Finally got gun put together...1000 yd loads?

[lrshooting]

I've been slowly working on a savage 10 that nothing has been left on except the trigger and bolt groups. It has a 26 inch shilen HV barrel with a McM a5 and vortex pst glass.

Now I was pretty tickled when I shot sub moa at 100, but it opened up to 6 inches at 300 using Remington 180 grain core lokts. Very probable that is me as my comb height is not right and I was shooting of a rolled up towel.

My one hand load that would actually cycle I shot 3 inches at 300 with 168 amax and 38 gr of 4895. (I loaded them for the original barrel so the case size was too long and none of the other loads would fit for some reason) I had no faith in that round but I guess it shows my gun has some potential at least and could very easily be a 1000 yrd gun with the right shooter.

Therefore I'm looking for some general knowledge on what you all use for long range target shooting. However, i do want these bullets to be good for coyote. I have terrible problems with them getting into my calves so if I see one within 1000, I'm gonna shoot him so he don't go tearing up my livestock or at least scare him. Ive been looking at 178 amax, 175 vld and 175 smk. My research seems to conclude any of those rounds is a money maker, but I have no idea where to start. I can't find varget, but I have reloader 15, imr4064, and h4895 on stock right now. I can probably find R17

[upSLIDEdown]

I've been slowly working on a savage 10 that nothing has been left on except the trigger and bolt groups. It has a 26 inch shilen HV barrel with a McM a5 and vortex pst glass.

Now I was pretty tickled when I shot sub moa at 100, but it opened up to 6 inches at 300 using Remington 180 grain core lokts. Very probable that is me as my comb height is not right and I was shooting of a rolled up towel.

My one hand load that would actually cycle I shot 3 inches at 300 with 168 amax and 38 gr of 4895. (I loaded them for the original barrel so the case size was too long and none of the other loads would fit for some reason) I had no faith in that round but I guess it shows my gun has some potential at least and could very easily be a 1000 yrd gun with the right shooter.

Therefore I'm looking for some general knowledge on what you all use for long range target shooting. However, i do want these bullets to be good for coyote. I have terrible problems with them getting into my calves so if I see one within 1000, I'm gonna shoot him so he don't go tearing up my livestock or at least scare him. Ive been looking at 178 amax, 175 vld and 175 smk. My research seems to conclude any of those rounds is a money maker, but I have no idea where to start. I can't find varget, but I have reloader 15, imr4064, and h4895 on stock right now. I can probably find R17


Did I miss the caliber somewhere?

[lrshooting]

Did I miss the caliber somewhere?

.308 win. That's kind of important :)

[upSLIDEdown]

.308 win. That's kind of important :)

I kind of thought it might be, based on your bullets and powder, but didn't want to make assumptions.

I used to shoot 44 gr of Varget behind a 178 BTHP in FC brass with a BR2. I've got 200 new Lapua cases to start a new load workup on, but I'm going to wait until I get my new barrel to start on it. As for the powders you've got, I'm afraid I'm of no help.

Just whatever you do, start low and work up. :)

[lrshooting]

I kind of thought it might be, based on your bullets and powder, but didn't want to make assumptions.

I used to shoot 44 gr of Varget behind a 178 BTHP in FC brass with a BR2. I've got 200 new Lapua cases to start a new load workup on, but I'm going to wait until I get my new barrel to start on it. As for the powders you've got, I'm afraid I'm of no help.

Just whatever you do, start low and work up. :)

Hence the reason I had a 38 gr load. I started way low. My procedure as of now is probably gonna be work up loads from 38-43 in 1 gr increments with my 3 powders I have. I can't find varget but I haven't looked in a while either. I gave up. I'll throw a few sighters in there at a suggested load and go to 5-600 yds for ladder testing. Try to find nodes and work from there in smaller and smaller increments. Might be a drawn out process but I can't find anything better to find the absolute best for a particular combination.

After I find a load, ill mess with primers, action torque, and seating depth, but that's fairly simple.

However, my reasoning for this thread is more geared towards a 1000 yrd round rather than an accurate one out to shorter distances. There is that sweet spot between too heavy and too slow and too light with a very quick velocity change. I just don't want to spend 300$ on bullets trying to figure out which ones are best when it seems to be in general, the 175 smk/vld and 178 amax are brought up often. That's just opinion though.

[LoneWolf]

I ran the 178 BTHP, 175 SMK, and 175 CD. All over 44grs of IMR4064 with Nosler brass and CCI 200 primers. All loaded to 2.8 OAL. All shot pretty much the same at 100, but had better luck with the 178 passed 700yds.

I was getting 2700fps out of my 26" Varmint barrel.

[lrshooting]

I ran the 178 BTHP, 175 SMK, and 175 CD. All over 44grs of IMR4064 with Nosler brass and CCI 200 primers. All loaded to 2.8 OAL. All shot pretty much the same at 100, but had better luck with the 178 passed 700yds.

I was getting 2700fps out of my 26" Varmint barrel.

I don't know why but it always amazed me that 308 is so accurate even to long range but is so slow. Then again maybe I just think it's slow because I used to only shoot Wildcats based of 30-06 cases. Is there a reason you might have better luck with 178s? I mean do you think it is by design or by weight?

[LoneWolf]

I just felt like they held tighter for me at those ranges.

[lrshooting]

I just felt like they held tighter for me at those ranges.
Hmm. Interesting. Definitely worth a try.

[Robinhood]

The Berger 185's do well also.

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Yeah, I shot the 178s when I was shooting 308, and I have a buddy shooting the 185 Juggernauts now. He's pushing the snot out of them with 2000mr. Not sure on the powder charge, but I'm pretty sure his velocity is up around 2800fps. I think he's got a really fast barrel, because his stuff is always faster than mine, even when we shot 178s. Lucky bastage.

[lrshooting]

Yeah, I shot the 178s when I was shooting 308, and I have a buddy shooting the 185 Juggernauts now. He's pushing the snot out of them with 2000mr. Not sure on the powder charge, but I'm pretty sure his velocity is up around 2800fps. I think he's got a really fast barrel, because his stuff is always faster than mine, even when we shot 178s. Lucky bastage.

How? I haven't any loads for a 308 that fast with that much weight without extreme pressures. Then again, im well UN-educated.

[mespalin]

I used to use Varget with 168/175 SMK's until I couldn't find any a couple years ago. I did find some IMR4064, and my Savage 10 shoots it really well. I can't recall what my charge weight is for the 168 or 175 SMK, I just did an OCW testing and found what they both like. POI is identical for both and they will easily stop a coyote.

[upSLIDEdown]

How? I haven't any loads for a 308 that fast with that much weight without extreme pressures. Then again, im well UN-educated.

I have no idea, but it's drop verified out to 1k yards. I asked him to be sure. He said his velocity in his ballistic app is 2840 and everything matches up out to 1k. Insane.

[LoneWolf]

Is he running a 30+" barrel?

[upSLIDEdown]

lol, nope. It's a factory FCP-SR IIRC. 24" barrel I think?

[LoneWolf]

Honestly, I won't believe the 2800 let alone 2840fps until I see it on a chrono. Drop verification can have other factors that throw info off, but if it is truly the case I'll buy a keg of the 2000MR and give it a go with the brand new 22" barrel for AGW sitting on my shelf. I'd try pushing some 155's as close to 3000fps as I could with his barrel.

[lrshooting]

Honestly, I won't believe the 2800 let alone 2840fps until I see it on a chrono. Drop verification can have other factors that throw info off, but if it is truly the case I'll buy a keg of the 2000MR and give it a go with the brand new 22" barrel for AGW sitting on my shelf. I'd try pushing some 155's as close to 3000fps as I could with his barrel.
So I see a lot about 155 smk and I think that it's the standard palma round. Is the speed what makes them good? Just seems like a light round for 308 but people use them so...

[upSLIDEdown]

Other factors won't throw drop verification off THAT much. Do some googling on 2000MR and 308. Lowlight over on the hide had posted 2700ish I think with a 185 and it was a light load. 2000MR is known for higher velocities than Varget,etc in 308. When I get my new shorter barrel (once I finally decide how short to go...lol) I'm pretty sure I'm gonna try it in my gun.

There was a guy at the last match I shot using the 155TMKs pushing them to almost 3kfps. He was the top 308 shooter that day.

[LoneWolf]

Palma class requires a 155gr bullet I believe. I think out to 1000 a good 155gr bullet would be great in the 308. I've been debating trying the 155TMK's when I finally get around to messing with it again. I'll know by the end of the week hopefully if I get into the 2016 Vegas Precision Rifle Challenge. If I don't I think I'll play with the 308 again for some practice then switch back to my 6mm after a couple months.