Your Best 168 grain bullet 308 Load

[cosmic creepers]

Okay, so having a discussion on another thread, and there are just so many odd good combinations that don't make sense which I feel like we don't think of, and for beginners like me with this caliber, what seems to be a winner across rifle platforms.

I'm shooting a 1971 model 70 Long action 12 inch twist.

But go ahead and post up your most accurate or most trusted 168 grain bullet 308 load. We could probably start other threads for other bullet weights but this will really help me not muddy my data if we keep it bullet weight specific.

1. 168 grain bullet manufacturer and model
2. Powder brand and charge weight
3. COL [approximate is fine we all know how hpbt. meplats are.
4. Primer brand & model
5. Brass brand and model
6. Estimated or measured velocity and barrel. length
7. Group size [extreme spread and shot count]

I really hope we get a ton of traffic to this one this could get really cool to see how many repeats of the same combination by guys who came to the same conclusions experimentally.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Sierra 168 TMK - 44.0gr RE15 - Fed 210M - Lapua case - .030" off the rifling

2,660 fps from 22"bbl - shoots under .5moa @ 400yds.

 

[STOMP442]

Imr4064 has been consistently the most accurate for me in numerous barrels. The sierra 168 is the gold standard start about 2 grains from max and work up to the sweet spot.

 

[RegionRat]

http://www.m14.ca/reloading/14_loading.pdf

 

[lotech]

168 MK, H4895 and CCI-200s. You'll have to work with seating depth and charge for your rifle, but I'd start at 42 grs. and go up.

 

[762willdo]

Don’t hobble yourself, remember ” friends don’t let friend shoot the 168 SMK”
buy some Sierra 169 SMK’s they are infinitely better…….
45.5 grains of Varget
lapua srp brass
br2 primers loaded to mag length…..

 

[Rob01]

Yup forget 168 SMKs. They are an old bullet that gets unstable through transonic and has a terrible BC.

I shoot 168 ELD-Ms pushed by 44.2grns of Varget in Hornady brass with Fed 210M primers at 2750fps and have shot them in matches to 1250 yards. I load them at .020" off the lands. Well worth a try.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

168gr Berger Hybrid, Lapua Brass, 43.4gr VV N540 send on its way with a Federal 210 primer

 

[praveen]

168 Nosler Custom Comp, Lapua brass, Varget (approx. 44 grains), Winchester LRP, 0.020 off lands.

 

[JFrank]

165 sst hunting load I’m working on.

 

[William Vogel]

45.6 gr IMR 4895 Hornady 168ELDM 2.91 COL (-.020 from lands) Lapua brass CCI 200 primer 2820 fps in a factory Remington 700 police with a Triggertech Special set to 1lb. This picture is at 700 yards. The head is 6 inches square and widest measurement across the target is 18 inches. This load shoots this or better cold and clean or warm and fouled.

 

[ebb]

IMI match brass, Hornaday 168 bullet. 41 grains of Win 760, CCI large rifle primer, bullet seated slightly into lands.

 

[762willdo]

HB 25" 308 .335 nk 1-14. Win brass match preped, .0123 necks.
168 smk, 45 imr 4895, win primer, 2.915 oal touching, 2870 fps. .072 5 @100
FWIW varget / 4064 will shoot .1's but 4895 is 200 fps faster.
View attachment 1484840View attachment 1484841

Yes 100m‘s, remember these were originally designed for 300m international competition it’s after 300 meters where these go down hill rapidly…..

 

[MGYSGT]

169, 42.5 Varget, COL 2.960 (15 off), 2700 fps, CCI 450. Used 168 to 600 many times but why hold back. The 169 cost the same and shoots way out there.

 

[dbaird]

Okay, so having a discussion on another thread, and there are just so many odd good combinations that don't make sense which I feel like we don't think of, and for beginners like me with this caliber, what seems to be a winner across rifle platforms.

I'm shooting a 1971 model 70 Long action 12 inch twist.

But go ahead and post up your most accurate or most trusted 168 grain bullet 308 load. We could probably start other threads for other bullet weights but this will really help me not muddy my data if we keep it bullet weight specific.

1. 168 grain bullet manufacturer and model
2. Powder brand and charge weight
3. COL [approximate is fine we all know how hpbt. meplats are.
4. Primer brand & model
5. Brass brand and model
6. Estimated or measured velocity and barrel. length
7. Group size [extreme spread and shot count]

I really hope we get a ton of traffic to this one this could get really cool to see how many repeats of the same combination by guys who came to the same conclusions experimentally.

168 with 43.5 Varget-Lapua brass-Fed310 primers

 

[dbaird]

168 with 43.5 Varget-Lapua brass-Fed310 primers

Sorry about that- used Federal 210 primers not 310

 

[cosmic creepers]

So many replies!! Thanks so much guys!! I've got a Palma Match barrel coming for my old model 70 that I just couldn't seem to make shoot under an inch to an inch and a quarter. As soon as that gets done in the next couple weeks, I'll be into some of your data. I'll make a table and get rolling!!

 

[DGP4]

So far, the winning load in my heavy barrel Howa 1500 is:

168 gr Nosler Custom Competition
43.5 gr SW Precision
Remington LRP primers
2.835" OAL

 

[MisterHelix]

I’m not a precision handloader, compared to a lot of folks here, but since you asked I’ll offer this load.

168 AMAX
Lapua Brass
Winchester LRP
H4895 at 41.5 grains
I wanna say 2.80” coal but I’d have to check.

Makes 2600 from a 20 inch tube, and looks good doing it.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

165 sst hunting load I’m working on.

Used a very similar load(bit higher than 44.0) in my 30TC, that bullet is an elk killer.