10Fp & 168-175

[DresserDan]

My 10Fp 308 seems to like 168 better than 175 I reload and use several different powders and the 168 just plain out shoot the 175 at 100yds. I don't have access over 100 so I don't know how they would group. Is this normal??

[cowtownup]

I am interested in this... I have been shooting 175's and now am going to 168's... I've just started ladder testing the 168's and the look promising..

[scrooster]

I just sold my 10FP LE but I sure put a lot of pills through her over the past decade.

The 10FP was engineered for the 168s, IMHO, even though all of us try the 175s at one time or another. And I had moderate success with various 175s but, for paper punching the 168 grain Sierra MKs over IMR-4064, IMR-4895 or H-4895 excel, by far, over others in the 10FP. Mine loved the 168 SMKs BTHPs over 43.2 grains of IMR-4064 to 2.803 OAL.

I'm gonna miss that stick but I am going to soon replace her with another lighter, 10 series and hopefully something with a more modern stock.

[rjtfroggy]

I don't normally get into these discussions but try this; 150 or 155 smk 41.6-42.5 gr. IMR 4895 at 2.800 oal. After a little fine tuning for your gun sit back and smile at all those that tell you " you are shooting the wrong bullet load combo".

[michaelnel]

My 10 FCP HS Precision really likes the Lapua 167 grain Scenars. They work better in this gun than the 175 SMKs by quite a bit. I use Lapua cases, Federal GMM primers and VV N150, and the thing is a tack driver. Oh... I have a 28" Criterion 1" bull barrel on it too. These bullets work well out to 600 yards, I haven't shot it farther than that.

[darkker]

Ehhhh.. No they aren't engineered for a 168. And yes, it is normal for the shorter bullet at that distance.
That is why short range shooters use light flat base bullets. Loooong boat tail bullets are built to slide through the air efficiently, not to perform miracles at the 100 yard line. It's about nutation and precession, but commonly referred to as a bullet needing to go to sleep.

If short distance is your game, you may want to consider a more appropriate bullet for the application. I realize that you didn't specify brand, but here is a little history lesson for you.

The 168gr SMK was one of the first high BC bullets designed for long range work, and used at Camp Perry. One cold year they discovered that with the cooler climate not only made the distance to sub-sonic shorter, but that the 168's wouldn't safely cross transonic. Needless to say, the army wasn't happy about having some hillbilly civilians out-shoot their finest; so they called up Sierra to get it resolved. Just as Dr. McCoy's work showed, the stupid 13° tail angle of the 168gr coupled with it's nose, gave a bad center of gravity-to-center of pressure relationship. So while it had a sexy BC, there was no bloody way it would ever cross transonic safely. Thus Sierra came up with the 175 SMK. McCoy's work showed the best compromise of BC AND crossing safety, was about a 9° tail angle. With some army testing equipment, Sierra got TONS of data showing the 175 to be safe.

Personally I've gotten the SMK's, & Custom Comps across transonic, and shoot both of them to a mile regularly. I am told certain of Berger's new bullets will cross, but the standard VLD's don't; back to the CG/CP issue.

[lcq01]

My old 10fp 20" liked Hornady 178 BTHP match but now that they are unavailable it shoots 168 AMAX over Varget with Norma brass. I load them very long they don't fit the magazine.

My 10Fp 308 seems to like 168 better than 175 I reload and use several different powders and the 168 just plain out shoot the 175 at 100yds. I don't have access over 100 so I don't know how they would group. Is this normal??

[Dennis]

I have found loads for my 308 starting with 110's, 155.5's, 168's, 175's, 185's, & 190's.

My FCP 308 will shoot all of the above less than .250 moa @ 100 yards. Stock Savage Barrel, 10 twist.

One of my best 600 yard scores ever was with the rifle shooting 190 VLD's.