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I would like to know if - strictly as a rule of thumb - .308s (specifically the FNAR) have a preference for a specific bullet weight or range of weight. You know, lighter or heavier? I am not looking for top accuracy. I won't be shooting from a bench rest but at best a sand bag and more likely a hasty or loop sling. I would just like to know how much the accuracy is likely to "suffer" from using 147 grain projectiles as opposed to 160 or 180 grain. ` A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left. (Ecclesiastes 10:2 New American Standard Bible) | ||
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There is no rule of thumb all rifles are different...that be said lighter is generally not a problem...heavier can be if your barrel twist is too slow Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Accuracy won't 'suffer' from the weight of the bullet in the ranges you mention. Accuracy will be dependent on the quality of the bullet if just comparing the bullets. Most, if not all, milsurp 147 gr FMJBTs are not made to same quality standards as commercial bullets and will generally be less accurate. Larry Gibson | |||
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Larry, I'm thinking about 147gr FMJBT available online. I'm interested on reaching out only to around 500 yds (ONLY?? 6 months ago I was doing good to hit inside a 10" circle at 25 yds) and would be tickled to be able to keep within 4 MOA. I'm looking at developing 3 separate loads. 1) Reaching out and touching something/someone at 500 yds and REALLY getting their attention; 2) more nearly tactical ranges and 3) hunting hoofed critters like deer, antelope (cattle if needs be) and suchlike. Are you saying that pretty much any 147gr FMJBT bullets I can buy are MilSurp or made to military specs for quality? Yeah, I admit it. I'm damned ignorant. But I'm not stupid. Ignorance is curable. Stupid isn't. Stupid can also be terminal. ` A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left. (Ecclesiastes 10:2 New American Standard Bible) | |||
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Most fmj bullets are fine for plinking and punching holes in paper. Most are capable of 4 moa groups but not the best choice for accuracy and a poor choice for hunting. For the 500 yd. shots you would be better served with a good 165-168 gr. bullet but bear in mind, 4 moa = 20" spread @ 500 yds  .Regards, hm 2 Chronicles 7:14: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. | |||
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hm1996 wrote:
Yes, I know. The FMJBT will be the tactical load (remember I am one of those looneys that think TEOTWAWKI is just around the corner). Twenty inches (or less) is still a torso shot and my understanding is that most folks would lose interest in bugging me after receiving a .308 round to the torso - even in body armor. Please note that I have no intention of or desire to kill anyone. If someone is threatening my family with death or grievous bodily harm my only desire is to stop them from harming my family. Of course if I happen to stop them PERMANENTLY . . . I don't reckon I'll lose any sleep over it. For long range I will want something heavier but hopefully as aerodynamic or better. I will want something with both high Drag Coefficient (>.4) and a high Sectional Density) Both the Lyman and Lee manuals have DC and SD numbers. For hunting I will develop a good deer-killing round. When I get to working on that load I will get suggestions. ` A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left. (Ecclesiastes 10:2 New American Standard Bible) | |||
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My .308 has proven to be able to shoot 140's thru 180's into at least 1 inch at 100 yards. 140 grain Barnes X and Nosler 150 BT's being the most accurate at 3 shots in 1/2 inch. Next up is 168 grain NBT's I got as seconds from Shooters Pro Shop with two different powders being able to put 3 shots in 3/4 inch. Molon Labe New account for Jacobite | |||
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FWIW...I like bullets on the heavy side per caliber/case...308/~165-168,'06/~180-190, 300WM/~200-220. Accuracy depends on whay YOU mean by accuracy and what YOUR rifle likes and the twist of the barrel. I have several 308's and other 30 cal rifles/barrels...most have a 1-10T, a couple have 1-12T... ALL of them with shoot bullets from 100gr to 220 gr into 3 shot one-holer group if I do my part with building the rifle and ammo and 100% of them will shoot 6" patterns when I don't... The 147 FMJ, if that is what you're talking about, ISN'T anywhere near a match bullet, but if you take care with your reloads, it will do 2" easy enought. I used to shoot 22 cal, 55 gr FMJ's in my H-Bar at squirrels out to 300 plus yds and stay at or below 3/4 MOA without much trouble, but I weight and ogive sorted the bullets, used LC match brass and bench prepped it. Even without much sorting, I could stay within 1 MOA, plus/minus 1/4 MOA...and still can even though I'M no where NEAR match quality now.    And as Mike said "there AIN'T no stinkin' rool'o'thum", or anything like it, any where, any time.    Luck | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading .308 Bullet Weight Preference
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