what bullet would you try first?

[42769vette]

Im looking for a 308 bullet to be fired out of a 12 twist gas gun (Scar).

This will be a target rifle from 20yds to 700 with 90% of my time at 100-200 yds. There is a chance it will take a coyote or 2, but I dont want to tailor my loads to hunting. If that happens it will just be because I had the gun in my hand when I saw the yote.

Im leaning towards trying the 155gr amax over some varget, but im not the bullet expert on this forum so whats your thoughts?

 

[JGorski]

Im looking for a 308 bullet to be fired out of a 12 twist gas gun (Scar).

This will be a target rifle from 20yds to 700 with 90% of my time at 100-200 yds. There is a chance it will take a coyote or 2, but I dont want to tailor my loads to hunting. If that happens it will just be because I had the gun in my hand when I saw the yote.

Im leaning towards trying the 155gr amax over some varget, but im not the bullet expert on this forum so whats your thoughts?

Good bullet, wrong powder, try RE15 and 47grs of it under those 155s, that load shoots .5moa in my SPSS.

 

[Bear24]

I would think you would be well served by the 155 or 168 amax. It's a match quality bullet that performs pretty well on game but a 30 cal anything will take down a yote.

But right now I would use whatever you can find

 

[Rthur]

I would suggest the Lapua 155, g1 bc around .500 and would work well.

R

 

[42769vette]

I would think you would be well served by the 155 or 168 amax. It's a match quality bullet that performs pretty well on game but a 30 cal anything will take down a yote.

But right now I would use whatever you can find

Thats kind of what Im thinking, If I get no expansion what so ever a 30 cal bullet in the heart will drop a yote in its tracks. I dont plan on hunting with it, but I live on a farm and have killed more than one while out shooting.

 

[42769vette]

Good bullet, wrong powder, try RE15 and 47grs of it under those 155s, that load shoots .5moa in my SPSS.

I agree I could probably find a better powder, but right now I have 32+pounds of varget on hand and dont have the enegry to hunt down a new powder. Finding bullets will be about all the excitment I can muster.

This is also more of a minute of man rifle for me than a minute of angle. Im putting my Razor 1-6 on it, and If I can keep them all center mass at 700 Im perfectly fine with that.

 

[varmint slayer]

I used 45 grains of Varget with the 155 amax and had good results. Don't recall the velocity but i believe it was around 2900 out of a 26" barrel.

 

[High Binder]

This load screams to 1300yrds and groups awesome

07LC-LR brass
fed 210
45.8 Varget
oal in the pic is to the ogive.

 

[42769vette]

Are these loads out of gas guns? I know I have to load it a little colder for a semi auto (or so Im told, Ive never loaded for anything but bolt guns, and single shots)

 

[BillCh]

Why not the 175 SMK?
A couple of possible reasons come to mind. The recoil is obviously going to be more than a 155 gr. bullet. MV may be a more important issue with a 12 twist, 175 SMK, and shorter (20 inch?) barrel if you're wanting to take it out to 700 yds. If your rifle will shoot 175 FGMM then working up a near equivalent load with a 175 SMK and Varget seems like a possibility. Something to think about anyway.

B

 

[42769vette]

I could be wrong, but I think the 175 is going to be a little on the heavy side for a 12 twist. Plus with 90% of my shooting inside of 200 yds Ill take speed, and lighter recoil over wind bucking.

 

[High Binder]

Are these loads out of gas guns?

Mines in a bolt gun so it's not the same but it shows what the bullet can do.

 

[gvanhyning]

I prefer the the Lapua Scenar or Berger 155.5 Fullbore. The Berger shoots great in about anything.

 

[JGorski]

Actually, I once used 46grs Varget under 150NBTs in a Browning 308 I had, was very accurate, but that was a different lot number than the varget ive got now.

 

[Heman]

12 twist is fine with the 175gr SMK. 12 twist will actually shoot a 190gr SMK just fine. If you are primarily shooting at 100-200yds and going to shoot coyotees try the 125gr TNT does a number on animals and is a very accurate bullet for those ranges.

 

[42769vette]

This is now irrelevant. The guy backed out on the trade I had lined up

 

[RyeDaddy]

I prefer the the Lapua Scenar or Berger 155.5 Fullbore. The Berger shoots great in about anything.

Yes it does. The 155.5 is fantastic out of my 16.5" AR. I wasn't using Varget, but I'm certain you could make that combo work.

Before going to the 155.5 Berger (for the BC)I was shooting the 155 Amax with IMR 8208XBR powder and had good results. Shot a couple of whitetail and a hog. The Amax does expand (ALOT)and it was very accurate. My 10" twist AR liked the 155 better than the 168. The 155 AMAX was easy to tune and find a load with. BC is kinda low compared to other 155's, so it got pushed around a lot in the wind out in W TX when shooting past 200 yards, that was the only reason I switched. My wallet noticed the difference when I switched to Berger.

After typing all that out I see it doesn't matter. Oh well, future reference.

 

[P7id10t]

Irrelevant yes but informative.
Given you just want center of mass-- not looking for tight holes, I have to chuckle at any mention of recoil. It's a 308 for fooks sake! If you don't like the recoil, do some pushups!

Why not the 175 SMK?
A couple of possible reasons come to mind. The recoil is obviously going to be more than a 155 gr. bullet. MV may be a more important issue with a 12 twist, 175 SMK, and shorter (20 inch?) barrel if you're wanting to take it out to 700 yds. If your rifle will shoot 175 FGMM then working up a near equivalent load with a 175 SMK and Varget seems like a possibility. Something to think about anyway.

B

 

[Ballistic Artist]

The AMAX is one of the best bullets on the market. Weight to B.C. ratio beats just about all others. They shoot great. SMK's are a great bullet too but they are a bit higher priced and usually the AMAX of the same weight and caliber will have a bit higher BC. Not every time but usually that's how it works out. And don't get me wrong, the SMK is a EXCELLENT bullet. I would try them both and see what shoots best. I have had great luck with them both but I admit the AMAX bullets are my favorite accuracy bullets. As for Lapua bullets, they are too expensive. Remember, anything that says Lapua on it means it will be twice as much money for something that aint much better.