308 with 200 20x

[Bottom Fodder]

A friend of just traded for 1k of these bullet and ask me to help him work a load. hIs barrel is a 10 Twist with .170 free bore which I read will work for these bullet. From what I’ve read here and other places most people say you have to push them hard and the loads they list is above what in the Hodges Manuel for the 308 with these bullets. This will be for 600 and 1K fclass.
any input
thanks

 

[Meyersmp]

Somewhere around 2670 fps is where most people shoot

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Loading a 200-20X in .308

My .308 currently has a 26" Obermyer chambered 1-13 twist that's about shot-out, so I have always been limited to 168-175's. I was thinking of trying my hand at FTR, and figured it would be a good excuse to re-barrel. My smith asked me what bullet I wanted to shoot, and after a little discussion...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[paulT]

2,640fps to 2,670fps Range is sweet spot for the 200.20x for FTR
Pushing them faster Tends to create vertical or fliers withinn groups.

 

[Ned Ludd]

I run pointed 200.20Xs at 2640 to 2650 fps using Varget with a 30" 10-twist 5R barrel, 0.180" fb, and Lapua brass. Optimized seating depth is almost always .009" or .012" off the lands in my hands. It is not not difficult to tune in the 200.20X bullet; it's an outstanding design and very forgiving. Neither is it absolutely necessary to push them hard; my typical loads have pressures predicted by QL in the 61K to 62K psi range, and SRP brass will handle that for a long time. Just remember that loads listed in the Hodgdon Maunual often have little relevance to the loads often used in F-TR rifles due to the long freebores and barrels and the fact that they don't figure in the longevity of small rifle primer .308 Win brass.

That is not to say you can't push the 200.20Xs hard, just that it's not necessary to end up with a competitive load. Increasing the velocity by a [relatively] small amount (i.e. up to 2700-2710 fps or so) buys only marginal improvement with respect to wind deflection, makes gun handling potentially more difficult, may increase vertical as noted by @paulT, and will decrease brass and possibly barrel life. There have been a few F-TR shooters that started using the 200.20Xs at this higher node a few years back. Most that I know eventually went back running them in the 2650-ish range. If the faster node is where the rifle/load performs optimally, then there is a good reason for running them there, as long as one is willing to accept the potential issues of gun handling and brass/barrel life that may accompany the faster node. If not, the 2650 fps region is a good place to start and has worked successfully for a number of shooters.