Best .308 bullet selection for PRs-style shooting?

T

Tikka223

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
74   0   0
Location
New Brunswick
I’m curious as I’ll be shooting a .308 for the rest of the summer and I shoot mostly PRS-style.

Presently my go-to load is 168gr SMK at a velocity of about 2650fps (I’m running a 20” barrel CTR). I’ve only got a couple of hundred SMKs left so I’m wondering if there is something better in .308. Maybe a lighter faster projectile? Anything with particularly a good BC?

Thoughts?
 
168gr SMKs are a poor choice. Once they go transonic, they become very unstable and tumble, that's around 8-900m in a 308win. Best bet is a 175-178gr match bullet. Anything from Lapua, Berger, 175gr SMK, or Hornady ELD-M will be better.
 
Not a single competitive shooter in tactical division will run heavy 175gr + bullets.

The go to bullets for prs in 308 is the 155/168 Berger Hybrid or Hornady ELD-M right at 2750/2780 fps.

More than able to get you at 1000 to 1300 meters.
 
kevin9934 said:
Not a single competitive shooter in tactical division will run heavy 175gr + bullets.

The go to bullets for prs in 308 is the 155/168 Berger Hybrid or Hornady ELD-M right at 2750/2780 fps.

More than able to get you at 1000 to 1300 meters.
Click to expand...

Plenty of guys in Tac (not that there are plenty of guys in Tac, haha) run 175gr RDFs. Best BC in a .308 bullet allowed in Tac.
 
With a short 20” barrel I would suggest 175 - 185 grain bullets. 155’s need speed to combat wind drift, 20” barrel is not ideal for that.
 
kevin9934 said:
Not a single competitive shooter in tactical division will run heavy 175gr + bullets.

The go to bullets for prs in 308 is the 155/168 Berger Hybrid or Hornady ELD-M right at 2750/2780 fps.

More than able to get you at 1000 to 1300 meters.
Click to expand...

Buck Holly finished second OVERALL in Tactical last year and he is running the 175 gr Sierra TMK's. If anything, more shooters that I have seen at club matches and national level appear to be running the 175's or 178's.

I agree with Ryan and Dave, bang for your buck; shoot the 178 gr BTHP's or 175 RDF's, but you could always experiment with a couple to see what velocities/groups you get. If I were jumping into Tac division right now, the RDF's would probably be my choice.
 
I’ve been shooting the 178gr eld-m out of my 20” barrels with great results. Maybe not the cheapest option but they work and haven’t been picky when doing load development.
 
kevin9934 said:
Not a single competitive shooter in tactical division will run heavy 175gr + bullets.

The go to bullets for prs in 308 is the 155/168 Berger Hybrid or Hornady ELD-M right at 2750/2780 fps.

More than able to get you at 1000 to 1300 meters.
Click to expand...

Count me in as curious as to where this information comes from.

Just about the only time I've known of anybody shooting in Tac division with anything but a 175 RDF, Berger OTM or similar is when we were forced to shoot 168 or less at Meaford

The few guys running 155's are either breaking the speed limit or seriously handicapping themselves.
 
rgv said:
The few guys running 155's are either breaking the speed limit or seriously handicapping themselves.
Click to expand...

^^^^
This

Best to stay clear of the 168 SMK and its clones for anything much past 700m.
If you want to shoot the 155, then get it going to around 2950-3000fps, but then you would be putting yourself up against those in open division.
I use the 175 SMK, and run them well under the 2800 fps tactical division limit.
Your 20" barrel is also a bit of a handicap.
You may be asking your rifle to do something it isn't rightly rigged to do.
In the end, it's all good fun though.

Tikka223 said:
and I shoot mostly PRS-style.
Click to expand...
If you're not actually shooting matches, but shooting PRS-style, then none of this really matters.
Go light and get it going as fast as you can safely get it, or else go big but slower.
 
Last edited:
Shelldrake said:
^^^^
This

Best to stay clear of the 168 SMK and its clones for anything much past 700m.
If you want to shoot the 155, then get it going to around 2950-3000fps, but then you would be putting yourself up against those in open division.
I use the 175 SMK, and run them well under the 2800 fps tactical division limit.
Your 20" barrel is also a bit of a handicap.
You may be asking your rifle to do something it isn't rightly rigged to do.
In the end, it's all good fun though.


If you're not actually shooting matches, but shooting PRS-style, then none of this really matters.
Go light and get it going as fast as you can safely get it, or else go big but slower.
Click to expand...

I shoot off of barricades and what-not when I’m at the range and I shoot the local matches that I can attend. I know there are big limitations with relatively light 20” barrel so really I’m just playing around. I plan on spinning on a proper barrel this winter.

I’ve got some heavier stuff to try in my shop. Pretty sure I have some Berger 185gr Hybrids to try and possibly some 175gr SMKs.
 
Honestly, I'd give the 175 RDFs a go if I were you, they've worked great for me. If they don't shoot in your gun (and they didn't in the one 20" factory barrel I had but should great in both my Benchmark and Hardy barrels) then try the 178 ELDMs. Super similar BC and a bit more forgiving. The BC on the 175 SMK isn't great. The only guys I've known to shoot them get lots of free M118 LR, haha.
 
Doesn't PRS tac have a weight and velocity restriction on the 308 and 223?

How far you will need to reach and how windy are you likely to see should also be put into the mix?

There are some new set ups that can be both mag fed and improve the traditional 308 ballistics a bunch but they will use bullets over 178gr and recoil wll be stout.

If not going much past 800yds, alot of "basic" 30cal bullets can work just fine... if going to 1k and beyond, then the choices narrow a bunch.

Jerry
 
Mystic Precision said:
Doesn't PRS tac have a weight and velocity restriction on the 308 and 223?

How far you will need to reach and how windy are you likely to see should also be put into the mix?

There are some new set ups that can be both mag fed and improve the traditional 308 ballistics a bunch but they will use bullets over 178gr and recoil wll be stout.

If not going much past 800yds, alot of "basic" 30cal bullets can work just fine... if going to 1k and beyond, then the choices narrow a bunch.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Yeah, there are weight and speed restrictions:


2.2.1.1 NATO/.223 Remington has a bullet weight cap of 77 grains and muzzle velocity cannot exceed
3,000 fps.
2.2.1.2 7.62 NATO/.308 Winchester has a bullet weight cap of 178 grains and muzzle velocity cannot
exceed 2,800 fps.
 
rgv said:
Count me in as curious as to where this information comes from.

Just about the only time I've known of anybody shooting in Tac division with anything but a 175 RDF, Berger OTM or similar is when we were forced to shoot 168 or less at Meaford

The few guys running 155's are either breaking the speed limit or seriously handicapping themselves.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if RGV was going to weigh in on this. You still did pretty well at Meaford even with those 168s :cheers:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom