Muzzle Velocity expectation from 24" .308 Model 10 barrel and Fed Prem SMK 168 ammo?

[Joe L]

From a search of other posts, looks like 2640-2680 fps. Can anyone confirm? I just need to plug a number in to a ballistics program before I can chrono my own rifle.

Thanks,
Joe

[pappy83]

Hard to say all barrels are different, We have a 14.5 inch savage barrel that is faster then a 20 inch LTR we have with the same loads. i would guess around high 2600ish.

[acemisser]

I would guess 26 plus as well..If I had a battery for my chrony I could tell you....

I found out something that everyone told me was not possible.....I tried the 168 gr SMK in my 20 inch 1/10 remington
barrel with very poor accuracy...I use the same loading in my 30 inch 1/10 barre[ and it shoots very accurate....
Explain this...it has got to be the longer barrel is producing more MV and better stableliztion....

[thomae]

I would guess 26 plus as well..If I had a battery for my chrony I could tell you....

I found out something that everyone told me was not possible.....I tried the 168 gr SMK in my 20 inch 1/10 remington
barrel with very poor accuracy...I use the same loading in my 30 inch 1/10 barre[ and it shoots very accurate....
Explain this...it has got to be the longer barrel is producing more MV and better stableliztion (sic)....
Not necessarily. There is likely enough MV from the shorter barrel to stabilize the bullet.

There are so many factors that go into the bullet/barrel/accuracy issue that it is simply better to anthromorphize your barrels and say that each barrel "likes" different combinations of bullets and powders. :smile-new:

This is why it is so hard to make sweeping generalizations in most cases as to what a generic accurate load will be for all barrels in a particular chambering.

[helotaxi]

Way more than enough velocity from the 20", especially with a 1:0 twist. The little bughole groups that I have posted were shot from a 20" 1:10 barrel using the 168SMK. Many people shoot that ammo from a 20" 1:12 twist barrel without stability issues. It's just the combination of the ammo and the rifle that aren't getting along, assuming that you've found a different load that the rifle will shoot well. If you haven't, I would blame the rifle.

[acemisser]

well,whatever the reason is,I know the same load works great in the longer barrel versus the shorter one....Now the 175 grain SMK shot the same load out of both the short and long barrel with great results..But the best I seem to be able to get is 1 1/2 inch groups at 250 yards..But maybe a better scope would be the answer..??

[helotaxi]

That's sub MOA and might well be the best that bullet and load are going to do in that rifle. Nothing that I would complain about from a basic .308.