.308 with 14 twist, bullet weight ?

[sdneil]

friend of mine just bought a 40x with a .308 barrell and what appears to be a 14 twist, what will be the heavest bullets that can be fired in this twist barrell, 24 inch barrel if it matters. Thanks Neil

 

[bheadboy]

many of the 308's used the 150's -168 in bench rest when the 308 was popular. they shot great.

most used 4895, or 4064

Bob

 

[RonAKA]

Berger is a good resource to determine required twist. Look for bullet types that you plan to shoot, and see what the max wt Berger recommends. It is really the length of the bullet that requires more twist. So boat tails and low drag bullets need more twist for the same weight.

On a quick look, 155 grains seems to be about the limit for boat tails in a 14. You might get away with a bit more if the bullet is a flat base.

http://www.bergerbullets.com/Products/All%20Bullets.html

 

[GerryM]

I have a HART barreled 14 twist 700 that is sleeved.
I shot 150gr and 168gr sierra boattail bullets.
Both shot excellent. My loads were pretty much stock.
H 4895 and neck turned remington brass cci br primers
I hope this helps some Gerry

 

[sdneil]

Thanks for the replys, Neil

 

[Gman]

I am shooting Lapua 155 gr Scenars out of my 1 in 14" twist (original 24" SS bbl.) Rem 40-XBR with excellent results.

 

[GermanS1]

Neil, The answer largely depends on the distance at which you plan to shoot the rifle. If you're shooting at 100 yards, you can probably do just fine with a bullet as heavy as 190 gr. and possibly more. As you go further out, the heavier bullet's marginal stability becomes more apparent in the form of decreased accuracy. For long range shooting, a 155 is the practical limit for that rate of twist, but up to 300 meters, you can likely shoot a much heavier bullet effectively.

I realize this runs a bit counter to most conventional wisdom, but that's why I like to actually get out there and try things. I recently tested bullets up to 200 grains in a 1:13" twist .30-06 at moderate velocities and was pleasantly surprised by the results.

You can see the targets and read the article here: http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/06/ballistics-heavy-bullets-in-113-twist.html