.308 Lite bullets

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C7AR15

New member
I have been reloading 168 grain HPBT for my 308 and just getting really average groups.

So I find a box of Ammo I loaded 4 years ago:

110 SP Flat base, 44 grains of varget , I think I loaded it for gophers,
anyway I proceed to shoot off the bench at 100YDS and
WOW 5 shots in a 5/8" group. Best ever from my Savage Model 12.

What gives ??? With the 308 all you ever hear is 168g HPBT and now I find a light, flat base, hunting bullet gives fantastic accuracy??????

Anybody else using light bullets in 308 ? JD
 
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jmr40

New member
The 130 gr Barnes TTSX bullets are getting a good reputation as giant killers. I get 3100 fps from them with good accuracy in my 308. Outstanding penetration and expansion on really large game. Comparble to the 165 gr bullets. Lots of guys are having success on elk, bear, etc. with this bullet. The disadvantage is that the light weight and poor BC does not translate into a long range round, but out to 300 yards there isn't much in the lower 48 I wouldn't hunt with them.

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=targets007.jpg
 
2

20thru45

New member
.308 win with 130 ttsx is nice but I had a little better luck with the 150s and took two deer last year with that projectile. One head shot at 35 yards and one heart shot at 100. Both blacktail deer went nowhere. Either way I'm a firm believer in the Barnes TTSX line with light for caliber bullets. My old ought six loves 130s and my .338 likes the 210s.
 
M

Mobuck

Moderator
Simple 100 yard accuracy is NOT the whole story. At longer range, the heavier bullets deliver better trajectory(secondary), have less wind deflection, and are more stable than lighter, shorter bullets. In many cases the somewhat odd choice of bullet weight(155,168,178) is based on the ability of a given cartridge to push a bullet fast enough out the muzzle to achieve supersonic velocity over the full distance to a target. It might be that a rifle with a longer barrel will make this requirement while one with 2" less barrel length won't. This one reason you may see heavier bullets with a lower muzzle velocity used at longer ranges. Even though they start out slower, the higher SD/BC keeps them supersonic longer overall.
 
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tobnpr

New member
Very light bullet for the .308, esp for Varget- Hodgdon doesn't even list load data for less than 125 grain bullets with that powder.

Suggest you try the 175 SMK. My son's Savage hates the 168's- and shoots sub-minute with the 175's (43.5 Varget) with the factory barrel.
 
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C7AR15

New member
What manual ????

The load that worked so well for me is in the

"Speer reloading Manual" No. 13
See page 279

.308 110g Spire-SP Varget 46-47C grains (Vel 2916-3062 fps)

I didn't make up this load - Too scary for me!!!!! JD
 
C

Clifford L. Hughes

New member
C7ar15:

You're luckyo that your .308 likes 110 gr. bullets. My Winchester M-70, 30/06 won't shoot them accurately; however, it likes 125 Gr. Sierra. It's my jack rabbit hunting bullet.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
 
L

ltc444

New member
Rifles are like people, they all like different food. That is why reloading and shooting is both an art and a science.

Thanks for the reload info. I'm currently working up a 110 grain load for my M77. I will try yours.
 
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trg42wraglefragle

New member
Theres also a few 155gr bullets with BCs that compare to the 168 and 175 gr bullets, but can be pushed to 3000fps.

But you seldom hear about them being used.
 
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geetarman

New member
I have a 700P .308 that will not group with 150 gr. bullets. Doesn't matter if they are handloads or factory loads.

Change to 168/175 gr. and the rifle is completely different.
 
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