Rem. 700 VSF .308 Velocity?

[Guest]

My best group has been with the 150 grain Nosler Ball. Tip @ 2400 f.p.s. Somone told me this is to low velocity for the .308 is this true? My best groups are coming from that velocity?[/img]

 

[elkslayer308]

This velocity is quite low for a 150 grain bullet. You should be able to drive a 150 BT at around 2800-2850 fps and still get excellent accuracy, without high pressure. What is your barrel length, type of powder and charge in grains, your OAL, and group sizes. I can pretty much guarantee that you are using too fast burning of a powder to have your accurate velocity be so low. But please enlighten us as to your recipe and we can speed it up for you and make it shoot excellent as well.

 

[Guest]

The recipe is 40.0 Grains of Reloader 15 @ Magazine length and 42.0 Grains of Reloader 15 @ .030" off the Lands. With the Nosler 150 Grain Ballistic Tip. Through a Remington 700 Varmint VSF 26" Barrel 1in12" twist.

 

[Guest]

Best group is 1/2 inch @ 100 yards wish i new how to add a pic on here i'd post a pic of the group!

 

[elkslayer308]

The Alliant Powder data suggests 46 grains as a max load for a velocity of 2880 fps for RL15. I personally prefer Varget and IMR4064 for my 308 loads. Are these loads to be used for hunting or match? If you only want to punch paper, the velocity you currently pursue is adequate. However, for full potential, a flatter trajectory and a better hunting load, I reccomend loading it up to its full velocity potential as long as you can get acceptable accuracy, This means different things to different people but my margin of acceptability is 3 shots in 1.5" at 100 yards. All of my bolt guns outdo this but some of my lever guns hope to attain to this. Hodgdon Data reccomends you start with 44 grs of Varget for 2788 and Max at 47 grs for 2937fps. The IMR4064 is alot the same with 43grs at 2660 fps and the max at 47.7 grs for 2903 fps. I hope this helps a little. The best thing to do is liek you did, get a powder and work up a load.

 

[Guest]

What i'm trying to do is accomplish a 3 shot group under 3/4 of an inch @100 yds yet it's for hunting , so it has to have some spunk behind it. Basically i'm trying to work up a 400yd (accurate) hunting load for the great swamp of the northwoods! with the .308 not just so it will look pretty on paper. My guru friend told me to try the IMR 4064 @ 43.0Gr. with a 180 grain bullet and work up for that rifle? He is a Palma Guru??

 

[Guy Miner]

Boattail - I've been working the the .308 for quite a while. Long enough to burn out a few barrels anyway. There's more .308 info on this page than anywhere I've seen. Well worth the read:

http://www.6mmbr.com/308Win.html

Your 2400 fps load may well be very accurate. I used to use a match load with a 168 gr bullet at a mere 2460 fps. It was very accurate and predictable, but abysmally slow for longer range work.

For hunting, I generally stick with max, or near maximum charges of Varget, under a 150 or 165 grain bullet. From your rifle, a 150 should be able to top 2850 fps easily, and a 165 should easily do 2700 fps. Either weight can be a fine deer bullet, pick the one your rifle shoots best. You can have match grade accuracy and hunting velocity with your .308 Win.

Your friend is right - good old IMR 4064 is a very good powder for the .308 Win, but I've found Hodgdon's Varget works better for me. Check Hodgdon's web site for good load data.

The 180 grain bullet should stabilize from your 1:12 barrel.

Regards, Guy

 

[Jeff Olsen]

My best group has been with the 150 grain Nosler Ball. Tip @ 2400 f.p.s. Somone told me this is to low velocity for the .308 is this true? My best groups are coming from that velocity?[/img]

It depends what you are doing with it. If you are just punching paper at 100 yards, then who cares? For hunting, a muzzle velocity of 2400 is pretty low for a .308, it's true... but it would still whack a deer just fine out to 200 yards or so.

A .308 should be capable of 2750-2850 fps with 150's depending on your barrel length and how "fast" your barrel is. That's what people are saying...

-jeff

 

[Jeff Olsen]

Basically i'm trying to work up a 400yd (accurate) hunting load for the great swamp of the northwoods! with the .308 not just so it will look pretty on paper.

Ah, well, you need more velocity then... 2400 ain't gonna cut it out to 400 yards.

I think you'll find that without a target-style scope 400 yards is not realistic... but... I could be wrong. I'm finding I top out around 350 personally. Holdover starts to get real tough (for me) beyond that.

-jeff

 

[Guest]

Ok. Thanks for all your help.