User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
IA, USA
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Posted: 10/3/2019 2:37:41 PM EDT
What loads has everyone found best for getting the 308 cartridge out to 800+ yards? I'd rather just do reloads instead of buying off the shelf rounds.
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FL, USA
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Posted: 10/3/2019 3:38:14 PM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 10/4/2019 12:44:42 PM EDT
[#2]
Varget and 178 ELDs will do the job well.
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NH, USA
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Posted: 10/4/2019 7:29:06 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Road_Clam]
[#3]
Savage 12 FT-R and i'm running Berger 155.5 FB's and 45-45.7 gr of good 'ol Varget ! I'm at about 2930 fps from a 30" bbl.
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Posted: 10/9/2019 2:16:58 PM EDT
[#4]
Winchester brass has the most internal case capacity. It allows room for more powder. Lapua is outstanding as well.
168 grain Sierra Match Kings don't do well past 800 yards. 175 grain SMK's do. Varget RE-15 VihtaVuori N150 IMR-4895 Norma 203B H4895 VihtaVuori N140 All of these powders work great in .308 long range loads. I would try any of the first four before expanding my search. Like posted above, dedicated .308 long range rifles almost always have 30" (or longer) barrels. You can get away with a 26", only losing 100 fps to a 30". 20" barrels are better for <700 yards. Other people will dispute this, but 20" barrels really do handicap .308 bolt actions when it comes to long range performance. You have to have 2600+ fps muzzle velocity from a 175 SMK to stay supersonic @ 1000 yards, a minimum of 2550 fps from a 190 grain SMK. Seating the bullets closer to the lands helps. I have fired a lot of 600 yard tournaments with iron sights, both service rifle and bolt actions. 1000 is much harder. There is no comparison. Wind and mirage plays hell at long distance. |
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Posted: 10/9/2019 3:44:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SuperDutyMikeMc]
[#5]
Berger 200.20X
Berger 185 Jug Powders: Varget H4895 N140 N150 Cases: Lapua Palma Primers: Whatever SRP you want Edit: Barrel length is critical here. You need as much as you can get. You'll also want a 1:11 or better yet a 1:10 to stabilize the heavies at sea level. |
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Posted: 10/9/2019 3:54:42 PM EDT
[#6]
With Varget and a 20" barrel you can get get right around 2700fps with 178s. No problem getting to 1000 and then some. All depends on the game as to the length you want to go for barrel. For PRS Tac I run a 24" and get the 178s around 2775. My old 22" ran them around 2725fps and I shot that to 1350 yards in PRS style matches. If shooting F Class then it's a different game and 30" barrels are the norm.
Also not all 168s are the same. The 168 Sierra sucks going transonic past 800 but other 168s like the 168 ELDs do great at longer ranges. The 168 ELDs actually have a higher BC than the 175 SMK by a good margin. |
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USA
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Posted: 1/21/2020 2:51:41 PM EDT
[#7]
Pretty much anything will do 800 yds out of a 308. I've shot 125gr Ballistic Tips at that range from my 20" Savage Precision Carbine.
The 168's are my least favourite bullet in 30 caliber. The shape of the bullet (fat bum and long nose) make it more difficult to stabilize and the weight and BC combination mean it just won't fly all that far before hitting the sonic barrier and turning sideways. I just picked up a load of Scenar 155gr VLD's which should be fine out to 1100 yds. For longer distances I've been using the 208 AMAX. I'm hoping to get those out to 1400 yds this summer. The ballistics say that bullet will be supersonic out to nearly 1300 yds so we are gonna see if they will cross the sound barrier and remain stable. |
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Posted: 1/21/2020 5:25:58 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SilencerMan:
The 168's are my least favourite bullet in 30 caliber. The shape of the bullet (fat bum and long nose) make it more difficult to stabilize and the weight and BC combination mean it just won't fly all that far before hitting the sonic barrier and turning sideways. |
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USA
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Posted: 1/21/2020 8:12:25 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Rob01: You need to try another 168 instead of the SMKs. Not all are like that or turn sideways when going transonic. |
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Posted: 1/21/2020 8:21:50 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SilencerMan:
Actually I wasn't using the SMKs. They would have been the Nosler J4 168. I used that bullet for years but there are so many better options, either more velocity or higher BC for long range. It is like the middle of the road bullet just doesn't maximize any factor and so falls behind. |
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USA
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Posted: 1/22/2020 3:02:28 AM EDT
[#11]
208 AMAX has a .690 BC
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PA, USA
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Posted: 1/22/2020 9:43:19 AM EDT
[#12]
What's your barrel length? What action? Controlledvfeed or push?
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Posted: 1/22/2020 9:58:55 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SilencerMan:
208 AMAX has a .690 BC |
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USA
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Posted: 1/22/2020 2:51:27 PM EDT
[#14]
I have about 500 of the 208 AMAX and the new ELD version so thats what we are going with.
After running the numbers through the ballistic calculator, nothing maintains velocity as well as the 208. Even though it starts out slower, it keeps going way further than anything else I've looked at. I've got a box of 178gr AMAX and 600 of the Lapua 155gr Scenar, both of which I was hoping I could push faster and thus gain distance but the lower BCs of those bullets mean they don't stay supersonic as far out. I know that a bigger case would make all this a bit easier but I don't have anything bigger than the 308 and I have no desire to buy another rifle. |
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Posted: 1/22/2020 4:58:34 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SilencerMan:
I have about 500 of the 208 AMAX and the new ELD version so thats what we are going with. After running the numbers through the ballistic calculator, nothing maintains velocity as well as the 208. Even though it starts out slower, it keeps going way further than anything else I've looked at. I've got a box of 178gr AMAX and 600 of the Lapua 155gr Scenar, both of which I was hoping I could push faster and thus gain distance but the lower BCs of those bullets mean they don't stay supersonic as far out. I know that a bigger case would make all this a bit easier but I don't have anything bigger than the 308 and I have no desire to buy another rifle. For an all around good .308 bullet for practice and matches I never use anything heavier than the 178s in my .308s. I have shot the 178 AMAX to 1350 yards in matches and hit but even the AMAX has a lower BC than it's similar ELD-M brothers. The 168 ELD-M has a higher BC than the 178 AMAX and those 168 ELDs would do better at farther distances than the AMAX. You can get them going faster and than the 178s. I have my 178 loads at about 2695fps in my 20" .308 with Varget. The 168s are close to 2800fps. The 178 ELD-M has a .547 BC also if you wanted higher BCs but more velocity in a more standard load than the 208s. |
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USA
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Posted: 1/22/2020 9:02:39 PM EDT
[#16]
I hear what you are saying. However I have a decent stock of the older AMAX so those will get used up first. I understand that what I'm doing is not within the "normal" parameters of what the 308 generally gets used for. Its just a fun challenge for me and I live in an area with huge wide open spaces so we have the room to shoot. Pushing the limits of what a caliber can do is interesting to me. So many people underestimate what most rifles can do.
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CA, USA
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Posted: 1/23/2020 12:50:12 AM EDT
[#17]
What rifle? What’s the max coal that will fit in your mag? You wanna single feed it?
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IN, USA
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Posted: 1/24/2020 4:53:51 PM EDT
[#18]
I’ve had good luck with IMR 4895 and the 178gr ELD-M
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OR, USA
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Posted: 1/25/2020 7:36:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: QCB]
[#19]
Bweltz,
As Rob has said, you might want to try the 168 ELD. Hornady recently revised their BC's and the 168 is so close to their 178 that you might be better off using it. I still have a couple hundred 178's to load but after than am switching to the 168 ELD in my 20 inch tactical Remington 40X. .251 G7 versus .254 for 178 grain at Mach 1.75 which you should use for long range portion of bullets flight time. I am not sure I can post a link here but Google Hornady Ballistic Coefficients and look for their update on three Mach levels. I might add that the 168 grain is tolerant of many powder choices compared to the 178 which really likes Varget over anything else. |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 1/25/2020 11:38:07 PM EDT
[#20]
cmcque,
I have about 5 pounds of IMR 4895 Id like to use and a couple hundred 178's. How fast can you push them w 4895? Did not look promising from Hornady manual. |
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Posted: 1/26/2020 9:15:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: snakeyes711]
[#21]
Has any one shot the 178eldx? I hear it has a different profile from the eldm. considering I'd hunt with it, i could just do one work up.
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Posted: 1/26/2020 9:20:46 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By snakeyes711:
Has any one shot the 178eldx? I hear it has a different profile from the eldm. considering I'd hunt with it, i could just do one work up. |
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Posted: 1/26/2020 11:53:21 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By snakeyes711:
Has any one shot the 178eldx? I hear it has a different profile from the eldm. considering I'd hunt with it, i could just do one work up. |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 1/27/2020 4:37:05 PM EDT
[#24]
I tried the ELD-X facotry ammo out to 800 yards (22.5 MOA) and duplicated factory velocity with 42.5 grains Varget.
the new Hornady BC data shows the 178 ELD-X as having a higher BC than the 178 ELD-M. Check it out. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 1/27/2020 11:24:18 PM EDT
[#25]
I use the 178 ELDX. I do 2625 fps with Varget, 8208 XBR and RL15 from an 18" barrel and have no issues outside of wind at 1k.
I've also taken 4 elk, about 6 deer and a few antelope with it. No issues. |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 1/28/2020 4:20:58 PM EDT
[#26]
The revised Hornady BC's for the 178 grain ELD-M and ELD-X are worth taking a look at.
At 2512 fps, 2232 fps and 1953 fps they look like this. 178-M, .278, .273, .271. 178-M, .275, .265, .254. Just the opposite of what you would think. The X does not have higher BC's in other calibers. Go figure? Hornady states that changes in their prototype versus production bullets resulted in the revised readings. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/19/2020 7:24:51 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By HighpowerRifleBrony: @Bearcat24 I shot the 178 ELD-X in a savage 24 in bull barrel. Shot great. Got the case of the dumb ass and sold the rifle to get a fluted barrel with threads. Bad idea. Doesn't shoot them very well. Moved up to the 200 ELD-X. Shooting great. Using RL17 since varget can't get high enough powder to push these. Only problem with RL17 is its temp sensitive. Have to develope load in the summer. But it works sweet. |
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