long range bullet question

hwilson · February 10, 2010, 03:05 PM

i recently got a remington 5r in 308 and have been shooting 500-600 yards with 175 smk's over varget with good success. this spring i plan to play around with some bergers and have been looking at the 155.5. does anyone have experience with this bullet or should i stay with a 175 for these distances. thanks.

kraigwy · February 10, 2010, 04:01 PM

Check out the 1000 yard matches and see what most of the top shooters shoot in 308. I think you'll fine the 175 SMK is well reposented.

You say you have good sucess with the 175s..............why fix something that isnt broke.

hwilson · February 10, 2010, 06:31 PM

thanks for responding, nothings really broken, just like to play with new bullets. thought i was getting into handloading to save money and i was wrong. didn't account for the fun factor.

Old Grump · February 10, 2010, 08:38 PM

If your rifle likes 175's then it will probably like Sierra MatchKing 180gr or 190 gr HPBT bullets. I used 178 gr bullets when I shot long range but that was out of a Navy M1 with a match .308 barrel and that was the issue ammo for us team shooters. That was a long time ago. If you want to go lighter I don't think I would go lighter than 168 grain, same Matchking bullets. Just 2 cents from a dinosaur who still believes that in most things shooting related that bigger is better.

bamaranger · February 11, 2010, 04:01 AM

I'm new to FTR and love it and have been learning all I can.

My mentor believes in heavy bullets, 175's for across the course shooting, as well as 1000 yds, as he states they buck the wind better than lighter weights.
Keeping one bullet weight on hand simplifies his loading, and of course he's got a load he's familiar, confident and experienced with, sure of his come ups.

Just the other day he commented that 190's were popular w/ some shooters to 600 yds as the are very wind resistant, but to slow at 1000 out of .308 to stay supersonic with the various combo's of powder and some bbl lengths, thus more vulnerable to wind at 1000 to suit him.

The appeal to me for 155's is that they are flatter shooting, ( I think he said by 6MOA or so) and can be driven fast enough to stay supersonic. In unknown distance shooting, as in the sniper/tactical steel matches, that could be a plus and make up for some range estimation errors.

I'd like to try that eventually, but I'm not ready yet.

February 10, 2010, 03:05 PM	#1
hwilson Junior Member Join Date: February 9, 2010 Posts: 11	long range bullet question i recently got a remington 5r in 308 and have been shooting 500-600 yards with 175 smk's over varget with good success. this spring i plan to play around with some bergers and have been looking at the 155.5. does anyone have experience with this bullet or should i stay with a 175 for these distances. thanks.

February 10, 2010, 04:01 PM	#2
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Check out the 1000 yard matches and see what most of the top shooters shoot in 308. I think you'll fine the 175 SMK is well reposented. You say you have good sucess with the 175s..............why fix something that isnt broke. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

February 10, 2010, 08:38 PM	#4
Old Grump Member in memoriam Join Date: April 9, 2009 Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in Posts: 3,144	If your rifle likes 175's then it will probably like Sierra MatchKing 180gr or 190 gr HPBT bullets. I used 178 gr bullets when I shot long range but that was out of a Navy M1 with a match .308 barrel and that was the issue ammo for us team shooters. That was a long time ago. If you want to go lighter I don't think I would go lighter than 168 grain, same Matchking bullets. Just 2 cents from a dinosaur who still believes that in most things shooting related that bigger is better. __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster--

February 11, 2010, 04:01 AM	#5
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	New FTR shooter I'm new to FTR and love it and have been learning all I can. My mentor believes in heavy bullets, 175's for across the course shooting, as well as 1000 yds, as he states they buck the wind better than lighter weights. Keeping one bullet weight on hand simplifies his loading, and of course he's got a load he's familiar, confident and experienced with, sure of his come ups. Just the other day he commented that 190's were popular w/ some shooters to 600 yds as the are very wind resistant, but to slow at 1000 out of .308 to stay supersonic with the various combo's of powder and some bbl lengths, thus more vulnerable to wind at 1000 to suit him. The appeal to me for 155's is that they are flatter shooting, ( I think he said by 6MOA or so) and can be driven fast enough to stay supersonic. In unknown distance shooting, as in the sniper/tactical steel matches, that could be a plus and make up for some range estimation errors. I'd like to try that eventually, but I'm not ready yet.

February 10, 2010, 06:31 PM	#3
hwilson Junior Member Join Date: February 9, 2010 Posts: 11	thanks for responding, nothings really broken, just like to play with new bullets. thought i was getting into handloading to save money and i was wrong. didn't account for the fun factor.