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I need a recommendation for a better 308.

Unless you're shooting factory ammo, I don't see how that's possible... Had mine since new in 2010, and it shoots 0.1xx to 0.3xx groups every time with my handloads. Took about 100 rounds to really break it in, but once it settled, it's been a tack-driver.

Only other thing I could think of would be, if you never swapped out the trigger. Those factory X-Mark Pro triggers are junk and should be disinvented. Also, the action screws getting torqued incrementally from 25 up to 65 inch-pounds is a big thing for 700's.
Out of curiosity, what components are you using with your handloads?
 
It’s weird that someone will come in here and try to say that it’s “impossible” that his Remington rifle wasnt a 1/2 moa rifle, fully knowing the complete dogshit Remington was putting out as a company in the last few years.
 
It’s weird that someone will come in here and try to say that it’s “impossible” that his Remington rifle wasnt a 1/2 moa rifle, fully knowing the complete dogshit Remington was putting out as a company in the last few years.
Only with the 5R MIlspec models...I've never seen a 5R model that wouldn't shoot out of the box, or with a very minimal amount of work.

But I agree, that regular Remingtons are hit-or-miss. And yes, their QC has been terrible the last 10+ years.
 
Only with the 5R MIlspec models...I've never seen a 5R model that wouldn't shoot out of the box, or with a very minimal amount of work.

But I agree, that regular Remingtons are hit-or-miss. And yes, their QC has been terrible the last 10+ years.
Im with you on the simple work but I find the measure of a quality rifle to be their accuracy with factory ammo. Not everyone is capable of the same level of results with hand loading, so throwing that in the mix complicates the conversation to a degree.

If we know that FGM or Berger Hybrid shoot exceptionally well for a majority of rifles, then why would one require extra effort, outside of just using proven quality factory ammo?
 
Im with you on the simple work but I find the measure of a quality rifle to be their accuracy with factory ammo. Not everyone is capable of the same level of results with hand loading, so throwing that in the mix complicates the conversation to a degree.

If we know that FGM or Berger Hybrid shoot exceptionally well for a majority of rifles, then why would one require extra effort, outside of just using proven quality factory ammo?
Why would one require extra effort? Because they're all man-made and all are slightly different, even if they're both made at the same time, back-to-back, on the same machines, by the same people. Manufactured items always have fluctuation in tolerances and variations in quality, that's why companies have quality control and quality & assessment employees. Sadly, most of the time, those people don't have much experience until they gain that experience, and even then, some are lazy, so they never really gain that "sharp-eye" level of expertise.
 
I dont consider reloading a beginner hobby by any means.

Its certainly "extra effort" to learn, then go through load development, buying a press, setting up your bench, figured out what brass, primers, powder etc etc vs. just buying a new rifle off the shelf and a box of ammo to go shoot it with. I load on a Mark 7 press, after loading on an XL 750 and a Lee, so I'm certainly not 'new' to that portion of it either.

You wouldnt call it extra effort because it is part of your existing process. We all know that ammo has to be bulk manufactured to looser tolerances for mass compatibility, but that doesnt change the fact that reloading is still extra work.
 
My reloads for that rifle had been with Sierra 168gr & 175gr matchkings. I never tried anything else and maybe that's my fault. Either way, it's too late for me to worry about that. The other components were lapua brass, fed match primers, and I don't recall the powder.

Reloading skills are not all equal. I'll be the first to say that I'm a novice reloader and this will be my 20th year. I can and have made very accurate ammo for different guns, but my old Rem 700 308 was a unicorn I just couldn't capture.
 
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I am not sure my post is relevant as my experiences are several decades old as the attached photos indicate. But here goes anyway.

A Remington 700 action is what my rifles are based on and I ended up with two short actions and one long action with the latter being in 30.06 cal.

One of the short actions is a 40-XC but still in the 700 family.

At any rate all three of my rifles would and will shoot sub moa groups if some care is taken on my part during the reloading process. It does help if I am not all jacked up on 3-4 cups of coffee prior to me squeezing the trigger and my breathing is regulated.

The target that came with my 40-XC has two 5 shot groups on it. One is .46" and the other is .52" for an average of .49" which is right out of the box with no tweaking.
 

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I am not sure my post is relevant as my experiences are several decades old as the attached photos indicate. But here goes anyway.

A Remington 700 action is what my rifles are based on and I ended up with two short actions and one long action with the latter being in 30.06 cal.

One of the short actions is a 40-XC but still in the 700 family.

At any rate all three of my rifles would and will shoot sub moa groups if some care is taken on my part during the reloading process. It does help if I am not all jacked up on 3-4 cups of coffee prior to me squeezing the trigger and my breathing is regulated.

The target that came with my 40-XC has two 5 shot groups on it. One is .46" and the other is .52" for an average of .49" which is right out of the box with no tweaking.
great looking rifles!
 
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Super happy w my Bergara premier series. 700 footprint, so compatible with common upgrades/changes. Really love the ridgeback stock, too. From the factory, it’s a shooter at .75 or better.
 

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Super happy w my Bergara premier series. 700 footprint, so compatible with common upgrades/changes. Really love the ridgeback stock, too. From the factory, it’s a shooter at .75 or better.
That's one that has caught my eye in the past too. Those Bergara rifles all seem to be great shooters.
 
How far out have you shot with your cross? Did you feel like you could hold MOA out to 800 yards ish? For a team match, that's probably the most I'd have to go and anything beyond that would few and far between from the matches I've seen. I have an SDN-6 that'd definitely find it's way onto that short 308 until it was time to hike or ruck with it.
Right now, because of work and family commitments, i have only shot it at 100 yards. A friend also has one in 308 and got a lttle better than 1/2 MOA groups at 300 yards with factory ammo. I plan on trying mine out to 300 and maybe 600 yards this spring. Realize, the spring in Maine start in June. :)

I have a SIG 7.62 TI QD suppressor on mine. It is a Gen 1 version.

Mike
 
Start with a rifle layout and technical features that performs best at the most difficult sport; 500m metallic silhouette.
Shooting full bore silhouette will very quickly let every shooter know how important rifle "handling, balance and shootability" are for an app 9ibs rifle. Especially for the shots without support of bipods and other rests.
After that you can add the "tactical stuff".
Final test: 5 shots within 3"@300m/330 yds taken from 5 different shooting positions( one shot over bipod, shot over rucksack, one prone unsupported with sling, etc, etc) with 15-30 min between shots.
 
All,
I wanted to say thanks for all the help. I've decided on the Daniel Defense Delta 5 in 308, not the pro model. After looking at what's out there and seeing the specs I just kept coming back to that being the right rifle for me and what I intend to use it for. I'll post something once the dust is settled and I've got a decent round count on it hopefully with some handloads figured out along with chrono data. My hopes are that it'll be great and I'll want to get the 6.5 cm barrel also just to see how well that shoots. If the 308 version doesn't perform like I'm hoping, I'll stop right there.

Only problem with taking my time is that I seem to have missed the boat on some better pricing. Best pricing I've been seeing lately is $1730. If anyone knows of a better place than that you win the internet high five of the day.
 
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Watching this thread as I'm looking for a 308 trainer (really just an excuse to get another rifle). I'll be another vote for a Tikka. They're reliably accurate out of the box and plenty of aftermarket if you want to go that route. My own 6.5CM CTR has been nothing but a joy to use in the1.5yrs I've had it.

OP keep watching the PX here and you'll see some deals pop up eventually. I've seen a couple nice rifles pop up but they do seem to go rather quickly. Me personally, I'm looking for a SPR or Tikka or decently modified 700 with a 20" or less barrel for suppressor use.
 
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I've upgraded/sighted/scope mounted several DD Delta 5 rifles. They are good and I've found no issues that stand out. The Timney trigger is a good item, but not great. Replaced a couple with Triggertech Diamonds. The 419 hellfire is very good, the chassis, bolt and barrel are good. The built in 419 ARCA dovetail is really nice. The very adjustable stock is a good item. Other than some LRS snobbery opinions the rifle is not a bad item. Are there better bolt actions? yes - but overall for new LRS it isn't a bad choice, especially if you already like DD firearms.
 
I'm looking for a good, solid 308 I can count on and I just don't know everything available in the market today. I want something heavy enough that it shoots well, light enough I can use it at a rucking event like mammoth, but accurate enough I'm doing more than just blowing through ammo at distance.

I recently sold a Rem 700 308 with a 22" 5R barrel in a magpul hunter stock. It was a good gun for anything "most" people would ever use a 308 for. My biggest gripe was that I never got the rifle much better than a 3/4" group at 100 yards. I'm not a hardcore competitor, but I like to be in the ballpark of competitiveness. My reasons for wanting a 308 really fall into two catagories. 1.) I want a quality do all rifle in 308 just because while there's certainly better options, it's not going anywhere. 2.) When I shoot a team match, usually whoever I go with has 1 rifle and if it's not in 308 then I have to fill in that gap. I'm not an ultra serious PRS guy who pulls a little cart behind me at competitions with every gizmo made for the sport. I like to do a couple of guardian matches a year and hopefully some physically demanding event like a mammoth or hunt where that rifle is going to get packed over distance and used roughly.

Here's the thing, and I'm being honest when I say this, I really don't have many preferences at all when it comes to the guns. I don't really care if it's a chasis or a stock so long as it shoots. I love the idea of a folding stock for the ease of getting in and out of vehicles or around obstacles at a competition. My biggest criteria is I want the thing hovering around a 1/2" or better, magazine fed, and under 10#.

Some of the rifles that have caught my eye are the Sig Cross, because of the compactness and lightweight, but I have yet to read of any of them having impressive accuracy so that seems to be out of the question. I ran into a team at 2022 Mammoth that were both running the daniel defense delta 5's and they seemed to love those guns. The regular model (not the pro) comes in at 9# with a 20" barrel and seems like it'd be a great fit but I'm struggling to find decent reviews on the actual accuracy of that model. Another option that crossed my mind was a GA Precision gladius. I've got a GA Precision crusader in 6.5 that's my go to rifle, but it's nearly 17# with scope & bipod. If they built a 308 that was just as accurate and much lighter then that'd be on my list of rifles to consider too.

As you can tell, I just want a 308 that shoots well and can be used in the field. I just get overwhelmed with all the options out there and it changes every year. This has been on my mind for a while and I wanted to wait until after Shot Show so all the options would be on the table. I'd appreciate any suggestions, thanks.
If you legitimately had a 3/4" consistent rifle, accuracy is not justification for a different rifle. There's only a handful out there who can outshoot their gun.
 
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Watching this thread as I'm looking for a 308 trainer (really just an excuse to get another rifle). I'll be another vote for a Tikka. They're reliably accurate out of the box and plenty of aftermarket if you want to go that route. My own 6.5CM CTR has been nothing but a joy to use in the1.5yrs I've had it.

OP keep watching the PX here and you'll see some deals pop up eventually. I've seen a couple nice rifles pop up but they do seem to go rather quickly. Me personally, I'm looking for a SPR or Tikka or decently modified 700 with a 20" or less barrel for suppressor use.
There’s a tikka sporter in the classifieds. 260 rem but you could rebarrel it easy enough. Is a kinda cool rifle that I don’t see pop up much…
 
There’s a tikka sporter in the classifieds. 260 rem but you could rebarrel it easy enough. Is a kinda cool rifle that I don’t see pop up much…
Actually ended up getting a Bergara on the way. Was thinking I might want to stay with Tikka but I want to try something new.
 
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Did anyone mention TACOPS YET???!!!
 
I was all ready to buy the Delta 5, but all the better deals I saw on them in the $1400-$1500 range have dried up. Now that they're pushing $1,800 I'm reconsidering. The Tikka T3X CTR has always interested me too, but I don't want to mess with their proprietary mags. What's a good functional stock that would allow the use of AICS mags? Asking because I've got a pile of those mags, and like a healthy pile of mags for any rifle I own.
 
I was all ready to buy the Delta 5, but all the better deals I saw on them in the $1400-$1500 range have dried up. Now that they're pushing $1,800 I'm reconsidering. The Tikka T3X CTR has always interested me too, but I don't want to mess with their proprietary mags. What's a good functional stock that would allow the use of AICS mags? Asking because I've got a pile of those mags, and like a healthy pile of mags for any rifle I own.
literally any stock/chassis

only a select few have a CTR bottom metal inlet (and they state it as such)
 
literally any stock/chassis

only a select few have a CTR bottom metal inlet (and they state it as such)
This is where I'm outside my wheelhouse, and the downside to being a neanderthal. I literally don't care at all whether the rifle is in a chasis or a regular stock so long as the gun shoots well. Honestly, when I ordered my GA Precision in 6.5 they asked what stock and I said so long as it shoots well to throw whatever they wanted on there.

For the purpose of this 308, if there was a lighter weight folding stock I'd prefer something like that. If the forend is flat for barracades, takes AICS mags, and is somewhat comfortable then I'd be happy with about anything. I just don't dabble in custom rifles enough to be familiar with what's good and what's not. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
 
depends what you want to spend. folder gets expensive fast

Manners makes folding traditional stocks

besides that XLR Element 4.0 magnesium/MDT Hnt26 has light folding option chassis

other folding chassis are gonna be heavier
 
depends what you want to spend. folder gets expensive fast

Manners makes folding traditional stocks

besides that XLR Element 4.0 magnesium/MDT Hnt26 has light folding option chassis

other folding chassis are gonna be heavier
If I were to prioritize the features I want I'd say #1 is keeping the total weigh of the rifle under 9#. #2 would be using AICS pattern mags including the magpuls. #3 folds. I can take or leave the folding part of the stock/chasis.
 
Several months ago, I put together another 308...trued up M700, pinned Tubb lug, Sako extractor, Trigger Tech, screwed on a Bartlein 5R 11.25" and had it bedded in an A5 I've had laying around for.....20 years. My first, and only group, with my Palma load, went into .247". I built a 308 simply because I have a TON of 308 reloading supplies, due to my time shooting Palma. Now, I'm wondering why I spent the $$$. Why? I have to many custom rigs in the safe......and just bought an O/U. Plus, I really luv shooting my custom 223....identical to the 308. Maybe its time to lighten the load in my safe.....
 
If I were to prioritize the features I want I'd say #1 is keeping the total weigh of the rifle under 9#. #2 would be using AICS pattern mags including the magpuls. #3 folds. I can take or leave the folding part of the stock/chasis.
Magpul AICS dont work in a Tikka.
Original steel AICS works without issue. The feedlips of the magpul mags are too fat.

Just so you know.
 
Magpul AICS dont work in a Tikka.
Original steel AICS works without issue. The feedlips of the magpul mags are too fat.

Just so you know.
pretty sure people sand down the feed lips to make them fit. not sure dont have a tikka anymore and wouldnt run magpul mags either
 
Magpul AICS dont work in a Tikka.
Original steel AICS works without issue. The feedlips of the magpul mags are too fat.

Just so you know.
I was stumbling across that piece of information and was trying to read more about it. Ultimately, if I spend as much on a Tikka CTR and swap the stocks I would likely be just as well off looking for a bergara hmr pro and being done with it.
 
pretty sure people sand down the feed lips to make them fit. not sure dont have a tikka anymore and wouldnt run magpul mags either
True!
But would one want sanded down mags in other rifles?
Im thinking, since he wanted the things he allready has to work, he needs to know that in this case, it does not. Not without mods any way.
 
True!
But would one want sanded down mags in other rifles?
Im thinking, since he wanted the things he allready has to work, he needs to know that in this case, it does not. Not without mods any way.
i wouldnt use magpul mags. but if i really wanted to use ones i had for whatever reason i'd sand them to make them work

but i'd also just buy new mags. to me mags are like barrels. they have a shelf life
 
I was stumbling across that piece of information and was trying to read more about it. Ultimately, if I spend as much on a Tikka CTR and swap the stocks I would likely be just as well off looking for a bergara hmr pro and being done with it.
Never have handled a Bergara but know first hand that Tikkas are awesome.
Would go for a Tikka + KRG chassie of your choice. Its a proven combo.
 
confusing to pick a bergera over a tikka just so you can use plastic mags
I've seen a bergara pro shoot incredibly well and honestly I can't imagine a Tikka CTR being much better or worse either way. It's really more about just buying something out of the box and not have to mess around buying one gun, and then swapping the stock.
 
Admittedly I didn't read all the responses in here but......
My brother picked up a Bergara a couple years ago. I think they are real decent rifles for the money.
I don't know anything about their reputation, their custom service, the company as a whole or any of that stuff but it was a shooter. I think it was a bit less than $1500
 
Call the guys at MileHigh

Tell them you want a good 308

Buy a 308 AT with folding stock and 20” barrel from them.

Be done.
 
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Well... good news and bad news. Good news is that my wife and I had a really great talk about family finances and goals for the year. Bad news is that my budget for this project just got cut to $1,000 or less. I've got the scope and rings sitting on the bench so the last thing needed is the rifle. Honestly, for what I'm looking for I think I can still get it done, but it's going to take some time at the reloading bench and fine tuning. This is going to be a secondary rifle so it makes sense to save some $$.

With a 1K budget I'm looking at these:

Tikka T3X CTR (would just have to use their factory mags for competitions)
Bergara HMR (seem like it'd work out of the box)
Rem 700 SPS Tactical (would have to add a magpul stock for cheap way to get detachable mags)
Savage 110 tactical 20" (fits the specs, but does it shoot?)
Savage Magpul Hunter 18" (not much more $$ than the 110 tactical and the stock is probably better, maybe?)

With some of those it's flirting right at the line of being in the $1k budget, keeping in mind the little extras like a 20 MOA rail and mags. Any suggestions? I've never owned a TIkka, or a Bergara but have shot both. I've owned both a Rem 700 and Savage.
 
Well... good news and bad news. Good news is that my wife and I had a really great talk about family finances and goals for the year. Bad news is that my budget for this project just got cut to $1,000 or less. I've got the scope and rings sitting on the bench so the last thing needed is the rifle. Honestly, for what I'm looking for I think I can still get it done, but it's going to take some time at the reloading bench and fine tuning. This is going to be a secondary rifle so it makes sense to save some $$.

With a 1K budget I'm looking at these:

Tikka T3X CTR (would just have to use their factory mags for competitions)
Bergara HMR (seem like it'd work out of the box)
Rem 700 SPS Tactical (would have to add a magpul stock for cheap way to get detachable mags)
Savage 110 tactical 20" (fits the specs, but does it shoot?)
Savage Magpul Hunter 18" (not much more $$ than the 110 tactical and the stock is probably better, maybe?)

With some of those it's flirting right at the line of being in the $1k budget, keeping in mind the little extras like a 20 MOA rail and mags. Any suggestions? I've never owned a TIkka, or a Bergara but have shot both. I've owned both a Rem 700 and Savage.
Tika.