Greetings every one, Nice forum here.

I was forced through several colliding circumstances to stop shooting about 10 or 12 years ago. I am now finaly back in a position to be able to shoot again(read divorced w/ 12yo son and healed from a severe back injury).

At the time I stopped shooting I was primarely shooting .308Win in a Rem700vss police with a Leupold VariX III 6.5-20x50mm. I was just about to have the rifle rebarrelled when all of my guns where stolen. The insurance was nice enough to replace the gun (it even came in the same brown custom shop box), which has sat cased for about 8 years unfired.

AA2015br had been gaining popularity at the time as the "powder to use" in .308, and I had just started refineing a set of loads using this powder. My notes are show consisant sets of 20, 5 round groups per sesssion under .6" with 168 Sierra Match Kings. Due to the vagaries of attrition, 2 of my 100 cases where either lost or rejected, so I had aquired a new set of Winchester cases to replace my old ones.

I plan to go to the range this weekend to run the first 100 rounds through this rifle and begin the forming of the new cases at the same time.

My questions are all in relation to target shooting over the bench:

What is the current theory on .308 powders now? I remember at the time, people where talking about another powder that might supplant AA2015br, but for the life of me can't remember its name.

Is Sierra 168 Match King still the best comercial bullet to use? I do not make a ton of money, nor am I the best shooter arround and I am looking for the right compromise between consistancy and price.

What is the current thinking on muzzle brakes or compensators? Once again, at the time, thinking was moving arround on this issue and it was a very hot topic in some circles. My understanding is that some breakthroughs have been achieved.

Any other feedback to a returning shooter would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance, and I am sorry if I have re opened any hot issues,

Josh

Joshua43214,

First off, welcome aboard.
The 700VS/PSS in .308 is still as popular as ever. No hocus-pocus involved in loading either. The popularity with AA2015BR could be attributed to user`s of progressive presses, as it meters very well. Many handloaders simply refuse to "ka-krunch" with stick powders in their measures. I drop short, then trickle up to my charge weight..no big deal.
There are plenty powders suitable in the .308 168SMK combo which I`m sure you are familiar with. A popular powder you`ll see mentioned frequently is Varget.
By all means start out with what your familiar with...if you have AA2015BR on hand, go with it.
As far as brakes and comp`s go, never saw the need for them. They can provide you with some unwanted attention at a public shooting range...either from your neighbor next to you, a Range Officer, or the wasp`s nest above you.

Do you plan on any specific barrel break-in regime?

Thank you for the reply,

One of the main reasons I had tried the AA2015br was I had heard some very positive comments about it. I stuck with it because it seemed to be very consistant from batch to batch. My groups with it where a bit over the size of what I was gettig with earlier powders, but the barrel was also hitting that 3k point and I assumed at the time it was simply shot out. I do have a mostly full can of AA2015br and was planning to use it for the second round of case forming since I already have the new cases loaded with leftover powder/bullet combos for both shooting in the gun and forming the cases for initial trim.

I always weigh each charge for the .308 and I also hate that crunch feeling as the powder gets cut. But its not like the stuff is sized for length at the factory or doesnt get shaken up in transporation, I find it unlikely that cutting a few pieces of the powder in half will be noticable by any but the top shooters, if even by them.

I suppose I can just go with the same load I was working toward in 1994 and worrry about a different combo in the spring when the barrel will be worn out enough that I wont mind experimenting with other powders and the like. I generaly stop rifle shooting in the winter as Ohio gets cold enough that the gun gets unhappy, and I get unhappy defeating the whole purpose.

I was inquireing about brakes simply because I am now 42 years old and I can remember well how 100 rounds of .308 felt in my 20's. I prefer not to wear a padded vest, so any relief would be welcome.

As for break in, I am part of the camp that believes its a bit over rated, but that it can't hurt to do it. I will clean between the first 5 or 10 shots, then swab out every 20 as normal. I think the real truth of break it is more likely "settle in". It takes a few rounds to knock all the dust off and shake every thing dowm into its proper place.

Only problem I am having now is that my range bag has gone missing. All my sandbags, portable cleaning kit, tools, etc all MIA. Hopefuly it will turn up since I can't really afford to replace all of it on short notice and it would suck to miss a shooting day over it. I suppose I can always plink with the Savage .22 and my .45 for the extra drama.

Josh

The 168SMKs are still the best depending on the twist of your 308. Berger 150's actually shoot better in my Rem 700 HB. I use Varget and WW748 powders.
Peter.

with 150/168MK's a lot of competition shooters are using 4895 or the AA version 2495. I'm a big fan of the 308 for cast bullet shooting as well as jacketed, and the Winchester surplus military WCC844 and WCC846 were what the US had loaded to the tune of over 200 million rounds of 308 with the (IIRC) 147gr fmj's. The gunsmith who built my 700 in 308 said to start at 39.5gr of 2495.4895 and go up in .5gr increments to 44gr. All were sub-moa out to 300yds, but 42.5gr shot five 5-shot groups that 'agged about .280" at 100, about .430" at 200 and about .650" at 300yds using a 36X Leupold to load test. I just went shooting after that with those Sierra 150gr MK's. Seventh in the TransContinental Hunter Benchrest Matches and a couple state championships over three years.

Rich
DRSS

Hello,
Can't provide specifics for I do not know them, but many of the U.S. Service Marksmanship Units are using Reloader 15 for the 308/7.62. I have a load of that powder I use and it will put one bullet just about on top of the other one if I do my part. No bench, sling/prone so I would say it will work good off the bench as well. 168 Sierra MK is fine out to 600 yard mark, but not the best for longer ranges. Might want to try the 175 Sierra MK's for they are about perfect for that 12 twist. 155's work "OK" in the 12, but work even better for me in the 13 twist Krieger Palma barrel I shot for some length of time. Good luck and glad to see you are back in the game, "we will finish the game...."

i am shooting a 700vs with a 1/10 28" Shilen. it likes 44grs to 44.5grs of varget with fed 210m primers and the sierra 175gr seated long with lapua brass. at 100yds it stacks the holes and at 1k yds i am still well supersonic.

the 168gr run fine out to about 600yds but fall off hard after that. a palm shooter told me that the ogive is wrong in the 168's. i have no idea.

i have tried some sierra 190gr match but never could find the grove. they shot good but not great.

imho the 6.5x20 is still the way to go.

Josh, I don't know if you still follow this thread or how far you have got in your efforts to load and shoot the .308.

But just in case, this article is about as comprehensive as I have ever seen on the subject of the .308: http://www.6mmbr.com/308Win.html...

- mike

Good article mho! I have been using the 168SMK and 150SMk so far. Where can I get the best deals on the 175SMKs?
Peter.