Full 308 in Score Info

S

SGJennings

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I've seen people post about some folks in TX, at least back in the day, perhaps currently, shooting a full 308 in score.

In a different format, this has bubbled to the top as a possible solution. Could some of you guys clue me in as to the details? Bullet weight, powder, velocity, etc.

If you have a really good idea, please feel free to chime in.
 
Back in the old days we shot Hunter Rifle Class with a full .308...it was brutal in a 10lb rifle...shooting 168 Sierra MatchKings out of a 14 twist barrel over 41 grains of H-4895..tight neck chambers were popular (.331") and we favored Federal Match brass...but I shot my first 250 with the 6mm Long BR..




Eddie in Texas
 
I'm thinking about a 135 gr custom. That depends on everything else, though.

Lapua brass. Maybe Palma, maybe LRP.

I'm concerned about the powder to get 100% case fill at the right velocity, what kind of neck clearance works, etc.

There are actually two formats. One is unlimited weight. The other allows 25 lbs.

It would go on the platform that I'm building for my 284 Shehane. At 28", the barreled action is 11.5 lbs, give or take a hair. Bottom line, with the lighter bullets, recoil isn't going to be an issue. The 215 Bergers would likely be a different story...
 
Mr. Jennings

SGJennings said:
I've seen people post about some folks in TX, at least back in the day, perhaps currently, shooting a full 308 in score.

In a different format, this has bubbled to the top as a possible solution. Could some of you guys clue me in as to the details? Bullet weight, powder, velocity, etc.

If you have a really good idea, please feel free to chime in.
Click to expand...

The current paradigm in HBR is a 30x44 or 30x47 based on Lapua brass shooting 112 to 135 bullets thru 1-15 up to 1-18 twist barrels. That said, Starting with the 2014 season, there is no longer a minimum case capacity or minimum bullet diameter for NBRSA HBR competition. You can shoot a 22 PPC .100 short if you think you can steer it hard enuf. All other specs are still in effect, 10#, 6X, 2.25 stock.
 
David,

As stated in my first post, I'm attempting to draw from old score info to help with a couple of different, related formats.

Neither have any capacity limit. Neither has any barrel or stock profile rules. One has a 25 lb weight limit, the other no limit at all. Both are best edge score formats. Score rings are smaller than IBS.

OK, here is the deal....300-400 yards, no windflags, no sighters after a brief sight in. Several minutes between sight in and record periods.

Wind cheaters drawn from F Class like the 284 Winchester, 6.5x284, etc have been winning. I already have a 284 Shehane in the works.

I'm looking for a different angle drawing from score benchrest. Already on the list is the 30-6.5x47L. With the 25 lb limit, was thinking that something on a full 308 might also work.

Whew. Sorry to be long winded, but thought that I'd need to explain further to avoid misunderstandings.

Greg J
 
135 Grain Bullets

Greg,

Before building a full 308 to shoot 135 grain bullets, I would make sure that you have a supply of bullets. The 1.080" long jackets that the custom bullet makers were using are no longer a standard item for J4. That being said, a custom 150 grain bullet may be a better choice. These are usually made on a 1.150" long jacket. The free bore for the 135 grain bullets should be around .090" and about .120" for the 150's. My 308 reamer was made to accommodate most options. It is set up with a .332" neck diameter and 0 free bore. I have a neck reamer and a throater so that any long bullet can be matched to the throat and so that non-turned brass can be used.

The older use of the 308 was generally as you stated, set up for 168 grain bullets. There are a few remaining hunter class shooters still using it but they are in the minority. Most have switched to one of the many variants of the 30x44 or 30X47 cases. In addition to a sharper shoulder angle and the reduction in body taper makes for a lower maintenance case. My long range hunter gun is a slightly longer 30X47 that I shoot 135 grain 10X bullets in. I have a 8 year supply so that I can shoot out the two barrels I currently have on the shelf. I try to shoot it at about 3000 fps and have been somewhat successful with it. If you should choose the 150 grain bullets the 14 twist barrel would be my first choice.

Good luck with your build

Randy
 
It'll be interesting to see how I end up on this. Looking more like I'll have two barrels.

As an aside, I have a source with 50,000 jackets for the 135s. Thanks for the heads up.
 
yeah but

SGJennings said:
It'll be interesting to see how I end up on this. Looking more like I'll have two barrels.

As an aside, I have a source with 50,000 jackets for the 135s. Thanks for the heads up.
Click to expand...

Who is going to make the bullets? Not trying to be argumentative, but unless those 50K jackets are available for the general sale by the maker of the bullets, why would he set up for a 1-3K bullet run? Especially when he can sell everything he can get jackets for in a heartbeat.
 
Greg, on long range/known distance the first consideration should be how well the load bucks the wind. Then work from there, but you knew that.
 
Jerry,

I'm tempted to shoot a 30-284 just to get the most BC and the biggest holes that I can. At 25 lbs and able to shoot a muzzle brake, recoil shouldn't be bad.

Greg J.
 
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I slightly mispoke.

I've got a butt load of 284 Shehane brass. I would do a 30 Shehane and throat for one of the two big Berger hybrids. It would be interesting.
 
One spproach to .308 HBR

I wanted to try Hunter Bench Rest but wasn't seeing any hunter rifles for sale. I bought a Remington SPS .308, put a Time Precision Tuner and a Lee Six hunter stock on it. I lapped the barrel and mounted a Leupold competition 6X. I tried 135's and it hated them, maybe due to the 1 in 12 twist. It likes 168 SMK's a lot. I shot it in one match before having got a load tuned and had a 241 6X, and I only had 50 rounds loaded for the match. Now I've got a load that shoots vastly better and I can't wait to try it in a match. I'm using Lapua Palma brass, Varget and F205M primers.

Maybe I'm just numb from shooting a lot, but I don't really notice any difference between the .308 and my 30 BR. I do use a Cabela's shoulder pad however.

I know this is not the way to go if you want to win much, but it was inexpensive and kind of a cool project.
 
Do they use range flags? I think you maybe going the wrong way. The Dasher will kick a$$ at under 600 yds……. jim
 
SGJennings said:
I've seen people post about some folks in TX, at least back in the day, perhaps currently, shooting a full 308 in score.

In a different format, this has bubbled to the top as a possible solution. Could some of you guys clue me in as to the details? Bullet weight, powder, velocity, etc.

If you have a really good idea, please feel free to chime in.
Click to expand...

Greg, as usual, I'm late to the party . . . until recently, a large hand-full of WESTERN Hunter competitors, led by Larry Cribbs, did quite well toting full-length .308s, shooting bullets in the 135-150 Gr. Range. "Until recently" was not due the lack of performance - most of those true believers simply quit shooting registered tournaments.:( One reason they stayed loyal to the .308 being that they, "almost always" competed in 100/200/300 Yard events, and argued the 300 YD. performance "ruled".

For that group, N-140 had become, "THE" powder, followed closely by perennial favorites (identical twins) H-380 and Win. 760, with a few standing by either H-4895, or, N-135. The N-140 provided a very good pressure to performance (small groups) ratio! ;) Many people, using 134 and 136 Gr. bullets reported MVs in the 3100 FPS and + vicinity.

Of course, as you are aware, for the game you mention, being able to "SEE" bullet-holes could be a BIG DEAL! :eek:
And with the rifle weights, recoil would be more than tolerable . . . It seems, that John Bunch was correct - as capacity increases, increasing bullet weight maintains precision, and vice-versa: the .308 usually performs best with bullets in the range noted above. RG
 
jim1K said:
Do they use range flags? I think you maybe going the wrong way. The Dasher will kick a$$ at under 600 yds……. jim
Click to expand...
No flags, no sighters, several minutes between a brief sighting and record targets. To make matters worse, there is a wind tunnel before the 300 yard line. It's tricky. Wind cheaters have been winning.
 
Thank you, Robbie. That was very illuminating. I appreciate it. Really wish we were neighbors. I wouldn't feel bad about taking up your time if I was cutting cores or doing something else useful for you.

As you noted, seeing holes is a huge, huge deal. In addition to bigger holes, I'm going to try better optics. The first try is a March 50. If that doesn't make me happy, I'll try a NF Competition.
 
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SGJennings said:
Thank you, Robbie. That was very illuminating. I appreciate it. Really wish we were neighbors. I wouldn't feel bad about taking up your time if I was cutting cores or doing something else useful for you.

As you noted, seeing holes is a huge, huge deal. In addition to bigger holes, I'm going to try better optics. The first try is a March 50. If that doesn't make me happy, I'll try a NF Competition.
Click to expand...

For bullets made on the 1.080" jacket, a 1:17 will still work quite well (Sg 1.4 for FB bullets up to 1.10" long); for the 1.150" jackets, it's better to go with a 1:14,or, 15" twist rate. With most FB bullets, on the latter jacket, the 15" twist produces Sg 1.5.

I have no experience with the March offering - the single NF Competition I have looked through had the BEST resolution I've ever observed in a rifle scope: At about 35X, I could CLEARLY read every letter/word on the NBRSA (red) 100 Yd. Hunter target! :D That was on an overcast afternoon, at about 35 Deg. F, and ZERO perceptible mirage - an unusually "good" viewing condition. Keep 'em ON the X! RG
 
With the NF 12-42 and the March 10-60 i can see 6mm bullet holes at 500 yds reasonable conditions. If you can read the wind it's no huge deal but a Dasher will hand the 30's their lunch at 3-400 yds. Get a good zero. click on what you need and don't worry about seeing the holes. Reading the wind is how they are beating you, not the size of the hole. You sure can't see bullet holes at 1000 yds. and we manage to get some small one's in the middle, read the mirage………. jim
 
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