New to .308... Help me with advice

[LRNut]

I love the .308 Win too but in my experience, past 500 yards the wind tears it apart. It is the rifle I shoot most often at 500 yard gongs. I gave up shooting mine at 1000 yards many years ago.

As for PDs, the recoil from shooting 50 to 100 rounds is going to pound the hell out of you. Get a .223 for that; you will pay for it in ammo savings if you are a serious PD shooter.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

I still have 168 gr Sierra MK's , can't just throw them out- have to agree with the Berger's switched over to them some 10 yrs back to the 168 gr MHT & 210 gr Match VLD's target.

 

[xsn10s]

Cant help what you're issued but people still shooting 168 Sierra matchkings in 308 are basically living in the Stone Age, even for 308. A 168 berger hybrid or 168 TMK is leaps and bounds better.

Well I guess I'm old lol. But I had a ton of SMK and CC 168s which I'm just finishing up. Plus I can still get them for a reasonable price when 2nds are around. I agree the Bergers shoot flatter but I still make hits out to 1230 yards with the SMK and CC's. I'm trying out some 168 ELDM's right now to see how they do terminally on yotes and chucks. So far they shoot sub 0.5 moa for me, but I'm just starting out with them.

 

[spladi]

I would like your advice on ammo for the .308 I am picking up tomorrow.

A Ruger American Hunter will be in my hands before noon tomorrow. I have a Vortex 6-24x scope that will be mounted on the rail.

The purpose of this gun is 2-fold... #1. Range shooting steels out to 1k yards. #2. Prairie Dog fun..... 200-500 yards.

I want a single load that will do it all, which means (probably)... I need the best for 1k with a .308. I understand that different guns will play different with various ammo... But I want advice, as I don't want to blow a ton of dough on experiments that won't pan out.

Should I go straight to a 175gr HPBT? I hear a lot of folks talking about the 168's.


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Get ya some good 155's for long range, go fast..........the .308 is a great teaching tool at longer ranges, looks like fun!

 

[COBigJohn]

If your twist is 1-12 the 168 or lighter
If your twist is 1-10 the 175 or 180
Only exception is the Berger 175 OTM Tactical performs great in my 1-12

It is a 1-10 twist and apparently stabilizing the 175's perfectly. Eager to try the 185's.


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[COBigJohn]

I love the .308 Win too but in my experience, past 500 yards the wind tears it apart. It is the rifle I shoot most often at 500 yard gongs. I gave up shooting mine at 1000 yards many years ago.

As for PDs, the recoil from shooting 50 to 100 rounds is going to pound the hell out of you.  Get a .223 for that; you will pay for it in ammo savings if you are a serious PD shooter.

I always take three guns to the range and I shoot a few rounds and I rotate.

This Savage Model 12, .223.... 26" Stainless is always one of my companions.

Get ya some good 155's for long range, go fast..........the .308 is a great teaching tool at longer ranges, looks like fun!

I am leaning toward the heavier bullets. I know the .308 Win is heavily taxed at 1k+, but I have a 1-2K Steel range that I will take it in the month of March. I need the 185's to perform as their ballistics are superior out to 1k and beyond.


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[jMarine]

You can never go wrong with FGMM 175's as they are the gold standard. Like janno05 said, this may be a good time to get into hand-loading. It's a lot of fun and you can learn a lot about shooting and ballistics during the process. Good luck!

 

[Texis]

I love my 308, put over 1000 rounds through the 26" Shilen 1:10 last year. But, 308 at 1k is a challenge to say the least. I preferred 165-168. SMKs shoot very well, Berger hybrids and the Barnes monolithics are absolute hammers on 4 leg creatures. TTSX .
My ballistic data showed my 308 168 loads falling out of terminal performance around 450-500 yards, so I pass on game beyond those ranges. Nicked a big pig a 860 but never tried to take the 308 past that. Everyone judges terminal performance differently. I use 1800fps and 1000lbs as my max.
I recently swapped out the barrel for 7mm-08 for wind and terminal performance beyond 475ish.
308 is a great round, but all rounds have limits you just have to figure out what that limit is for you and your rifle. IMHO everyone needs at least one 308
Good luck, have fun.

 

[Wolf01]

I am blown away by the gun!!! Shot three different types of ammo through her this morning and all three are crazy, good accurate. Even the cheapo, FMJ 147gr.... yeah, 5 rounds in a row in the bullseye at 100 yards. I also shot Hornady 168 Match and Federal Gold Medal Match 175gr. These last two were making the same hole ..... but I am guessing I will see them really shine out past 500 yards.

I had a blast and love shooting the gun. Can't wait to go back to the range! Next bench I will sit is the 200-600 yard, steel range.

She's pretty.

 

[COBigJohn]

You can never go wrong with FGMM 175's as they are the gold standard. Like janno05 said, this may be a good time to get into hand-loading. It's a lot of fun and you can learn a lot about shooting and ballistics during the process. Good luck!

I have a very nice RCBS setup.... it is just boxed up at the moment, until the barn is built on my new piece of property. I hope to be building "Fire Pills" this summer. By then I should have a good inventory of brass and by then, should know which bullet she prefers.

I love my 308, put over 1000 rounds through the 26" Shilen 1:10 last year. But, 308 at 1k is a challenge to say the least. I preferred 165-168. SMKs shoot very well, Berger hybrids and the Barnes monolithics are absolute hammers on 4 leg creatures. TTSX .
My ballistic data showed my 308 168 loads falling out of terminal performance around 450-500 yards, so I pass on game beyond those ranges. Nicked a big pig a 860 but never tried to take the 308 past that. Everyone judges terminal performance differently. I use 1800fps and 1000lbs as my max.
I recently swapped out the barrel for 7mm-08 for wind and terminal performance beyond 475ish.
308 is a great round, but all rounds have limits you just have to figure out what that limit is for you and your rifle. IMHO everyone needs at least one 308
Good luck, have fun.

Yeah, I am fully aware of the limitations (AND ADVANTAGES) of the .308 Win. It is a 1k round, with weaknesses. I purchased it, because I won't have my reloading shop set up until late summer and .308 ammo is one of the only affordable rounds right now.

I just can't allow myself to blow $120 a box for my 6.5 PRC these days... which I desperately want to shoot. So for the time being, I will thoroughly enjoy this little .308. After all, she is certainly a shooter.


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[xsn10s]

I am leaning toward the heavier bullets. I know the .308 Win is heavily taxed at 1k+, but I have a 1-2K Steel range that I will take it in the month of March. I need the 185's to perform as their ballistics are superior out to 1k and beyond.

With a 1-10" you could shoot 200 gr class bullets for 1-2 k yards. I temporarilly set up my single stage press with Harbor Freight c clamps for FL sizing outside and seat with a hand held Lee press inside. Just a thought until you can get your reloading gear permanently set up.

 

[VinceMule]

I would like your advice on ammo for the .308 I am picking up tomorrow.

A Ruger American Hunter will be in my hands before noon tomorrow. I have a Vortex 6-24x scope that will be mounted on the rail.

The purpose of this gun is 2-fold... #1. Range shooting steels out to 1k yards. #2. Prairie Dog fun..... 200-500 yards.

I want a single load that will do it all, which means (probably)... I need the best for 1k with a .308. I understand that different guns will play different with various ammo... But I want advice, as I don't want to blow a ton of dough on experiments that won't pan out.

Should I go straight to a 175gr HPBT? I hear a lot of folks talking about the 168's.


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175-178 is the way to go. The 168g Sierra was designed for as a 600 yard bullet.

 

[COBigJohn]

175-178 is the way to go. The 168g Sierra was designed for as a 600 yard bullet.

As you can see in the pic, the 175 Sierras will shoot their eye out. I am hoping the 185 Bergers will be just as good or even a tich better.

A wise old shooter at my local gun shop said to wait and pass judgement on a bullet, after I see how it is doing over 600 yards. He said his 308 shoots the 168 better at 500 yards and at a 1,000, the 185 Berger is his favorite. He said the 185 isn't as accurate at 200-300 yards as the light weight bullets.... and he said that is hard to explain, other than the longer bullets need some yardage to "settle down".


As for temporary reloading.... my problem is.... I'm not a bachelor. If I were a bachelor, the guest bedroom would be my reloading room in 24 hours.


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[alaska]

Suggest read about Berger 175 Tactical OTM
For long ranges I considered it the best in my 308 Win. Berger has some good information on this bullet long rang performance. For me my 308 win is best served at 600 yards and under. Any further the 300 Win Mag and 190gr comes out.