308 175 gr bullet makes which works best

[VarmLR]

Good points Stu.  I'll report back when I see what I can do with them tomorrow.  I checked the batch just loaded and they too appear to have a very slight step between tip and bullet, barely just enough so you can feel the transition with a thumb nail.

[VarmLR]

As per your experience Stu but using a much shorter barrel.  About 1moa, plenty of V bulls but in the conditions today with lots of swirl, I wouldn't have expected better whatever I was shooting.  It'd take a more experienced shot than me to better moa with a factory rifle in these conditions.  A slightly stiffer load I think would have helped a little as the load was only generating 2660 fps.   Overall, really happy with the TMKs which shot as well as anything else seemed to on the day and bettered some shooting HME.

[stu47]

1 moa with a factory 1/11 24" barrel in not perfect conditions is nothing to be sniffed at bud - good shooting! Especially when you out shoot more expensive/ better suited rigs (never fails to put a sadistic grin on my face). 

You describe the "step" as very slight which makes me think you have an older (better quality) batch - I'm half way through moving house so my TMK's are in a box somewhere - when I do get to them again I'll take a photo and post it.

Cheers 

[VarmLR]

Thanks Stu.  Yes, a close look reveals hardly any step at all.  You can feel the junction with a thumb nail but only just. I'll persevere with them for now but may try some Lapua Scenar 175s for comparison although they'll need driving faster.

[Richiew]

Checked my 155 tmks at the range today and found that the green bit where it joins the copper part is slighly wider than the copper body ,still performed well though . 155.5 bergers were the top performers today . see other post in favourite hand loads . got some berger 175 lrbt that came in the post this week so looking forward to trying these soon  .

Enjoy the weekend     

[gbal]

Rich,as ever it's try and see....but 'ballistic tips' are mass manufactured cheap plastic add ons,so don't expect super fit or performane improvements (the BC effect is rather small-maybe preferable to uneven meplets though!)Hornady claimed some -even their early ones-bent in super sonic flight ( like concorde  landing).....hmmm....true or not,a useful marketing point.

    There are reasons Berger are more expensive (no cheap plastic?) but you do tend to get something of what you pay for-even if some Bergers/barrels may not get on,as with any combo-and the VLDs   can be fussy about seating depth (challenging even those who actually like to fiddle.  :-).

    You  won't unduly wear out a 308 barrel,but don't feel compelled to try every possible,and ask what premium a season of Bergers will cost,allowing for also buying a  few boxes of likely less good bullets-though these can be offset as practice loads.

gbal

[Richiew]

Thanks gbal      good info and advice as usual cheers , the Amaxes were very consistant along with the tmk and lapua L `s ,the lapua normal line were the worst but still 3/4 moa  all loaded to 2.85 coal ,     made another load to 2.825 to play with for next time . looking back on notes from earlier this year all the bullets worked well at 2.80 coal as per the loading manuals -hornady ,nosler ,and berger at recommended 2.810 " .so apart from trying at 2.875 " Ive done 2.8,2.85, 2.9 mag length , and the results have been pretty much the same .must have very tolerant jump rifle/bullets . BTW I accidentally bent one of the amax tips quite badly and shot it anyway , didnt affect the accuracy although only at 100m  .Its time to load up and enjoy shooting ,if the weathers good get the good stuff out if not shoot the second best but still have a great time . 

 

[Richiew]

Hi ALL 

Info re the 175gr berger LRBT . loaded a set up of 5each of these with N550 powder starting at 43 grains upto 46.5 in half grain jumps.

43 g   all close together 1" 1/2 group

43.5 g       as above

44 g           big group 2"

44.5          best group   1/2 "

45 g           3/4 "   group

45.5g       1" group with vertical spread

46 g          1" group

46.5 g       1 1/4 " group

Shot at 100m on a windy snowy day at Blackbeck catterick, Accuracy international   AT 308  26" barrel , Lapua brass  COAL 2.81 as per berger loading manual .

Also tried some 168 gr Amax with N550 ,45 grns  2.81 coal , only had 5 but got just under 3/4" group .

Only reason for the N550 was that local shop had it in stock ,would have liked to try N150 , maybe next time ?

 

cheers Richard