Looking for a good all around bullet for .308 win.

[4ked Horn]

Someone commented on another thread that the J4 jacket was not as thick as the SMK so I figured I would look into this choice more deeply. Instead of just asking for an answer I thought I would offer several acceptable answers and get a chance to look at it all at once.

Yep that 175 is looking pretty good. The hodgdon site has recipies for the 168 SMK and the 175 SMK on the same page and with the same powders and the velocity spread is only about 50 fps between the two.

I am also looking hard at going back to using BLC-2. I am probably going to try that ladder method with the BLC-2, H-335 and H-414 (you know how much I like spherical powder) to see which gives me the best results at the highest velocity.

Are you at work? I will email you the ladder method that I was sent.

 

[abinok]

I can add a bit to what I said earlier... maybe...
Im a firm believer in the idea that thinking about something, of contemplating the mechanics of stuff like the mechanics of bullet flight can only accomplish so much. At some point its just time to "belly up to the bar" so to speak, and poke some holes in paper.
Example:
Im shooting 220SMKs from a 300WM, and they go subsonic (depending on atmospherics) at around 1350 yds, But I have enough elevation for 1600+
When I set up my portable target stand in Jan, I placed it at 1350 because, with temps under 40 degrees, bullets go through the board subsonic. This gave me a chance to play around in that "fringe" area if you will. I had to move forward to test the rest of the bullets (since they go subsonic at different distances), but I shoot mostly prone, so thats not a big deal.
I have tested:

300WM 175SMK Very good
300WM 190SMK Good
300WM 200SMK mediocure
300WM 220SMK Very good
300WM 240SMK Very good

308Win 155SMK good
308WIN 168SMK Bad Bad Bad
308Win 175SMK Very good
308Win 190SMK good, but supersonic to 1000+
308Win 220SMK Very good

honeslty, I don't have the slightest idea what makes one bullet shoot well through the sound barrier, and the next one is a flop. I have heard that most of the Bergers shoot well transsonic, but have not tested them myself.
I don't know about the other 168 gr match bullets out there, as far as dynamic stability goes, but I know that the 168SMK is horrable once it goes subsonic. The impacts we could spot from the SR25 were scattered all over a 75yd by 200yd area around the target stand.
I have no doubt that the answer to this question is somewhere in robert mccoy's work, but every time I get very far into it, it makes my head hurt.

 

[Brien]

abinok
i dont want to hijack the thread but could you pm me the velocities and the barrel lenth, powder(kind and charge)
reason being is 2 of my friends and i have light class 1000yd guns recently built in 300winmag. and could use a little more knowledge... Brien

 

[abinok]

which bullet were you needing info for?
are you wanting accuracy loads, or other stuff?

 

[Brien]

the throat in my rifle will take a 200SMK or 220SMK or 210berger.....i was curious about velocity and accuracy you are getting out of you winmag.
Brien... [email protected]

 

[abinok]

email sent

 

[4ked Horn]

Wow. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif 22 votes and nothing for Speer. If I were a Speer rep I would be making some phone calls. I noticed that they don't even mention the Deep Shok on their own website. I have noticed in the past that they are total slackers when it comes to web information. Oh well, They snooze, they lose.

 

[Brien]

i have just picked up a box of 175 SMK's if weather is fit tomorow i will know how they did at what velocity in my 24" as well as the 168nosler custom competition and also the 178 Amax... i will pass it on..
Brien
p.s.thanx abinok... emailed back

 

[4ked Horn]

By all means let me know.

 

[4ked Horn]

BTM. Any shooting last weekend?

 

[Boss Hoss]

Not listed but I use the 155 Palma MK in my 308 as well as the WSM. Killed many hogs and other varmits with it. Have not killed anything over 300 yards with the bullet yet.

 

[bwaites]

This is a serious thread resurrection!!

Bill

 

[Nomosendero]

Why was the 168 Berger not in the poll? I just bought a M700VS 308 & after hunting season I am going to start testing it. I thought the 168 Berger could be the allround choice for the following reasons.
1. most say the 168SMK is not quite enough for 1,000 yards but the 175 gets there due to the superior BC. Well, if the Berger numbers are right, the 168 Ber. @ .512 has a better BC than the 175 SMK. Does anyones testing show otherwise, please let me know.
2. Many are saying the terminal performance is about as good as it gets for Deer sized game. If so, you might have game performance of a BT with accuracy of a SMK.
3. It appears that the bullet may be the best blend of a hunting bullet for Caribou/Deer down, performance as good as a BT & ranging qualities of a Match bullet. If this is true & if my gun likes the bullet, it would appear to be the only bullet needed.
4. It should give the blend of vel. & BC that we seek.

I will find out, but if someone out there already knows, please let me know.

 

[Eric Stecker]

Berger makes the list

My opinion may be biased since I make them however results in the field are proving that the Berger 30 cal 168 gr VLD and 185 gr VLD are quickly becoming recognized as the most accurate AND lethal bullets on game (we make a 175 gr VLD as well but the other two are much more popular).

I look forward to the day when enough hunters have actually tried them for themselves that the Berger VLD is accepted as one of the top hunting bullet options. Those who have tried them already know this to be true.

Regards,
Eric