Hey everyone. I'm new to the forum and want to first off say "thanks" for letting me join up. I've been a shooter for 40 plus years (telling my age) and currently shoot a lot of 3 gun and IDPA however have started shooting some long range matches with my recently purchased .308 and am needing some direction for reloading.

My rifle is a Savage action with a 24" bull Criterion barrel set in a Manners stock. The barrel has a 1:10 twist and I've tried several different bullets and am seeing pretty average groups (.8-1 inch range with 1" being the norm) with everything I've shot. I'm currently using SMK 175s seated .02 off the lands with 44.3gr Varget and CCI BR2s and Lapua brass. I've tried 178 gr. Hornady Amax and Nosler 168 gr competion bullets with about identical results. I'm going to be using the rifle on some long range matches with ranges starting at 300yds and going out to 1400 yds so I'd like to see some tighter groups if at all possible. My question is...has anyone here had better results with these barrels shooting heavier bullets, such as Berger 185s, or maybe lighter bullets, such as SMK 155 Palmas? The twist should shoot these 175s better than the light bullets I would think but just not seeing what I had hoped with the 175 SMKS. Hate to keep buying different bullets trying to find that "just right bullet". Hoping someone here can shed some light. Thanks.