Shot a 308 for the first time.

Prof Young · September 21, 2020, 08:05 PM

Brother let me shoot his S & W AR 10 chambered in 308. At about 120 yard, sitting and using shooting sticks he had that thing dialed in well enough that I got a three shot three inch group.

The ammo he was shooting was Sellier and Bellot SPCE ammo. 180 grains I think. The bullet itself has a shoulder to it (Note: the case has a shoulder, but so does the bullet) which is suppose to work better for hunting purposes. Keeps the bullet together somehow. Never seen that before. Lots to learn.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Life is good.
Prof Young

GeauxTide · September 21, 2020, 10:02 PM

3" is pretty poor for any 308, unless no scope. My old 1970 BAR 308 would print 2.5" with Iron Sights. My current 308 bolt guns shoot .5".

stagpanther · September 22, 2020, 05:26 AM

I think that's very respectable for something totally new to you, I suspect with time--practice--and right the ammo--you could shoot the eyes of a nat out at 1000 yds every time like the rest of us.

jetinteriorguy · September 22, 2020, 06:58 AM

I’d say first time off shooting sticks that’s a pretty darn decent group. Not like it’s a bench.

T. O'Heir · September 22, 2020, 01:33 PM

Bullets don't have shoulders, but that's not important. Tell your bro to sight in off a solid bench rest and try 165 grain hunting bullets. The .308 loves 165's(IMR4064 if you're reloading) and they'll kill any game in North America.
If he's not reloading, he needs to try a box of as many brands as he can to find the ammo that rifle likes.
And 3" isn't horrible. At 120 yards, there'd be a deer or moose or elk or bear in your freezer.

Scorch · September 24, 2020, 01:30 AM

Had a guy approach me at the range a few years ago. He recognized me from the shop and asked for help sighting in his S&W M&P-10 (which is not an AR-10, BTW). He couldn't get it to shoot. He had 2 empty boxes and 3 full boxes of ammo on the bench in front of him. The target looked like a shotgun blast had hit it. He asked if I would shoot it, so I sat down, loaded a magazine, got comfortable and got to work. 3 shots, adjust the scope. 3 shots, adjust the scope. Then the rest of the 20-round mag into the target. He was wondering what I was shooting at, so he set up his spotting scope. I had about a dozen rounds in a nice tight group 2" high at 100 yds. He was saying "you are kidding me" over and over.

Moral of the story- don't complain to a Marine about how your rifle is shooting.

Then he asks me how he can shoot groups like that. I told him about 50 years of practice.

bfoosh006 · September 27, 2020, 09:24 PM

FWIW... the ammo spoken of does kinda have a shoulder.

https://ammo.com/bullet-type/soft-po...ting-edge-spce

Rangerrich99 · September 27, 2020, 09:45 PM

Shooting sticks, never shot a .38 before, a non-premium factory bullet . . . pretty good shooting, Tex. Congrats.

September 21, 2020, 08:05 PM	#1
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,403	Shot a 308 for the first time. Brother let me shoot his S & W AR 10 chambered in 308. At about 120 yard, sitting and using shooting sticks he had that thing dialed in well enough that I got a three shot three inch group. The ammo he was shooting was Sellier and Bellot SPCE ammo. 180 grains I think. The bullet itself has a shoulder to it (Note: the case has a shoulder, but so does the bullet) which is suppose to work better for hunting purposes. Keeps the bullet together somehow. Never seen that before. Lots to learn. Thoughts and comments welcome. Life is good. Prof Young

September 21, 2020, 10:02 PM	#2
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	3" is pretty poor for any 308, unless no scope. My old 1970 BAR 308 would print 2.5" with Iron Sights. My current 308 bolt guns shoot .5". __________________ Reloading For: 223R, 243W, 6.5 GR, 6.5 CM, 260R, 6.5-06, 280R, 7mmRM, 300HAM'R, 308W, 30-06, 338-06, 9mm, 357M, 41M, 44SPL, 44M, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 450BM.

September 22, 2020, 05:26 AM	#3
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 11,771	I think that's very respectable for something totally new to you, I suspect with time--practice--and right the ammo--you could shoot the eyes of a nat out at 1000 yds every time like the rest of us. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

September 22, 2020, 01:33 PM	#5
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Bullets don't have shoulders, but that's not important. Tell your bro to sight in off a solid bench rest and try 165 grain hunting bullets. The .308 loves 165's(IMR4064 if you're reloading) and they'll kill any game in North America. If he's not reloading, he needs to try a box of as many brands as he can to find the ammo that rifle likes. And 3" isn't horrible. At 120 yards, there'd be a deer or moose or elk or bear in your freezer. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

September 24, 2020, 01:30 AM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Had a guy approach me at the range a few years ago. He recognized me from the shop and asked for help sighting in his S&W M&P-10 (which is not an AR-10, BTW). He couldn't get it to shoot. He had 2 empty boxes and 3 full boxes of ammo on the bench in front of him. The target looked like a shotgun blast had hit it. He asked if I would shoot it, so I sat down, loaded a magazine, got comfortable and got to work. 3 shots, adjust the scope. 3 shots, adjust the scope. Then the rest of the 20-round mag into the target. He was wondering what I was shooting at, so he set up his spotting scope. I had about a dozen rounds in a nice tight group 2" high at 100 yds. He was saying "you are kidding me" over and over. Moral of the story- don't complain to a Marine about how your rifle is shooting. Then he asks me how he can shoot groups like that. I told him about 50 years of practice. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

September 22, 2020, 06:58 AM	#4
jetinteriorguy Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2013 Posts: 3,173	I’d say first time off shooting sticks that’s a pretty darn decent group. Not like it’s a bench.

September 27, 2020, 09:45 PM	#8
Rangerrich99 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Location: Kinda near Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,254	Shooting sticks, never shot a .38 before, a non-premium factory bullet . . . pretty good shooting, Tex. Congrats.