.308 at Longer Ranges

If you have an iPhone get iSnipe and if you run android get Strelok. Punch in the data and it will get you in the ballpark.
It's best to build up to 1000 yards and you are definitely going to need better ammo than Federal power-shok to have any kind of consistency out that far. Try some premium ammunition (the expensive stuff) and see how things go as you make your way out further. You may need to try a few different types and weights to figure out which your barrel likes best. Hopefully you are able to shoot groups less than 2 inches at 200 yards if you want to hit consistently at 800-1000 yards. How big are your groups at 200 and 500yards? Groups get exponentially larger the further out you go.
You may want a scope with more magnification if you plan to shoot 1000 yards. I was shooting 1100 yards with my 308 a few weeks ago and I have a 6-24x50 scope on mine and can't imagine using much less than that to shoot that far accurately. There is almost no energy left in a 308 at 1000 yards but the bullet will make it out there.

Good luck
 
The farthest I have shot a 308 is 1200 yards. That was at a 24" bull, using match ammo, iron sights, of my elbows and also off a rest. When marking those targets, the angle of the bullets coming in was quite steep.

Our rifles typically have 30" or 32" barrels and the ammo is loaded quite hot (3050 fps) . I would say 1200 is about max for the 308.

If I wanted to shoot farther (I have shot 1600 yards) I would use a 6.5-284.
 
I was shooting my 308 at 1200 yards on the weekend, at the new range near Edson. Using 208gr Hornady at 2420fps needed almost 57moa, maxed out my scope at 41moa and used the lowest hashmark on my reticle. I have a load with 185gr Bergers that I suspect will do a little better.
 
All comments made thus far regarding the .308 at 500 and 1000 metres are helpful. I am expecting the unexpected at 1000 metres. My goal is to hit dead centre on the paper at 1000. To expect less usually results in achieving far less.

I don't have much invested in the gun thus far, and I never expected it to give 6-8 cm groups at 325 metres. Someone asked what groups am I getting beyond that. The results at 500 metres thus far are inconclusive. Target position at that distance was far from ideal. At that range, the bottom two-thirds of the paper were partially covered by light grass. I am re-locating to better ground in a few days. In any event, with unsupported elbows, at 500 metres I am able to do 40 cm "groups." You can laugh along with me on that one, but one thing is certain: I am having a ball!!!

Next time I'll use a stand, sand, better ammo, and less caffeine!
 
Great to hear. Results will come with more experience. I'm looking forward to your fun. Can't do anything for a few weeks because of knee surgery (last Friday). Can't wait to have fun like you!!

Keep it up!
 
Willybuch said:
Seconded for the sniper 101 vids, also 8541 tactical has some good vids, the lighter boolits are more for hunting at closer ranges to maximize penetration. You will need a slightly longer heavier bullet (175gr+ is what most people reccomend for a 308), 308 match are kinda expensive though. Best of luck and let us know how it turns out cause I'm actually interested to see what a ruger american can do.
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I agree. I'm only through the fourth video, but I've learned a lot about cartridges and bullet design to help me. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series as I go through my build and beginning LR shooting.
 
I had no issues running my .308 and 178amax load out to 1000m, once I started to break that I started to see my groups really open up and inconsistencies. At 1350 yards it was atrocious. That's when I sold it to fund a 7mm build. .308 is the best way to get into long range. It is easy to load for and 1000 is a great place to start. Once the bug bites you though, 1000 doesn't seem to be far enough. My .284 is nice out to a mile, my .338 improved is for out past that. Long range is like crack, a little is never enough. Enjoy your new habit!! I mean hobby.
 
Mad-Dog said:
I don't own a precision rifle, but I am making this inquiry here because I have recently taken up shooting a .308 for the first time. I am using a new hunting rifle with 22" standard-weight barrel, a two-stage factory trigger, and a 4X-12X Vortex scope. I had not intended to use this rifle for long-range shooting. I expected less, and it is delivering more. I find that amazing from an American-made rifle, but there it is.

Using Federal 150gr Power-Shok factory loads - I don't reload - I am getting what the specs suggest: Zeroed at 200 metres, trajectory is about -55 inches (140 cms. I think in metric, but 55 inches may help get my point across). That factory info is about right, as far as it goes.

Question: I now want to reach out to 1000 metres. I can't find any data from Federal or anyone else at that range. What trajectory should I predict, to at least get me on the paper at 1000 metres?
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^^^Laugh if you will (I did!) but although we are using very different guns, I have so far been able to get my .308 out to 800m with a consistent 4 of 5 rounds into a 6" group. May not sound like much to most but I'm tickled with it! keep in mind, although I have been shooting guns off and on for about 15 years or so, I have only had a Lic and my own collection for a couple of years and in that time I have just started playing with longer ranges with what I currently have.

I typically shoot cheap mil surp ammo but as u know they are hit and miss when shooting at distances out past 300m or so. For store bought so far I have tried federal 180gr premium, Fed 170gr standard and Remington 170gr. All with sim results except the 180's, I hadn't 'cam'd' my scope proper for those.

I have a souped up "SmithFieldSadlac-a-Norcinstine" in a JAE stock using a Leatherwood (HiLux) M1200 A.R.T. scope. I have mapped the range with a survey grade rover to ensure accuracy of distance. I have only got out this far twice so far. Last time was the first time I had to actually account for any wind as it's not usually to windy where I shoot. My shots seem to still have enough punch at that distance to go clean through an alum. water heater tank from an old travel trailer. I even hit the 2x4 stand I made and they punched through that. I was surprised at the force they still carried at that distance considering I am shooting slightly up hill as well.

Fun stuff, can't wait to learn more and am getting the itching to buy a proper long range set up and get started with some "Bolt Action"!
 
K0na_stinky said:
Since your interested in long range shooting you may as well learn a bit about ballistics.

Google search for the JBM ballistic calculator and then learn how to use it. It comes across as really intimidating when you first look at it but if you go step by step its pretty simple.

Also do a youtube search for TiborasaurusRex. If you watch his Sniper 101 series you will learn everything there is to know about long range shooting.
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Good advice! thanks
 
Don't get too frustrated when It doesn't work out the first few outings. The slightest shift in wind at a grand with a 150gr hunting projectile is going to send it several feet one way or the other. But remember this: If the target is big you'll hit it. And if you fling enough lead at a small target you'll hit it eventually!
 
Mad-Dog said:
All comments made thus far regarding the .308 at 500 and 1000 metres are helpful. I am expecting the unexpected at 1000 metres. My goal is to hit dead centre on the paper at 1000. To expect less usually results in achieving far less.

I don't have much invested in the gun thus far, and I never expected it to give 6-8 cm groups at 325 metres. Someone asked what groups am I getting beyond that. The results at 500 metres thus far are inconclusive. Target position at that distance was far from ideal. At that range, the bottom two-thirds of the paper were partially covered by light grass. I am re-locating to better ground in a few days. In any event, with unsupported elbows, at 500 metres I am able to do 40 cm "groups." You can laugh along with me on that one, but one thing is certain: I am having a ball!!!

Next time I'll use a stand, sand, better ammo, and less caffeine!
Click to expand...

Shooting a .308 at 1000m is a huge leap over shooting a .308 at 500m (even if you are using a purpose-built match rifle, with carefully handloaded and tuned match ammo). If I might make a suggestion, once you are happy with how you and your rifle/ammo are doing at 500m, you might try 700m next. It'll be harder and more challenging, but a much more reasonable (and hopefully still fun) step.

At distances like 800m and 900m, you'll probably find that your group size is quite "tall", due to your faster bullets arriving a bit sooner than your slower bullets. The only way to improve your group size at longer ranges like this is to use ammo whose speed from shot to shot varies less. Usually this means handloading, using great care. Factory match ammo (the high quality, $2+/rd kind), almost without exception, does not produce particularly good velocity spreads - it shoots extremely well out to 600 but tends to open up beyond that. Only a few kinds of highly specialized commercial match ammo are made with weighed powder charges and are able to shoot as well as carefully made handloads (Applied Ballistics and Lone Star are two that I know of).

Shooting a .308 at 1000m is doable, but it can be surprisingly more difficult than shooting a .308 at 900m.
 
Good advice not to get frustrated. Now I have got to take that to heart. I have moved to match ammo, but I am going to take a break before returning to 1000 metres. It won't be surprising to you long range guys, but results are hard to come by, for first-timers like me. My bullets have neatly combined a field of hay for the farmer. I'll be back. I have found this to be a challenge! Walk away from it? Not me!
 
If you want to make a 1000 yard poke, ya better start reloading, get a better scope, get better bullets with higher b.c., start reading and start spending money. A bull barrel of 24-26 inches would serve you better. 308 max effective range is considered to be 800 yards.
 
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