.308 Freebore for Heavies in FTR

[Dgd6mm]

I'm considering getting a new 1-10 twist barrel chambered for Berger 200 20x and the 208 Hornaday ELD Match bullet. What freebore is working for those of you that are shooting one of these or both? This is going to be a 30" barrel. Any info would be appreciated, I have searched on here and read what I could find and from what I gather it is .235 for the Hornaday 208 Amax. Just wanting to be sure before I go ahead with this.

Thanks,
Don Dunlap

 

[BP1]

I'm considering getting a new 1-10 twist barrel chambered for Berger 200 20x and the 208 Hornaday ELD Match bullet. What freebore is working for those of you that are shooting one of these or both? This is going to be a 30" barrel. Any info would be appreciated, I have searched on here and read what I could find and from what I gather it is .235. Just wanting to be sure before I go ahead with this.

Thanks,
Don Dunlap

Don the .170 fb is what most are using for the 20x not sure how well it will work for the hornady bullet. I am sure you will get a better response from those that know more than I.

 

[Down South]

Don,

I use the .170 freebore reamer for X bullets, 200 hybrids, and 210 JLK VLDs. Works perfect for all 3 but is a little too short for my taste with Hornady 208 Amax/ELD. I tested the old 208 Amax in my chamber and it shot lights out in testing but the bullet is seated deeper in the case than I like with the .170 freebore. I personally think .225 to .250 freebore would be about right for the 208 Hornady. Only problem with a freebore that long is that it's too long for X bullets unless you jump them a long ways, if not you will have very very little being held in the neck. I'm jumping X bullets .016 and in my .170 chamber the bullet is half way up the neck where the boat tail starts. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[XTR]

If you want to shoot the 208, then forgo the 20x, the ideal freebores are quite different; however, the 200 Hybrid isn't ballistically different enough from the 20x to to make any difference. I have barrels for both, and the 200H and the 208 will shoot well from a 210 freebore, the only drawback is that I'm going to guess that Berger will quit making the 200H in the next yr or two and it will be replaced in their lineup with the 200.20X, so if you want to shoot them get a bunch now.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Thanks for the information with your personal experience. So here goes, let's try this.....instead of the 200 20x change that to the 215 Hybrid. Would a freebore of let's say 210-235 work for these and the 208 ELD M? I will do a search on here on the 215 Hybrid freebore of those that have ran it.

Thanks,
Don Dunlap

 

[dm.oakes]

I'm running the 200 hybrids with a 170 freebore and it is working great. I've got them sitting 8 thou off the lands and they're shooting great.

 

[mao0720]

Thanks for the information with your personal experience. So here goes, let's try this.....instead of the 200 20x change that to the 215 Hybrid. Would a freebore of let's say 210-235 work for these and the 208 ELD M? I will do a search on here on the 215 Hybrid freebore of those that have ran it.

Thanks,
Don Dunlap

I am shooting 208 ELD-m in a .170 freebore with good results. The 208 eld-m has a much longer bearing surface than the hybrids and as such the boat-tail/bearing surface junction of the bullet is right at the the neck/shoulder junction of the case. It works, they are accurate, but due to the long bearing surface you cannot push the 208 ELD-m nearly as fast as you can the 200 hybrids/200-20x. I am getting about 2580 fps with 208 ELD-m and lapua small primer brass with varget. You should be able to reach 2700+ FPS with the hybrids. Now, my rifle is off at the smith right now getting a new barrel spun up, and I specified a .200 freebore for that one. This should get the boat-tail/ bearing surface junctions further ahead of the neck/shoulder junction, but not be so long that I cant use Hybrids/ 20x's if I want to.

 

[savageshooter86]

stick to the 200.20x Anything over will be harder to control the rifle

 

[markwalker]

Joe I will take your reamer, sent email...

 

[Dgd6mm]

Don,
I have a .308 PT&G reamer with 203 freebore that David Kiff designed for me, 2-3 years ago, for the Berger 200 and 215 hybrids. I've had 2 barrels chambered with it and, since I'm getting out of the 308 stuff, I'd be willing to sell for $125 TYD.

Joe

View attachment 1024306

Thanks for the offer Joe. As of right now I'm still unsure of what I'm going to do.

Don Dunlap

 

[T-shooter]

I've shot both but from a stock 22" Savage barrel. Both will shoot under 1/2 MOA and I got a few 1/4 MOA 3 shot groups with the 200.20x at 215 yards. I changed brass and had to start working the load again and it's not finalized. The Berger seems to shoot better at .000" to .005" for me. The Hornady at .025". The 200.20x has a short bearing surface so can seat farther out allowing more case volume.

 

[cheyenne01]

I just finished my 308.
I used more or lessa standard reamer and then throated it for the 225 eldm.
Right now I am shooting them at 2530 with 43.5 gr of varget. These shoot amazing.
I only got the gun together a couple weeks ago and shot it at the last shoot of the year up here. 800,900 and 1000 yards. They sure cheat the wind.
Rig is a pierce actio. Bartlein 5R 1 in 9 twist heavy Palma 30 inches long.
Could push them a bit harder but why bother.
I can measure over all length if anybody is interested.

 

[avidflyer]

I just finished my 308.
I used more or lessa standard reamer and then throated it for the 225 eldm.
Right now I am shooting them at 2530 with 43.5 gr of varget. These shoot amazing.
I only got the gun together a couple weeks ago and shot it at the last shoot of the year up here. 800,900 and 1000 yards. They sure cheat the wind.
Rig is a pierce actio. Bartlein 5R 1 in 9 twist heavy Palma 30 inches long.
Could push them a bit harder but why bother.
I can measure over all length if anybody is interested.

what freebore did u end up with?

 

[cheyenne01]

I never measured it at all.
I just kept cutting the throat till I got the bullet seated where I wanted it. I just used a throater for it. Seemed easier than trying to get a reamer to the spec I wanted. And if I don't like the bullets I can just set it back and throat it for a different bullet.
So basically with 44 grains of varget in the case it is full. If that makes sense.
The overall length is 3.147. And 3.390 on a hornady compariter. And that is loaded 20 thou off the lands

 

[Dgd6mm]

I'd like to thank you all for the replies and information. It gives me much to think about, and definitely enough to make an informed decision.

Don Dunlap