18" barrel in the 308

[luke]

I have a savage with a 20"barrel that shoots 1/2MOA out to 1000. I shoot 155gr amax at 2750. I haven't hunted with this one but my wife killed a mule deer with my buddies 308 using the 155gr amax going2950. She made the shot at 675yrds. Clean pass through and the buck only ran a short distance. I made a bad wind call and she hit the last part of the ribs destroying the liver.

 

[Swifty]

Well, like I said, this will be used as a hunting rig as much as ringing steel with it. I see myself going after elk once in my life with a rifle and I am going to load up partitions for that. But for Mulies and under, I have really come to like the nosler BTs. I was a sierra man, but their stuff these days is hit or miss on the shelves and websites. Noslers have really impressed me over the past couple of years and me and my shooting partner run noslers in al,ost all of our rigs now.

So, I think a BT in the 150-168gr range will get it done out to 600 on game and 700 on steel. What do you guys think?

 

[MudRunner2005]

If you want some pretty heavy hitters for large game, the Berger 210 VLD Hunting bullets group excellent out of my 5R, but it has a 24" barrel, with an 11.25" twist. So, they might fly and group different out of your gun.

I wouldn't go under 20" finished length, measured to the recoil lug, honestly. 20" is a stubby little gun. But the heavy contour barrels, when cut down to desired length, have some serious rigidity, and seem to shoot equally well at distance, from my experience.

 

[liltank]

Little advice. Been shooting the 18" barrel .308 for 3yrs now. The best load I have come up with is one that I put together last year. Alliant Power Pro 2000MR, F210M, Norma brass, 168 Berger Hybrid at 2571fps at 40-50 degrees. Great round, great accuracy out to 900yds. This would be the route to go.