1:12 .308 bullet weight?

[bluealtered]

I have ended up with a savage sa .308 with a mcgowen mag contour 22" braked barrel in 1:12. My thoughts are mostly to play with this on the bench in the 300-600yd range. I have had good results in the past with the 155gr amax and smk's, however those barrels were 1:10's and 24-26".

What are your thoughts on what bullet weight to try in this just for fun rifle? Thanks, blue

 

[BOBC]

Your 12 twist should handle 168's,155's and maybe 175's. My 12 twist 308 handles my long BT 155 & 167 very well. However, for a 12twist to handle bullets beyond 175gr weight reliably at 308 velocities you need to get a MV past 2600fps. which was not safely possible in 24" tubes we used in NRA Highpower Matches many years ago. So most of the bolt rifle shooters went with 10 twists, then we had no problems using 190 or 200gr bullets at 308 Win velocities. The service M14's all had 12 twists which handled 173 gr LC Match ammunition very well.

 

[LESLEY]

I shoot 185 bergers in my 12 twist all the way to 1000 with no problems

 

[schumi]

Mine loves 168SMK. with IMR4064 43.1grs.

 

[DennisH]

Should handle everything up to 178grn's, and maybe 190's. I have a 26" 12 twist and it drive nails with 190's.

 

[cmillard]

the marine corps' m40-a5 uses a 25" schneider with a 1-12 twist and they are shooting the m118LR ammo with a 175 bullet out to 1300 yards. i would say that it will work. on the other hand, the xm-3 rifle with an 18 inch hart barrel has a 1-10 twist to shoot the 175s

 

[FroggyOne2]

Should with out a problem handle the Berger 185BT's, 155.5 Fullbore bullets and SIE 190's down to the 155's.

 

[CJ6]

+ 1 what FROGGY said. The 185 Bergers run SWEET as do the 155.5 Fullbores in the 12 twist. A 13-13.5 TW may be optimal for the 155.5's tho and that would preclude using anything heavier.

 

[bluealtered]

Thanks everybody, this is my first 1:12 and i really wasn't sure what it would like. Since i have plenty of 150-155's it is where i'll start, and maybe throw in a few 110's and 125's just to see how they work. I guess it will tell me what it likes best before long. Thanks, blue

 

[BOBC]

My 12 twist 308 WIN handles 135gr FB's 155 & 167 gr. bullets out of my 24" barrel real well. I use 39.5 grs of 3031 in older Win cases. Very pleasent to shoot.

Load up, have fun and enjoy long barrel life from your 308 Win.

 

[bluealtered]

I have two different stocks i'm waiting on to use with this rifle and neither of them are showing up, ... uggggh!
I'm about to pull one of my hunting rifles apart just to have a stock so i can start breaking this action/barrel combo in. blue

 

[Gregg Jacob]

Just got my 308 1-12 Douglas barrel back and had some 178 AMAX from another gun and shot these two 3 shot groups with it

 

[DennisH]

Great groups, what distace? Reloads or Factory ammo?

 

[Gregg Jacob]

Shot at 100yds. I took it out to start breaking in the barrel..I took a box of 155 UMC cheap loads and shot and cleaned before I shoot these groups with 178AMAX with 44grns of varget .010 off lands. Only had 12 rounds loaded just to see what hand loads would do. These 2 are right at .25moa and the other 2 3shot groups were in the 3's. Not bad for a new gun and not much breakin. Will work up loads in 155 and 168 and tweak the 178's more. I'm very happy with this gun

 

[jonbearman]

My 1 in 12 seems to like the hornady 168 grain match bullets with varget,re-15 and 4895 the best. I shot a 3 shot at 200 yds today and it measured center to center in the high .2's. It is a bull barrel McGowen barrel. I am impressed.