What loads do you use for .308 for shooting roughly 600m?

C9-Gunner

C9-Gunner

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Hey guys,

I'm new to the precision rifle world as well as reloading.

I have a Savage 10 FCP with McMillian stock in .308.

I'm starting to reload and I've heard some good things about the Hornady A-Max 168gr

What's powder and what is this talk about seating the bullet a little longer?

Anyone else using a Savage 10 out there that could shed some light for this little newbie for what would shoot best?

My current target range is at roughly 500 - 600 meters out in the mountains.
have zero the rifle at about 200 meters

I can shoot a nice group with the factory 180gr soft tip (1.5 inches or so at 120 meters *give or take half an inch here and there*)
 
I use the following load out to 1000 yards in competition, seems to be one of the better I have ever worked with:

175gr. SMK BTHP
43.0gr. Varget
Win case
Fed 210M primer
2.83" COL
2650fps

Shot out of a Rem 700P, will do about .5-1MOA consistantly. I have had one group at 300 yards, five shots at .305" which represents my best group at that distance. Its a good load. All powder charges are hand metered.
 
I have shot Hornady 168gr Amax, 168gr hpbt, Nosler 168gr hpbt. All shoot great with 44gr Varget. Also try IMR 4064. I load them touching, but try load it touching or 5 thous back and see how your rifle shoots.
 
I have a Savage 10FP with the choate stock.
I have only been able to experiment with a couple of different bullets and such but this is what I am using and it works pretty well.

COAL (Cartridge overall length): 2.803"
Charge: 43.5gr Varget, or 45.5gr BL-C(2)
Bullet: Speer 168gr BTHP Match, or Lapua 167gr BTHP Scenar
Primer: Win LR

Assuming you are new to reloading watch the COAL. Your throat maybe shorter than some, so just check to see that you are not jamming into the lands. (My brother has a model 12 and my COAL is way too long for his rifle, shouldn't be, but it is for him)
 
Try some Berger VLDs and Sierras aswell.

I have a 10Fp with a 1 in 10 twist. I haven't started reloading for it yet but have a wackload of bullets from 150 grains right up to 208 grains. Most bullets are rated at match bullets from Hornady, Sierra, Berger and Chinchaga.

Gonna be more of a science experiment. Keep good records of what you have tried. Bullet, powder and primer combinations.
 
Do your homework on Ballistic Coefficients. It does not matter what the bullet weighs: A 155 grain bullet and 175 grain bullet with the same BC will do exactly the same thing, except the 155 will go WAY faster, and thus outperform the heavier bullets.

Consider the New Sierra 155 grain or the Berger 155.5 grain. These will give you roughly 2900 - 3000 fps, whereas you will be luck to break 2700 with a 175. These 154 - 156 grain Palma bullets have great BC's for their weight, and they were specifically designed for maximum 700 - 900M accuracy from a 308.

With your twist, the clear choice in heavier bullets is the 208 Amax, but you are trading speed for BC.
 
My current target load:

Berger 168Gr. HPBT match @ 2.800"
43.4 Gr. Varget
Remmy brass
CCI BR2 primers

2660 fps with a nice tight vertical spread @ 600 yards. The wind plays with my horizontal alot, because I am still learning the art of wind-reading.
 
168gr SMK HPBT
Lapua Brass
CCI BR-2 Primers
8208 XBR Powder 43.2 gr

I lucked out and came across a couple of bottles of 8208 XBR. I'm really liking it or at least my gun is. Super consistent. It's going to be real frustrating finding more when I run out here in the near future.
 
C9-Gunner said:
Hey guys,

I'm new to the precision rifle world as well as reloading.

I have a Savage 10 FCP with McMillian stock in .308.

I'm starting to reload and I've heard some good things about the Hornady A-Max 168gr

What's powder and what is this talk about seating the bullet a little longer?

Anyone else using a Savage 10 out there that could shed some light for this little newbie for what would shoot best?

My current target range is at roughly 500 - 600 meters out in the mountains.
have zero the rifle at about 200 meters

I can shoot a nice group with the factory 180gr soft tip (1.5 inches or so at 120 meters *give or take half an inch here and there*)
Click to expand...

Savage Mcmillan 10FPC have a very short leed, there is no need to load amax any longer than 2.800" 168grain Nosler work very well as 168grain Sierra, my like 45grain Varget, 45grain BC-2 work the best also IMR4064 43.5-44.5grain. You will have to cut a channel from the mouth of the brass pass the shoulder, feed around into the brass make sure is slightly tight, then put inside you rifles and closed the bolt, this will allow the Ogive of the bullet hit the Rifling and will seat the bullet to the brass, check it several time to get the average(if the bullet sit inside the brass lose, you bullet will stuck to the rifling, make sure it tight enough to stay in the brass)you OAL will be different for every bullet.
 
GunBoy said:
check it several time to get the average(if the bullet sit inside the brass lose, you bullet will stuck to the rifling, make sure it tight enough to stay in the brass)you OAL will be different for every bullet.
Click to expand...

If you want a more repeatable way to measure OAL, get a bullet comparator (I got mine from sinclair for $20-$30):
www. sinclairintl.com/images/large/09-600_a-l.jpg

The comparator is used with calipers to measure the length from the base of the round to the ogive of the bullet, which gives a more repeatable value.
 
You can guy one or just make one, the trick is to cut the case and resize it to have the right friction when putting bullet into the brass, have it holding firm, but not too firm, I been using for year for all my caliber from 243 up to 300winmag, when set up properly, it will measure accurate repeatable, there is no need to buy, but if you wish to spend the money and get something nice then go for it, but it won't work any better or worse...
 
If I had to get one, it would be Sinclair seating depth gauge, very handy tool to have if you wish to shoot long range.
 
Another trick is, if you are using the the Lee Collet Die. Set the die so it will only size the neck firm enough to hold the bullet. You will have to scew the die in a little at a time antil the neck is sized enough that you would have to force it into the neck with your hand and take some force to pull it out.
Works great.
 
.308

Here is what works in my rifle.
I use the Hornady l&l to measure the chamber length and use a comparator to maintain the seating depth.

Lupa Brass
43.0 Varget
Fed 210M primers
.175 smk
Seated to (.018" ) off

5 shot chronoed average is 2703

**** OR ****
Lupa Brass
42.0 VVN-150
Fed 210M primers
.175 Berger VLD
Seated to ( .010 " ) off

5 shot chronoed average is 2649

I use redding Comp dies i neck size and maintain a ( .002 " ) neck tension
 
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