All things .308 Win

[5811]

Finally got a 308 up and running. Proof stainless in 308 cut to 20" and threaded 5/8 with a collar. I loaded up enough rounds at 44gr Varget with 168 TMK to get on paper and check velocity and pressure.

Looks good so far, I appreciate the head start from what people have shared here.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

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Finally got a 308 up and running. Proof stainless in 308 cut to 20" and threaded 5/8 with a collar. I loaded up enough rounds at 44gr Varget with 168 TMK to get on paper and check velocity and pressure.

Looks good so far, I appreciate the head start from what people have shared here.

I like what you did to that stock looks good and nice shooting

 

[Hondo64d]

Haven’t found anything in the 175 - 178 gr range with a higher BC than the newish 174gr ELD-VT, so I thought I would give them a try, thinking of using them in PRS matches. I’m still waiting on a couple of barrels I have on order for my match rifles but wanted get an idea of how they shoot, so loaded some up to try in my hunting rig with 44.6gr of StaBall Match, 10 rounds .050” off the lands and 8 rounds at the lands. This bullet doesn’t seem to have a preference, though the ones kissing the lands were a little faster than those jumping, as was expected. Primers we’re a little flat but bolt lift was good. The 174s shoot just about like everything else in this rifle, and the added BC might be of benefit in long range matches. They are designed as a Varmint bullet with very fragile construction so I will likely not be using them for hunting.

John

 

[sierracharlie338]

Haven’t found anything in the 175 - 178 gr range with a higher BC than the newish 174gr ELD-VT, so I thought I would give them a try, thinking of using them in PRS matches. I’m still waiting on a couple of barrels I have on order for my match rifles but wanted get an idea of how they shoot, so loaded some up to try in my hunting rig with 44.6gr of StaBall Match, 10 rounds .050” off the lands and 8 rounds at the lands. This bullet doesn’t seem to have a preference, though the ones kissing the lands were a little faster than those jumping, as was expected. Primers we’re a little flat but bolt lift was good. The 174s shoot just about like everything else in this rifle, and the added BC might be of benefit in long range matches. They are designed as a Varmint bullet with very fragile construction so I will likely not be using them for hunting.

John

Good looking rig. What barrel and profile you got on it?

 

[Hondo64d]

Good looking rig. What barrel and profile you got on it?

That’s a Bartlein 3b.

John

 

[Hondo64d]

Went out with my hunting rig today to validate data. My hunting load is currently 168gr TMKs @ 2730fps. Shot at 400, 600, 700, 800, and 900. 900 is as far out as I can shoot on my place. The 400, 600 and 700 yard plates are all 2 MOA plates. 800 and 900 are larger, but I’ve never got an exact measurement on them.

I have noticed over the years, that after 600, 1st round hits are always considerably more difficult. Provided I’m able to build a good position, I am comfortable on critters out to 600, but not beyond. That’s fine, because with this load, 600 is getting close to my desired minimum impact velocity. Had good hits at 400 and 600 but missed at 700, so went to my 800 yard steel, which is a bigger target, to get things sorted out. After that, I came back to 700 and then 900. Data lined up well at 400 and 600, but finally figured that data was .1 mil low at 700, .2 low at 800 and .3 low at 900. Can’t say for sure the reason yet. Could be scope or could be BC. Atmospherics were current. Load was chronoed with a Garmin, so I doubt my velocity is off. So that kinda narrows it down to BC or scope. I need to do a tall target test on my scope and bounce the BCs off Litz’s numbers. I have been using Sierra’s banded G1 BCs with this bullet thus far.

John

 

[sierracharlie338]

Went out with my hunting rig today to validate data. My hunting load is currently 168gr TMKs @ 2730fps. Shot at 400, 600, 700, 800, and 900. 900 is as far out as I can shoot on my place. The 400, 600 and 700 yard plates are all 2 MOA plates. 800 and 900 are larger, but I’ve never got an exact measurement on them.

I have noticed over the years, that after 600, 1st round hits are always considerably more difficult. Provided I’m able to build a good position, I am comfortable on critters out to 600, but not beyond. That’s fine, because with this load, 600 is getting close to my desired minimum impact velocity. Had good hits at 400 and 600 but missed at 700, so went to my 800 yard steel, which is a bigger target, to get things sorted out. After that, I came back to 700 and then 900. Data lined up well at 400 and 600, but finally figured that data was .1 mil low at 700, .2 low at 800 and .3 low at 900. Can’t say for sure the reason yet. Could be scope or could be BC. Atmospherics were current. Load was chronoed with a Garmin, so I doubt my velocity is off. So that kinda narrows it down to BC or scope. I need to do a tall target test on my scope and bounce the BCs off Litz’s numbers. I have been using Sierra’s banded G1 BCs with this bullet thus far.

John

Your experience matches mine with a short barrel and 168s. I spent a lot of time behind a 308 and the 168s, a short barrel and anything past 600 test your ability as a shooter especially in the wind. I do think it can be pointed back to BC truing so I’m curious if that’s what you see.

When I want to shoot 800 plus with my 308 I go 175s as it’s only steel I’m hunting at that point. I’ve neglected my 308 enough. I’m taking her to the range with the 6GT tomorrow!

 

[BLJ]

I’d be curious about the BC at lower velocity.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Made it to the range despite my stupidity today.

Shot a box of 168Amax out of my heavy 308. I love this rifle. This is a 20 shot group with a bit of a POI shift after mounting my chrono to the suppressor. Will be shooting some more soon and maybe even get a hunt in with it after the GT gets to draw some blood.

 

[Pilsner]

there's no mistaking it! with the ears on at 626 yards the other day could hear them smacks no problem....but I could make a sandwich before the sound got back to me, you get back in scope and see the splash and still wait for the sound to get back to you lol

Lol. At a recently LR class we had 2 guys using 308's. Shooting well but past a grand they started to struggle. We had guys with 6.5 Creeds and PRC's shooting after the 308 shooters, and you could hear the return from their steel before the 308's. A comically long delay especially compared to the PRCs. We ended up referring to the 308 as giving that steel the bad news but it was delivered by telegraph! Even with the delay the difference in those heavier bullets hitting the steel was audible vs the 147 grainers. I am sure the acoustics of the canyon that we were shooting across helped us hear it better than normal but it was still very cool.