Best .308 win rounds for longerish range shooting

[KellyP]

To be honest I have had excellent results with 147gr campro (yes campro) backed up 42.5gr benchmark with WLR primers in RP casings, this keeps me sub moa. This also takes me ou to 700 yards easily.

There is no such thing as a "best" load. There are all kinds of trade offs in every choice you make. Shooters tend to be quite conservative and thus will cluster around generally held beliefs. There is no reason those beliefs are true and most shooters will never experiment to see if they are.

Heavier bullets cost more and will generate more recoil.

Personally I have had great results using 125gr Ballistic Tips in my 20" 308 all the way out to 800 yds. These bullets are fast and flat and don't generate a big wallop on my shoulder. The combination of the Nosler 125s and Varget produces 5/8" 5-shot groups for me.

 

[TheReal_Vader]

If you're loading for precision, my experience is 1:10 twist .308's tend to prefer 168's, personally I like Hornady 168 BTHP. I haven't had much luck with 175/178's from my .308's although lots of people do!

That being said, if you're new to reloading I would recommend you pick yourself up a chrono and start with some bulk FMJ's (147/150gr). Start low, work your way up until you find something your rifle likes. Keep track of all your data, this is the most critical part! Reloading is just like anything else, if you want to get good, practice, practice, practice.

 

[Gabrile]

178 SMK
H414 - 44.5 - 48 G

I have a 22" barrel with 1:11 Twist., Just today i was testing that load and it shot great with 46G h414.

For 168 SMK it shot great with Varget 41.5G

Both will hit a long range easy.

You need to see the sweet spot for yur rifle

 

[b_w.]

I am going to start working on a load for 185g Juggernauts with Varget for my RPR with 20 inch barrel. Will see in a few weeks how it does.

 

[Gunneegoogoo]

I am going to start working on a load for 185g Juggernauts with Varget for my RPR with 20 inch barrel. Will see in a few weeks how it does.

That's exactly my combo for my FTR rifle.

 

[burnaby]

TRG 20" barrel
168SMK

Varget 5 shot group
44.1gn Avg 2588, SD 5.5, ES 14 (best group 0.3") using MagnetSpeed.
44.2, 2606, 9, 23
44.3, 2616, 9, 21

Consistent 100m 1/2" 5 shot groups when I do my part.

 

[Klemmy31]

I am going to start working on a load for 185g Juggernauts with Varget for my RPR with 20 inch barrel. Will see in a few weeks how it does.

Keep us posted on how that goes. I'm figuring out the same with some 185 berger hybrids

 

[Kosmic]

If the numbers are right, nothing beats the Hornady ELDs. price/BC

 

[awion]

From my experience, at ranges up to 600 yds, 168 grains works good. For ranges between 600 and 1000 yds, 175 grain works better and 180 grain the best. Powders I used are predominantly IMR 4064, IMR4895, Varget, IMR3031, N140 from Vihta, Benchmark.

I found that ( shooting Savage 308 FCP with HS stock) Hornady 168 gr AMAX makes the best groups at 600 yds. Past 600 yds, the 168 grainers tend to disperse. For 1000 yds best group I got was with Sierra HPBT 180 gr measuring 6 inch ( all 5 rounds).

Also, brass neck tension is very important. I experimented quite a bit, and from my experience Lapua brass worked the best. After 6th use, brass must be annealed otherwise dispersion on 1000 yds goes to 10-12 inches and it is difficult to extract brass from chamber.