308 Range Report

[dmsims21]

It has been too long since I made it to the range. I am still waiting on my Grendel upper, so I took my 308 out. I just mounted my Nikon Monarch with a new picatiny rail. So I bore sighted and put the first shot within an inch of center at 50yds.
Then I moved to 100yds. I also was lucky to get a break in the wind and rain. I shot a few groups with some new loads along with my standby of 168gr A-Max over 43gr of Var get and Fed 210 @ 2.8" OAL. It is a bit slow at 2500fps, but it is accurate. I put 3 in 0.02" and 5 in 0.66" with a light weight barrel.

I met another shooter who recommended I try 175gr projos since my barrel is a 1in 11 twist. I will have to order some.

[Rambozo]

I haven't found much correlation between twist rate and consistency. I think it's just a matter of stabilization. I've shot 175s out of a 12 twist, and 155s out of a 10 twist with no ill effect. Just because it's an 11 twist, doesn't mean that the 175s are the magic pills.

With the 175, you will likely find that your current load is right close to where you want to be. Most of the guys around here are shooting 42.5 - 43.3 grains of Varget. 42.5 with a .060 jump seems to be the prefered load by some. Personally, I prefer IMR4895 at 43.3 or 45gr. This powder doesn't seem to be too picky with this bullet. If I remember correctly, 43.3 gives me about 2680fps, and 45gr gives me around 2770fps. Both of those loads shoot reasonably well. I would work up to the 45 of course, as that one is a bit warm. Keep in mind that the 178 Hornady BTHP is quite a bit different of a bullet than the Sierra's or Noslers. That one has a long bearing surface. 43.3 gives me right around 2770fps, and seems to shoot just as well.

I prefer the 155gr bullets though, and for that, I like 41.5 grains of H322. Coincidentally, that renders a near identical velocity with the 155 as the IMR4895 does with the 175, at least with the Nosler or Sierra(2155). I shoot those at .020 from the lands. The Sierra Palma Matchking (2156) I shoot at a .010 jump, and that gives me a slightly higher velocity of around 2800fps. The Palma matchking also shoots marginally better too, but seems to be a much more finicky bullet. 45gr of H335 also seems to work well with these bullets.

All of these loads I shoot from a 27in barrel, and they all seem to shoot about as equally well out of Lapua, Remington, or Winchester brass. Nosler Brass has a notably smaller case capacity.

For the Nosler brass, I'll shoot 168s on top of around 40 grains of 8208xbr with around a .020 jump. A guy at the club is having luck with 42 grains though.

I would wager that you will find that these will shoot pretty well for you.

[bwaites]

42 grains of XBR 8208 under 175's seems to shoot pretty well in a bunch of rifles.

[tackdriver]

Is it safe to say the 8208 is a good powder for the grendel and the .308. My .308 likes varget but from what I understand its to slow for the Grendel

[bwaites]

Verget is too slow for the Grendel. Its a great .308 powder. I had thought XBR might be too fast for the .308, but lots of reading on the internet convinced me otherwise, then a few very experienced .308 shooters told me it worked great in the .308 as well, and that they were very happy with it.

[dmsims21]

Thanks for the info guys.