which .30 bullet for F-Tr class

bamaranger · May 22, 2010, 02:43 AM

I'm relatively new to F-tr shooting, but really enjoy lobbing those .308 way out there.

My mentor, who is a very accomplished and experienced shooter, and to who I owe much gratitude, started me w/ 175 gr Sierra Match Kings. My poor boy F-tr rifle shoots them well enough, and I've not looked back. The Mentor stated that 168 would not be supersonic at 1000 yds, and my limited experience in the pits at 1000 bears that out.

I keep reading about Palma 155's at 1000 yds being supersonic and required in Palma, and the choice of some F-tr shooters. Mentor says the 155's are more susceptible to wind, though much flatter. And my casual inquiry and observations on the line at my matches is showing that the .308 shooters in my area and again, limited experience, are using 175's and sometimes more!

Anybody shooting 155 Palma's in F-tr and why? At typical velocities, which bullet is less susceptible to wind, heavy or light, in .30 cal?

kraigwy · May 23, 2010, 05:57 PM

Quote:

started me w/ 175 gr Sierra Match Kings. My poor boy F-tr rifle shoots them well enough, and I've not looked back

It appears you have answered your own question. Yes `168s dont work at 1000, you ( based on your statement) and I both know 175 SMKs work great at 1000.

155s work in the right gun, your's may or may not be the right gun, but you know the 175s work.

Why fix somethng that isnt broke.

bamaranger · May 24, 2010, 01:17 AM

The accuracy in 175's is there. And no arguing w/ KISS.

But......do faster flatter bullets (155 palma's) slip the wind better than heavier, slower 175's?

1911rocks · May 24, 2010, 06:23 AM

I've been shooting 1000yd for ~30 years. My observations, I've got a Rem 700 based rifle with a Krieger barrel it loves 168HPBT Sierras @ 1000yd. It doesn't do 175HPBT Matchkings, it doesn't like 155 Palmas. I own a Surgeon Scalpel with a 22" Barrel in .308. It doesn't do 155HPBT or 169HPBT it LOVES 175HPBT!! They all REALLY like 167HP Scenars (Lapua). I also have a Savage 10FP in a Choate stock. It has an affair going on with the Lapua Scenars. It does <1/2 MOA. It's also the least expensive rifle!!!!

I always use Lapua Brass, Rem. BR Primers and Varget. It takes a lot of record keeping, a trackable process and a time. I show up with a portable loading station all of my brass is trimmed and primed when I show. I recommend always using a chronograph and a spreadsheet for Statistical analysis. Each one of my rifles will shoot sub MOA.

Oddly, the most statistically consistent is the Surgeon Scalpel. It has the lowest SD with minimal Skewness and Kurtosis. It's not the best performer. The Savage has a moderate statistical data set. It is the best performer!!! Go figure!!

Jim Watson · May 24, 2010, 09:16 AM

The 155 gr Sierra Palma will not keep up with the 175 gr MK.
The 155 gr Lapua Scenar will; it has about the same BC and can be fired at higher velocity. I suspect the 155.5 gr Berger Palma will, too, but have not tried any of those.

The first question is, will your rifle shoot the lighter bullets as accurately?

The second question is, do you want to expend barrel life finding out?

brmfan · May 24, 2010, 07:41 PM

I've had very good success with 178 AMAXs @ 1000. Fire formed Lapua brass, 44gr Varget, CCI BR2, seated to 2.815 (Remmy 5R).

latisimusd · May 27, 2010, 04:00 PM

I run the 155gr Lapua Scenars, Lapua brass, Wolf LR Mag primer, 46gr H4895 - Chronos at 2975fps and have excellent results out of my Savage BR 308 FTR class.
Even in some fairly heavy cross winds.

May 22, 2010, 02:43 AM	#1
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,309	which .30 bullet for F-Tr class I'm relatively new to F-tr shooting, but really enjoy lobbing those .308 way out there. My mentor, who is a very accomplished and experienced shooter, and to who I owe much gratitude, started me w/ 175 gr Sierra Match Kings. My poor boy F-tr rifle shoots them well enough, and I've not looked back. The Mentor stated that 168 would not be supersonic at 1000 yds, and my limited experience in the pits at 1000 bears that out. I keep reading about Palma 155's at 1000 yds being supersonic and required in Palma, and the choice of some F-tr shooters. Mentor says the 155's are more susceptible to wind, though much flatter. And my casual inquiry and observations on the line at my matches is showing that the .308 shooters in my area and again, limited experience, are using 175's and sometimes more! Anybody shooting 155 Palma's in F-tr and why? At typical velocities, which bullet is less susceptible to wind, heavy or light, in .30 cal?

May 24, 2010, 01:17 AM	#3
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,309	why? The accuracy in 175's is there. And no arguing w/ KISS. But......do faster flatter bullets (155 palma's) slip the wind better than heavier, slower 175's?

May 24, 2010, 06:23 AM	#4
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	It's what your gun likes I've been shooting 1000yd for ~30 years. My observations, I've got a Rem 700 based rifle with a Krieger barrel it loves 168HPBT Sierras @ 1000yd. It doesn't do 175HPBT Matchkings, it doesn't like 155 Palmas. I own a Surgeon Scalpel with a 22" Barrel in .308. It doesn't do 155HPBT or 169HPBT it LOVES 175HPBT!! They all REALLY like 167HP Scenars (Lapua). I also have a Savage 10FP in a Choate stock. It has an affair going on with the Lapua Scenars. It does <1/2 MOA. It's also the least expensive rifle!!!! I always use Lapua Brass, Rem. BR Primers and Varget. It takes a lot of record keeping, a trackable process and a time. I show up with a portable loading station all of my brass is trimmed and primed when I show. I recommend always using a chronograph and a spreadsheet for Statistical analysis. Each one of my rifles will shoot sub MOA. Oddly, the most statistically consistent is the Surgeon Scalpel. It has the lowest SD with minimal Skewness and Kurtosis. It's not the best performer. The Savage has a moderate statistical data set. It is the best performer!!! Go figure!!

May 24, 2010, 09:16 AM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	The 155 gr Sierra Palma will not keep up with the 175 gr MK. The 155 gr Lapua Scenar will; it has about the same BC and can be fired at higher velocity. I suspect the 155.5 gr Berger Palma will, too, but have not tried any of those. The first question is, will your rifle shoot the lighter bullets as accurately? The second question is, do you want to expend barrel life finding out?

May 24, 2010, 07:41 PM	#6
brmfan Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2008 Posts: 557	I've had very good success with 178 AMAXs @ 1000. Fire formed Lapua brass, 44gr Varget, CCI BR2, seated to 2.815 (Remmy 5R).

May 27, 2010, 04:00 PM	#7
latisimusd Member Join Date: December 27, 2004 Location: Middle TN Posts: 36	I run the 155gr Lapua Scenars, Lapua brass, Wolf LR Mag primer, 46gr H4895 - Chronos at 2975fps and have excellent results out of my Savage BR 308 FTR class. Even in some fairly heavy cross winds.