168 hpbt on sale for $19.99 a box. Sounds reasonable, but never tried it.

 

[ReaperDriver]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jedi5150</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is what I'd like to know; Which match grade commercial .308 ammo would be best for my rifle and uses? It will be for target shooting (100m to as far as I can get), <span style="font-weight: bold">and possibly hunting down the road (I want to get familiar with one round and stick with it for every purpose, if possible</span>).
</div></div>

Since you mentioned hunting and sticking to ONE round for everything - you might want to stay away from the 168 or 175 SMKs. Sierra specifically says they are NOT hunting bullets. Yes, I know lots of game (both two and four-legged) has been taken with that bullet, but it is NOT a hunting bullet and you run the risk of not getting a clean kill. For an all around load, look at the 168 TAP. The AMAX bullet is better suited for hunting and its a very accurate round out to 800 or so. Its a shame they don't make a 178 AMAX TAP round, because that would be money for an all-around load. But shooting TAP loads will get really expensive, real quick.

MY suggestion, FWIW, would be to stop worrying about the perfect ONE SIZE FITS ALL factory load. Find something that's accurate in YOUR rifle and you can afford and shoot it. Its not like you need practice with a particular bullet. You need practice with the gun. Once you can shoot the gun, then you can shoot any other specialized round that the rifle likes. For instance, on the occasion you'll go hunting - just find a good, accurate hunting load for the application you need and spend an hour and a box of ammo at the range to get it zero'd and get dope at various ranges. But the extra trigger time you put in shooting match or target ammo will have paid for itself in terms of your skill over worrying about the perfect load.

Or better yet, start reloading.....

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

Not a big deal at all to use "match" ammo for target shooting, then switch to "hunting" ammo for hunting.

Just a matter of recording the Zero and Dope in your databook.

In both my 700 and my AE I have found that the 168gr TAP (red box) is slightly less accurate than the 168gr Federal Gold Metal Match. It was not a big enough difference to cause concern for a LE mission much less for a target the size of a deer's vitals.

How effective the round would be on deer, I have no idea.

 

[Chiller]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

find ChadTRG and have him tune a load/loads for you.

or get into relaoding.


Just a thought.

 

[Jedi5150]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

I appreciate the added input folks. I knew that I was going to be getting lots of "start reloading" advice even though I pointed out that I would not be, at least to begin with. I understand that you can get more accurate, and cheaper ammo, if you reload. I understand the logic behind it. That said, I have chosen to buy a better scope instead of reloading gear. At least to begin with.

Thanks for pointing out that the SMK is not a hunting round. That's the kind of info I was hoping to find out. I do hear what you guys are saying about having different rounds for different applications. Once I become a bit more comfortable with my weapon system I will consider that option. To begin with I'm going to try to stick with the KISS principal because I know my limitations.

 

[younggun22]

Re: Best .308 for specific application?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chiller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">find ChadTRG and have him tune a load/loads for you.

or get into relaoding.


Just a thought. </div></div>


ya probably the best idea