For the longrange shooters a couple questions after a brief history.

Several years ago I purchased a Rem 40X that wears a 25in Hart 1-14 twist .308Win barrel .875 at muzzle. The chamber had been recut and Garland Gailbreth of Triple G(where I had it pillar bedded)said it appeared to him that it had not been fired since the rechambering. It shoots way tighter than anything else I have ever had and much better than my skill level is capable of. It will not stabilize anything over 168s.

What is the intended object of so slow a twist?

How far will 168s remain stable at velocities obtainable with a .308Win?

Would I be better off shooting 155s or 135s? How far would the lighter bullets remain stable?

I have recently considered letting this one go. Mostly due to my own ignorance of how to wring the most out of it. I am not going to win any benchrest competitions. I don't do that kind of shooting. With fairly regular consistantly I have been able to wiggle a box of Federal Gold Medal 168 in a dime size hole at 300yds. I have not tried to shoot further as I don't have a range any longer. I heard a while back that Federal was coming out with something called a Palma load with 155s? Do you think it would be worth my time and money to try?

Andy

It is an accepted theory, in BR circles, to go with the slowest twist that will stabalize the bullet you wish to shoot. I shot a 308, in the IBS Hunter class, back in the '80's. I used 14 and 15 twist barrels. I started with 168's and progressed to 150, 135 and finally 125 Gr. bullets. The reduced felt recoil coupled with the reduced torque (slower twist)was a definite plus. I think if you are getting dime size groups at 300 Yds. you better leave that rifle alone. Enjoy shooting it.

I shoot Palma Matches and don't think I have seen any of the rifles with 14 twist, but know they exist of course. For the 155 Sierra Palma bullet, the twist is usually 13 but the barrel length is 30". Palma matches are shot with micrometer/peep sights and the 30" barrel length is to correlate with the usual quarter minute sight adjustment.(sight radius, it's a math thing) One twist difference will not make much difference with the bullet you are using. My Palma rifle is actually with 12 twist and I "cheat" and use the Sierra 190's to buck the wind at 8,9, and 1000yds. It will also shoot the 155's, 175's equally well. Since your rifle is giving that kind of accuracy, I would just "shoot it like you stole it..."

The 40X does have that BR stock that makes it pretty useless for anything else! Having said that I have a Rem 700 HB in 308 and it shoots the 150 gr. SMK and the 155 Palma bullets just as accurately as the 168's. I have not tested it at long ranges however, and I have no idea about the twist!
I do have a 40X in 222 Rem BTW.
Peter

Peter,

I am 6'3" around 300# and I happen to like the style of the 40X stock. It fits me "well". Funny you should mention the 222 as I have one too. My 222 wears an original Remington Rangemaster stock, has a Shillen barrel installed by Ed sometime in the late '60s, no pillars, no bedding and I regularly shoot the eyes out of red eared pond turtles with Rem Powerlokt HP. I have even taken a few deer with brain shots. No I do not advocate the use of .22cal for deer. Suprisingly enough I cannot seem to be able to produce groups similar to the 308. Maybe the barrel is finally toast.

The 308 didn't shoot that well when I first got it. I could only manage to cover a box full with a 50 cent piece. I cleaned her out with Wipeout for a few days and then was kinda anal about conditions I would actually pull the trigger. It took several hours for me to get through a full box.

On the plus side I purchased 1200 rounds of the same lot number from Federal. I know this may not last long, but it was all I could afford at the time.

Sounds like you are set for a while. That's about 1/3 of your barrel life and I'd bet that the next lot will shoot near as well. I've seen mixed reviews on loading the Federal brass but it might be worth trying.

The way 168s are shooting would I be gaining anything to try 155s?

I'm not sure. I don't have any experience with the 155's. For Service rifle the big news was 175's to stay sonic out to 1000 yards. I think the Palma shooters get the 155 out that far with a combination of the light bullet and the long barrel. I'm thing of trying the 155 Palma out to 600 with my .308 M1.