What would be your first bullet 308 F/TR

[broncman]

My new Savage 308 F/TR comes home this week! What would be the first bullets you would buy for the setup the savage comes with. 600 and 1000 yards will be the ranges.

168 SMK for 600? Maybe the new 155's.

Have no idea on 1000 yards with a twelve twist. This will be my first forray into the 1000 yard and 308 F/TR scene.

Thanks for any advice, gonna order up some bullets this week, allready have winchester brass, powders etc.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I would say that most F/TR shooters are using a 185 class bullet.

 

[its only light]

I think in a 308 your best compromise between velocity and bc is going to be the 175 to 185gr bullet class like foggy said.

 

[Leaddog]

If you have a 12 twist barrel, I'd say the 175 SMK's will serve you well. Both of my rifles are a 10 twist and the Berger 185 LRBT's are my bullet of choice at 600 and 1000.

 

[jbpmidas]

I believe a lot of 12 twist shooters are using the Berger 185LRBT. 175SMK's would serve well also as a less expensive alternative.

 

[watercam]

SMK 2156 155gr. Palma, Berger 155.5 Fullbore, Berger 155 Hybrid, Berger 185 Juggernaut (BT Target)

 

[amlevin]

I don't disagree with what others have said but consider the fact that a lot will depend on YOUR particular rifle and the parameters it has beyond mere "Twist".

How much freebore? If really short, one type of bullet will be favored. In long, like a factory Remington, another style will be favored.

Secant ogive bullets are more sensitive to "jump" than tangent ogive bullets. So now, you have to consider whether to use an SMK design, A Berger, A-Max type, A Nosler, or a Berger Hybrid.

Just because "all the other guys shooting F-TR use "xxx", doesn't mean that your rifle will do well with their bullet type.

And here we thought it was easy 8)

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I'm going to go another direction here. Try the 155.5 fullbore. It is the easiest bullet I've found to tune in a 308. It is fully viable out to 1000. If your gun won't shoot bugholes with that bullet, something is wrong! It seem to like jumping .020 to .045" (.020 was best in my rifle).

Depending on brass, throating, and powder lot, work up to 47.2 grains of Varget in a Win case, or 46.7ish in a Lapua. If you have any other brass, you are going to have to do some big-time figuring for yourself.

I've shot cleans at 300, and 600 with the fullbore. In most cases, a clean is all it takes to win. Why take more recoil than you have to?

 

[DaveWhite]

Try the Berger Hybrid 168's. They seem very insensitive to jump (loading at 0.030). the extra cost is buying a lot of vertical control that translates to more tens and X's...

 

[signut]

Berger 185 Juggernaut (BT Target). This is my choice for the 1K yardage matches from an 11.25 long throated barrel, running around 2650 or so. Also, you can't go wrong with the Sierra 175MK, that would be my choice ( and is ) for 600 yard shooting.
You could try the 155's if you wish, I just have not had great luck with these, but don't let that scare you off!

 

[Va Jim]

I also started with a stock Savage FTR in 308. You cant go wrong. I would start with the Berger 185's, best all around bullet at 1000yds. But for a little less expense the 175 Sierras work good also. That is what I started with. Either way your rifle will be competitive and the rest is up to you.

Va Jim

 

[gsg5pk]

I would go with 175 LRBT or 185 LRBT

 

[XTR]

I'd start with the Hornady 178 HPBT, it has a better BC that is between the 175SMK and the 185 Bergers. In my rifle it shoots about +1MOA different than the Bergers and about -1MOA from the 175SMK. They cost about the same as the 175SMK and way less than the 185Bergers and in my experience they shoot with about the same loads. In fact my powder load for all three is the same though the OALs are different. I've printed groups at 200 yds with vertical of ~ .2MOA with the 178s. They are my practice and club match bullet.

The only reason I don't shoot the 185 Berger all the time is the cost, and for someone starting out I'd suggest something cheaper while you learn the ins and outs of making good bullets. Both are easy to load for. If there is not hardware to take home there is no point in shooting a bunch of 47¢ bullets in practice when you can use a 27¢ bullet shoots w/i an inch at 1000 yards. You can't hold the difference in the two, the 185s will get you a couple of points a match that might have been over the line with the 178s.

 

[DennisH]

ABOVE . . . . All great advice

I shot Berger 190 VLD's out of a 30" 12 twist for about a year and did very well with it. Only when German' Salazar talked me into using the 185 Jag's, I changed.

I have shot 185 Hybrids and the 185 Jag's with great success out of all my 308's.

 

[broncman]

Thanks for all the great advice. Rifle is home and I hope to shoot some Saturday if I get the bedding job done in time for it to cure at least 24 hours. I have quite a few 168 smks and some amax from an old remington project. Gonna use some of those to get the rifle set up, some stock and cheekpiece mods to fit me. Really want to make the spring match at Butner.
Gonna try the sierra offerings first simply as a money issue and if I cant get those to hold the vertical I want, will try the berger hybrids.

Jag bullets? Gonna have to google those.

Ken