SMK vs Hornady match .308

ronl · January 15, 2010, 03:39 AM

A few weeks ago I bought some .308 Hornady match HP bullets to try out. I loaded twenty today. Out of the 20 I loaded, 6 were within 4/10ths of a grain loaded. I marked the primers of those with marker. The others were all over the place. I shot 3 of the 6 at 100yds and got a nice cloverleaf with all the bullet holes touching. At 200yds I got maybe a 6" spread and was pretty disgusted with it. (I didn't shoot the other 3 marked rounds.) I was using 42 grs of RL-15 with CCI BR primers. I picked two 168 gr. SMK's loaded with the same mix out of my bag and proceeded to put both bullets practically into the same hole at 200. In my rifle the Sierra bullets seem to perform much better, and I have much less final weight variation with them. Guess I'll be sticking with the Sierra's.

rogn · January 15, 2010, 08:08 AM

Not sure what youre trying to say or prove--weighing a finished round is dependent on qll the components not just the projectile. Cases can var 4 grains in the same lot depending on manufacture. If you wish to compare apples, weigh the bullets individually. The Hornadys may shoot well if you develope a load for them as you must have for the Sierras. What was the bullet weight? Did you cross the stability line at 200 yds with too long/heavy a bullet? Just think the Hornadys deserve a more thorough evaluation....

Dannyl · January 15, 2010, 08:43 AM

Hi,
I have been using Hornady bullets for as long as I have had my rifle since 96'.
(30-06 REm 700) I find that with 150 and 180 Gr SST's it will group 0.4 and 0.7 MOA respectively (each bullet at a different Muzzle Velocity) at 100M.

The 168 Match BTHP are just as accurate, but again, to get them to group sub MOA required a bit of experimenting.

For better consistency I weigh my cases and when I want to shoot for tigh groups or in matches I use cases that have no more than 1 grain difference between the heaviest and lightest (weigh them after cleaning, de priming sizing etc, before you commence the process of loading)

I have found that even in a lot of 50 new cases (FEDERAL and WINCHESTER) there can be up to 6 grains difference between cases, and in lesser makes up to 20 grains in a batch of 50.

IMO today most bullets from the reputable manufacturers are well made, and their performance is much influenced by the reloader, on way or the other.

Brgds,

Danny

Ivan · January 15, 2010, 10:59 AM

Never had an issue with the Hornady 168 HPBT .308. The bullets shoot as well as the Sierra from my experience.

- Ivan.

Hammonje · January 15, 2010, 09:37 PM

I prefer the SMK or Nosler CC. I never could get a good grouping with Hornady 168's. The o-give seems a bit different than with the Noslers or SMKs.

ronl · January 16, 2010, 12:44 AM

I was shooting the 168gr. match Hornady bullets. I have had much better results from the 155A-max bullets. I use RL-15 and 4064 for my .308 loads. I do weigh cases and group them accordingly when I am loading match rounds, but I am also interested in how variation in weight affects overall performance as a whole, as in load 'em from the package and see how they shoot. I have not experimented much with the 168 Hornady's, as the Sierra bullets have served me very well. I just do not see that as much variation out of the Sierra bullets overall as I do with the Hornady's. Perhaps it is just that my rifle simply prefers the Sierra bullets. I'm going to up the powder to around 43.5grs RL-15 and try some 4064 behind them and see if I can get tighter groups out of the Hornady's. What powder do you guys who shoot them well use behind them?

A_Gamehog · January 16, 2010, 12:50 AM

Varget

gman3 · January 16, 2010, 02:13 AM

Like ronl I too have had my best results using 155 gr bullets in my.308 and in my .30-06. I have used the 155 A Max and the Sierra 155 gr Palma. One shoots about as good as the other. I am using RL 15 in the .308 and H4350 in the .30-o6. Both have a 1 in 10 twist. I really havent had any success with 168s of several different brands. I once had some 173 gr match bullets, old M118 I think, wasnt real impressed with them either.

January 15, 2010, 03:39 AM	#1
ronl Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Posts: 1,125	SMK vs Hornady match .308 A few weeks ago I bought some .308 Hornady match HP bullets to try out. I loaded twenty today. Out of the 20 I loaded, 6 were within 4/10ths of a grain loaded. I marked the primers of those with marker. The others were all over the place. I shot 3 of the 6 at 100yds and got a nice cloverleaf with all the bullet holes touching. At 200yds I got maybe a 6" spread and was pretty disgusted with it. (I didn't shoot the other 3 marked rounds.) I was using 42 grs of RL-15 with CCI BR primers. I picked two 168 gr. SMK's loaded with the same mix out of my bag and proceeded to put both bullets practically into the same hole at 200. In my rifle the Sierra bullets seem to perform much better, and I have much less final weight variation with them. Guess I'll be sticking with the Sierra's.

January 15, 2010, 08:08 AM	#2
rogn Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2005 Posts: 203	? Not sure what youre trying to say or prove--weighing a finished round is dependent on qll the components not just the projectile. Cases can var 4 grains in the same lot depending on manufacture. If you wish to compare apples, weigh the bullets individually. The Hornadys may shoot well if you develope a load for them as you must have for the Sierras. What was the bullet weight? Did you cross the stability line at 200 yds with too long/heavy a bullet? Just think the Hornadys deserve a more thorough evaluation....

January 15, 2010, 08:43 AM	#3
Dannyl Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Cape Town - South Africa Posts: 627	Hi, I have been using Hornady bullets for as long as I have had my rifle since 96'. (30-06 REm 700) I find that with 150 and 180 Gr SST's it will group 0.4 and 0.7 MOA respectively (each bullet at a different Muzzle Velocity) at 100M. The 168 Match BTHP are just as accurate, but again, to get them to group sub MOA required a bit of experimenting. For better consistency I weigh my cases and when I want to shoot for tigh groups or in matches I use cases that have no more than 1 grain difference between the heaviest and lightest (weigh them after cleaning, de priming sizing etc, before you commence the process of loading) I have found that even in a lot of 50 new cases (FEDERAL and WINCHESTER) there can be up to 6 grains difference between cases, and in lesser makes up to 20 grains in a batch of 50. IMO today most bullets from the reputable manufacturers are well made, and their performance is much influenced by the reloader, on way or the other. Brgds, Danny

January 15, 2010, 10:59 AM	#4
Ivan Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Posts: 141	Never had an issue with the Hornady 168 HPBT .308. The bullets shoot as well as the Sierra from my experience. - Ivan.

January 15, 2010, 09:37 PM	#5
Hammonje Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2010 Location: Lilburn, GA Posts: 117	I prefer the SMK or Nosler CC. I never could get a good grouping with Hornady 168's. The o-give seems a bit different than with the Noslers or SMKs.

January 16, 2010, 12:44 AM	#6
ronl Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Posts: 1,125	I was shooting the 168gr. match Hornady bullets. I have had much better results from the 155A-max bullets. I use RL-15 and 4064 for my .308 loads. I do weigh cases and group them accordingly when I am loading match rounds, but I am also interested in how variation in weight affects overall performance as a whole, as in load 'em from the package and see how they shoot. I have not experimented much with the 168 Hornady's, as the Sierra bullets have served me very well. I just do not see that as much variation out of the Sierra bullets overall as I do with the Hornady's. Perhaps it is just that my rifle simply prefers the Sierra bullets. I'm going to up the powder to around 43.5grs RL-15 and try some 4064 behind them and see if I can get tighter groups out of the Hornady's. What powder do you guys who shoot them well use behind them?

January 16, 2010, 12:50 AM	#7
A_Gamehog Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2009 Location: Central Oregun Posts: 563	Varget

January 16, 2010, 02:13 AM	#8
gman3 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Posts: 408	Like ronl I too have had my best results using 155 gr bullets in my.308 and in my .30-06. I have used the 155 A Max and the Sierra 155 gr Palma. One shoots about as good as the other. I am using RL 15 in the .308 and H4350 in the .30-o6. Both have a 1 in 10 twist. I really havent had any success with 168s of several different brands. I once had some 173 gr match bullets, old M118 I think, wasnt real impressed with them either.