I saw this thread when I started reading Accurate-Shooter in August 2013. It was up to 25 pages back then, and I tried to read it starting with page one, but it was like reading Chinese – I did not understand a lot of the information. Now, nine months later, I started reading the thread again (am up to page 15), and now I can understand most of it.
I wanted to evaluate Remington 9-1/2 primers and 175-gr SMK BTHP bullets on my Savage 12 .308 F-T/R rifle, which has about 1200 rounds. I have been using CCI-250 primers and 168-gr SMK BTHP with satisfactory results since I bought the rifle last August. At one point I could not get the 168-gr bullets, so I bought the 175-gr version of the same. I used to use Fed 210 primers, but lately have been using whatever I can buy; namely CCI-200, CCI-250 (mostly), WLR, and now Rem 9-1/2. Powder always has been Varget.
168 Grain Bullets – Opinions?
After firing four fouling rounds and adjusting the scope (from 600Y), I fired 21 rounds waiting ten minutes after six rounds and after 15 rounds. Note: I pulled the trigger at the wrong time and knew that Round No.16 (45.0) would be off. BTW, I have been using the 45.0-gr charge for a while now and it appears to be OK, but could another charge be better?
175 Grain Bullets – Disaster!
After waiting 10 minutes following the 21 rounds with the 168-gr bullets, I started a similar test with 175-gr bullets. The POI was low about 1-1/2â€, so I fired the first 3-round group without making any adjustments, and then added 1-1/4 MOA UP elevation. After the elevation correction, I fired the remaining rounds and all were off to the left by as much as two inches, and none grouped nicely. What a mess.
I don’t know enough to tell why the 175-gr bullets were so different in windage from the 168-gr bullets, so I did not attempt to adjust the scope to compensate. When done with the 175-gr firing, I fired three more 3-round groups at a separate target (three bulls) to make sure that the rifle was OK.
First, I fired three rounds with 168-gr bullets and 44.2 Varget, with the proper elevation set on the scope. The POI was fine – so the rifle was fine. (Sigh of relief.) I then changed the elevation for the 175-gr bullets, attached my MagnetoSpeed, and fired three rounds with 45.0 Varget. The POI of the group was about 3/4" high and 2†to the left. Then I fired again the 168-gr bullets but with 45.4 Varget AND the MagnetoSpeed attached BUT forgot to correct for elevation. The group was high but still OK.
The chronograph results were:
175-gr SMK, 45.0-gr Varget: 2886, 2871, 2875 FPS
168-gr SMK, 45.4-gr Varget: 2905, 2922, 2922 FPS
My Observations:
I bought the 175-gr bullets (1000) because I could not buy the 168-gr in the 500 quantities. Shortly afterwards, I found the 168-gr again, bought 1000, and half of them are gone now. The Savage 308 F-T/R has 1 in 12 twist rate, which appears to be fine for the 168-gr bullets, but as I learned just a few days ago and now understand, the 175-gr bullets ‘like’ a faster rate, close to 1 in 11. If I had started using the 175-gr bullets when I bought the Savage, I would have been very disillusioned.
Would it be worth trying to pursue the 175-gr bullets any further, or just stick with the 168-gr? All the shooting (matches) I envision for this year are at 600 yards. Perhaps next year I will be ready for 1000 yards and a new rifle?
Thank you for your help!
Nando