Hey guys, I know this is kind of a broad question but I am waiting to get my Savage Model 10 and I want to know what off the shelf ammo to get. It is the digital camo one with a 20" barrel and it is threaded. I will be target shooting at (trying) 500-1000 yards. It came with a 20MOA rail and I am getting a fixed power 10x mil dot with 80moa adjustment. And where can I find ammo right now? lol
What ammo for .308 Savage Model 10
- Thread starter savagest
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Carne Frio
New member
Welcome ! 
Check out this site:
http://ammoseek.com/?gun=rifle&cal=...s=&sortby=cpr&noblanks=on&.cgifields=noblanks
Check out this site:http://ammoseek.com/?gun=rifle&cal=...s=&sortby=cpr&noblanks=on&.cgifields=noblanks
big al hunter
New member
For those distances on paper targets, premium grade/match grade bullets. Which brand depends on what your gun likes. Only it can tell you which one.
I have the savage fcss 16 model and I got 200 rounds of the black hill 175 grain ammo. I havent had a chance to shoot the rifle yet because of no time, worried about not being able to get more ammo and setting it up for long range shooting like yourself. (waiting for the scope to come in and then the 20 moa mounts and then the rings)
allaroundhunter
New member
Cheap match ammo is about $1 per round (Federal Gold Medal Match). Fortunately, that is some of the best factory ammo available. The problem that you might run into is not having the velocity to do well at 1,000 yards.
Handloading is an option, but it still costs a good bit to get started, and getting match grade bullets and components to shoot out to 1,000 yards will still run you close to $0.65/round.... And right now those components are not easy to find.
I am currently loading up a .308 load that launches a 155 gr Lapua Scenar at 2,950 fps. That is using a 26" barrel, and the 10 shots I have put through my rifle have worked well out to 400 yards. Hopefully this round will get me out to 1,000 yards, but lighter bullets don't always make it that distance with the .308 Win.... All about velocity
What previous experience do you have with rifles? If you don't have much, you will want to practice at the 100, 200, and 300 yard line for a little bit first. After that you will spend a good bit of time at the 500 yard line to get better at reading the wind and how it affects your trajectory.
well, I have a .17 HMR that I bought to practice with. It drops a lot and the wind loves to push it. I shoot the .17 at 300 yards and it is a 3 mil holdover with it zeroed at 100yards. In a gusty wind I have held it as much as 3 mils. The last time I shot the .17 it was not windy and I was able to get 4 out of 5 rounds on steel 12"x6". I know that the .308 is a different animal but I feel I can tackle a 500yd shot with it in any wind.
Your .308 should do fine with Federal Gold Medal match.
For long range shooting, choose the 175 grain MatchKing in that round. From my rifle, it achieves 2655 feet per second at the muzzle. On your optic, make darned sure that you have enough adjustment to reach out to the distance you want to go; you're going to need to come up anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes in elevation to put you in the ball park at 1000 yards.
For optics, a Leupold 4.5-14 will give you 100 minutes of internal adjustment; the 16x fixed gives 140 minutes--more than enough to reach out there. The IOR Valdada scopes have excellent glass, and some of their models have more than enough elevation travel--however, in some cases they take non-standard rings.
My favorite are the Nightforce optics--the 3.5-15 and the 5.5-22 have enough travel adjustment, super clear and bright optics, and they're built like a tank.
If you do handload, I have used 41.5 grains of RL15 under the 175 grain MatchKing in new or once fired Remington and Federal cases; on the once fired cases, I trim to 2.00 inches, with a loaded OAL of 2.820. I use Winchester primers, and I have also used the CCI #34 with good results. This is a sub-moa group from my Model 10FP.
For long range shooting, choose the 175 grain MatchKing in that round. From my rifle, it achieves 2655 feet per second at the muzzle. On your optic, make darned sure that you have enough adjustment to reach out to the distance you want to go; you're going to need to come up anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes in elevation to put you in the ball park at 1000 yards.
For optics, a Leupold 4.5-14 will give you 100 minutes of internal adjustment; the 16x fixed gives 140 minutes--more than enough to reach out there. The IOR Valdada scopes have excellent glass, and some of their models have more than enough elevation travel--however, in some cases they take non-standard rings.
My favorite are the Nightforce optics--the 3.5-15 and the 5.5-22 have enough travel adjustment, super clear and bright optics, and they're built like a tank.
If you do handload, I have used 41.5 grains of RL15 under the 175 grain MatchKing in new or once fired Remington and Federal cases; on the once fired cases, I trim to 2.00 inches, with a loaded OAL of 2.820. I use Winchester primers, and I have also used the CCI #34 with good results. This is a sub-moa group from my Model 10FP.
cool, good info on reloading. I have no clue on it whatsoever but I am interested because of whats going on right now. I would love a leupold but they are out of my budget right now. The scope is a bushnell with an adj of 80 MOA and my gun came with a 20moa rail. so if the scope holds up it "should" work. I just purchased some match 168 grain. I was thinking 175 for the 500+, what do you guys think?
The 175 grain bullet is the "go to" bullet for long range, because it is heavier and thus has more momentum. The 168 grain should be good out to about 700 yards or so. The key here is velocity. Why?
Picture the lonely bullet, coming out of the barrel at around 2600 fps. It's cooking right along--and right behind it is the turbulence caused by the bullet's passing through the sound barrier.
When the bullet hits the sound barrier in velocity (roughly 1100 fps) the pressure wave catches up to it and kicks it mightily right in the rump. The bullet quickly loses stability and becomes inaccurate past that point.
Now, the 175 grain bullet doesn't have that problem--if fired at 2600 fps, it will stay supersonic at 1000 yards. The key here is speed, and you're going to lose a bit of it with the shorter barrel.
Other considerations are care in preparing the rounds if you handload-sorting, trimming, weighing the cases, deburring flash holes; neck turning and/or inside neck reaming; carefully weighing and separating bullets of similar weight; trimming and evening meplats--then carefully hand weighing each powder charge.
There is also a consideration about WHERE and WHEN you shoot. Colder air, and air nearer to sea level is more dense; hence, you'll hit that transsonic barrier sooner. Higher elevations and warmer temperatures have thinner air density, and correspondingly longer ranges.
You can determine all this by shooting your rifle well, concentrating on following your shot plan and keeping careful DOPE (Data On Previous Engagements) recorded, in as many different conditions as possible.
Picture the lonely bullet, coming out of the barrel at around 2600 fps. It's cooking right along--and right behind it is the turbulence caused by the bullet's passing through the sound barrier.
When the bullet hits the sound barrier in velocity (roughly 1100 fps) the pressure wave catches up to it and kicks it mightily right in the rump. The bullet quickly loses stability and becomes inaccurate past that point.
Now, the 175 grain bullet doesn't have that problem--if fired at 2600 fps, it will stay supersonic at 1000 yards. The key here is speed, and you're going to lose a bit of it with the shorter barrel.
Other considerations are care in preparing the rounds if you handload-sorting, trimming, weighing the cases, deburring flash holes; neck turning and/or inside neck reaming; carefully weighing and separating bullets of similar weight; trimming and evening meplats--then carefully hand weighing each powder charge.
There is also a consideration about WHERE and WHEN you shoot. Colder air, and air nearer to sea level is more dense; hence, you'll hit that transsonic barrier sooner. Higher elevations and warmer temperatures have thinner air density, and correspondingly longer ranges.
You can determine all this by shooting your rifle well, concentrating on following your shot plan and keeping careful DOPE (Data On Previous Engagements) recorded, in as many different conditions as possible.
Saltydog235
New member
My precision carbine, which is what you are getting likes 165 grn bullets of almost every kind but especially Nosler BT's over 46grn of Varget.
My Model 10 likes Nosler Custom Competition and Sierra Match King bullets.
It shoots 168s best at 100 but the 175s seem to group better at 200+ yards.
I would recommend hand loading for it so you can match the velocity and seating depth to your particular rifle, but the Federal Gold Match and Nosler CC factory ammo shoot almost as good.
Good luck with your new Savage.
It shoots 168s best at 100 but the 175s seem to group better at 200+ yards.
I would recommend hand loading for it so you can match the velocity and seating depth to your particular rifle, but the Federal Gold Match and Nosler CC factory ammo shoot almost as good.
Good luck with your new Savage.
allaroundhunter
New member
The problem is that I have not seen a factory 175 gr match load that will get close to 2600 FPS out of a 20" barrel like savagest has. I would bet that the FGMM 175 gr SMK will be going closer to 2450 fps... At least, that is a 6 shot average when I was out with a friend who was shooting his Remington 700 SPS Tactical.
Depending on conditions, that puts the bullet close to going subsonic around the 1,000 yard mark...cutting it close to say the least
Dan Newberry
New member
the 168's from a 20" tube will get you to about 750 yards. We've had guys shooting 20" .308's at our school and at matches we host, and that's about where the 168's from a 20" barrel will get to before they get squirrely.
Federal's 175 grain Matchking loads are a good option for taking the rifle all the way to 1000 yards.
Where are you planning to shoot? Reason I ask is we use 24" square plates at 1000...
Dan
Federal's 175 grain Matchking loads are a good option for taking the rifle all the way to 1000 yards.
Where are you planning to shoot? Reason I ask is we use 24" square plates at 1000...
Dan
Dan Newberry
New member
I agree... I'm shooting 200 grain SMK's with a "healthy" charge of Varget, making just at 2600 fps from my 26" barrel... load is stable, with no pressure signs at all at 95 degrees F... it works very well.
Dan
Dan
reynolds357
New member
I personally dont like the .308 at 1000, but in my .300 WIN, and my 300 WSM, my bullet of choice is the 220 match king. I have a .308 Savage 110 Tactical, but I have never shot it much at 1000 yd because it seemed like a losing proposition to me. As soon as I get time, I am going to turn the .308 into a .300 win mag.
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brokenanew
New member
Well first off I hope you can find ammo at all. Second off, what is the twist rate of that rifle 12 or 10? The 12 twist you might max at 168gr bullets, which if done right could make it out to 1000 yrds ...but you may need some prayer to do it. You really need something thats 175gr and higher to be realistic about hitting 1000yrds. Sometimes you can shoot a 175 gr out of a 12 twist rate but thats hit and miss based on the rifle.
O and you really going to need something more powerful that a 10x scope. I would say at the very very least something closer 20x. More realistic to go for 25x +
Welcome to a money pit
O and as a fan of the .308, I would still agree with the others. The .300 win is better suited for shots 800+ yrds
O and you really going to need something more powerful that a 10x scope. I would say at the very very least something closer 20x. More realistic to go for 25x +
Welcome to a money pit
O and as a fan of the .308, I would still agree with the others. The .300 win is better suited for shots 800+ yrds