Improving the 308 Win performance

[bamban]

Good question, I don't know, I would think it would be something like a CCI #34 0r #41 type primer. Cheers

Agree.

 

[best defense]

This thread would be dedicated to ways to improve the performance of the 308 Win or the 7.62x51 mm cartridge without wildcatting the case. Experienced and innovative reloaders should find this interesting and are encouraged to participate. The 308Win is so versatile, inherently accurate and commonly used, and yet its performance in terms of MV, trajectory and speed is a bit mediocre. I am sure it can out perform the 3006. To start with I offer up my favorite hunting load I have used for the past 6/7 years in the 308Win. The 150 gr BD or BD2 with 49 gr of Leverevolution going 2920 fps from a 1:10, 20"Douglas barrel in a short action rifle. The same load from a 24" Bartlein 1:9 twist barrel goes 3050 fps. This load would be a pretty decent long range Elk load to 900 yds or so.

My 308 is a model 12 with a 1:12 twist. Do you have any idea what if anything you might change for that twist rate?

 

[nralifer]

My 308 is a model 12 with a 1:12 twist. Do you have any idea what if anything you might change for that twist rate?

You can use the small rifle primer brass, magnum small rifle primers, and double base high energy ball powder like CFE223, leverevolution (my favorite), StaBall6.5 or, if you can get your hands on it, the newly announced StaBall Match. Also Varget as a small stick powder. The SRP brass should be more tolerant of higher pressures, but you need to be careful with increased powder charges. Best to develop your loads in the summer when ambient temps are higher. That way you are less likely to have over pressure surprises when ambient temps are high. Ultimately using a 1:10 or 1:9 twist barrel will allow you to stabilize longer high BC bullets. If and when you do that, consider having your gunsmith get a bore rider 308Win chamber reamer from PT&G to do the chambering with. It has an extended throat with a tight clearance free bore segment that alone could add as much as 100 fps to your loads. It allows use of greater powder charges before you reach peak pressure. The tight clearance in the free bore reduces wobble of the bullet before it engages the rifling which improves grouping. Similar concept employed in the new 6.8 Western, but PT&G has been producing these reamers for years in older calibers.

 

[Wachsmann]

What is up with those cases. Are they annealed on the bottom? From the looks of it some one made a head stamped 270-08. I don't know about the 80.000PSI but that doesn't sound safe. .Just my opinion. Not condemning. Maybe it something special to handle the pressure?

 

[bamban]

What is up with those cases. Are they annealed on the bottom? From the looks of it some one made a head stamped 270-08. I don't know about the 80.000PSI but that doesn't sound safe. .Just my opinion. Not condemning. Maybe it something special to handle the pressure?

The bottom is made out of steel to handle the pressure.

 

[nralifer]

What is up with those cases. Are they annealed on the bottom? From the looks of it some one made a head stamped 270-08. I don't know about the 80.000PSI but that doesn't sound safe. .Just my opinion. Not condemning. Maybe it something special to handle the pressure?

They say you have ti buy a gun strong enough to handle the pressure. In their marketing Sig says the object was to shoot a 140 gr bullet 3000 fps from a 16" barrel for a muzzle energy of just shy of 2800 ft- lbs. the cartridge is a necked down .308Win to a .277 caliber. The high pressure cartridge is a brass body with a stainless steel base to handle 80K PSI peak pressure. They compare that cartridge to the 5.56 currently in use. Thus the question about what SRP handles that kind of pressure?

 

[hicountry1]

My 308 load, is a 155 scenar, over varget.

Half moa, almost 2900mv.

It's a Pre-64 model 88, that's been rebarreled. There's pretty much nothing going to walk away from a 155 scenar.

I also shoot them out of a 48 vintage model 70, at just over 3k. Also very accurate.

 

[Josh Potter]

900 yards on an Elk? I'm seeing less than 550 ft/bls at 900y even if you're pushing it at 3050 fps.

I'm also sort of curious what you're saying it about it outperforming 30-06 when your standard velocities for a 150grn load are going to be 2850-3000 fps. Let alone going to a heavier bullet with the '06 like a 180grn you'll still be high 2700's starting velocity.

But all that aside. I've got two favored loads for my .308s, 168 SMKs I don't push them real fast but I've taken hundreds of hogs from 0-250 yards and a lot of deer. My new favorite, within the last three years, are 110 V-Max moving at about 2950 fps out of a short-ish barrel is doing amazing work for me at the ranges I hunt from coyotes to hogs to deer and was shockingly accurrate, don't tear up magazines, and feed well through a semi.

900 yards on an Elk? I'm seeing less than 550 ft/bls at 900y even if you're pushing it at 3050 fps.

I'm also sort of curious what you're saying it about it outperforming 30-06 when your standard velocities for a 150grn load are going to be 2850-3000 fps. Let alone going to a heavier bullet with the '06 like a 180grn you'll still be high 2700's starting velocity.

But all that aside. I've got two favored loads for my .308s, 168 SMKs I don't push them real fast but I've taken hundreds of hogs from 0-250 yards and a lot of deer. My new favorite, within the last three years, are 110 V-Max moving at about 2950 fps out of a short-ish barrel is doing amazing work for me at the ranges I hunt from coyotes to hogs to deer and was shockingly accurrate, don't tear up magazines, and feed well through a semi.

How well does the V-max do on deer? Whitetail?
I'm hoping to set up a load for my daughter to shoot I had wondered about using these
Thank you in advance

 

[Justice1327]

I've pushed 150 class bullets well past 3000fps in a 20" 308. Example below:

View attachment 423146

What app is this?

 

[Wallie]

What app is this?

That is the LabRadar mobile app, controls and displays info via Bluetooth on your LabRadar chronograph.

 

[nralifer]

My 308 load, is a 155 scenar, over varget.

Half moa, almost 2900mv.

It's a Pre-64 model 88, that's been rebarreled. There's pretty much nothing going to walk away from a 155 scenar.

I also shoot them out of a 48 vintage model 70, at just over 3k. Also very accurate.

How long a barrel is your mod 88, the scenar BC and is it legal in all 50 states?

 

[Kentuckywindage]

nralifer
with the info I gave earlier in the thread I should also say those numbers are from a 22" stock Savage FCP m10. I'm actually looking at barrels for small shank FCP and a Stealth 6.5cm Large shank. Both shoot great but this in anticipation. Without hijacking your thread what would be your choices.

 

[hicountry1]

How long a barrel is your mod 88, the scenar BC and is it legal in all 50 states?

22" bbl

Not an all copper bullet.

They are some kind of tough bullets

 

[nralifer]

nralifer
with the info I gave earlier in the thread I should also say those numbers are from a 22" stock Savage FCP m10. I'm actually looking at barrels for small shank FCP and a Stealth 6.5cm Large shank. Both shoot great but this in anticipation. Without hijacking your thread what would be your choices.

Large shank barrels are better for fat cartridges in general. What cartridge sre you wanting to use?