.308 Ammo for Remington 700 Tactical SPS 20" HB

Status
Not open for further replies.

K_Dubbya

Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
93
Location
Michigan
Greetings,

I'm newer to precision shooting and looking for recommendations on ammunition for my weapon. I have a close friend who was a designated marksmen with an M-24 and gave me a very basic intro.

I'm using a Konus M-30 6.5-25 x 44 Mil-Dot Optic and have successfully hit paper plates at 750-800 meters with S&B FMJ 180 grs.

Is there a practical way to use the same ammo for target shooting 100-800 meters, hunting inside 400 meters and for initial zeroing applications? I've never used match grade rounds.

I also understand that at extended distances every variable with the round makes a difference, so if I would have to use multiple forms of ammo I get that too but if there is a one all do all round lets hear it.

Cheers.

IMG_8725 (1).jpg
 
It helps if you reload. I know THR won't like me very much for this, but I used Sierra Matchkings out of that same exact rifle on Whitetail for years. Commercially they would be known as Federal Premium .308win 168gr HPBT. I copied their load. Extremely accurate. Not a hunting round but I never lost a deer using it.

Nowadays I still use a similar load, but the SMK's are replaced with 168gr Nosler BT's. Accuracy is still sub moa.
 
Depending on what you hunt, Federal Gold Medal Match 168gr is the best shooting factory ammo out of my 308 Rem 700.

I handload the same bullet to the same velocity for practice, and switch to the 165gr Serria Game King with an otherwise identical recipe and keep the same (or at least VERY close) POI to keep things simple since I don't typically hunt with this rifle.
 
It might not expand, but if you drive 168gr of bullet through the right spot in a deer, it should die relatively promptly.

I used to think this then shot a yearling doe with a HPBT at about 40 yards. Shot was right in the lungs, broadside. Deer jumped a bit then ran. The hole it made was tiny. The hole it made in its roast as I shot it running away was substantial and regretted however.
 
Using "target" bullets for hunting always stirs up some folks. Just because a bullet is designed as a "target' bullet doesn't make it ineffective as a "hunting" bullet. I'd not advise FMJ for hunting. But almost all of the "target" bullets with plastic tips, or the open tip designs like Bergers and Lapua Scenars work VERY well for hunting.

Hunting bullets are all over the place. Some, like Hornady SST's expand very rapidly, many say too rapidly. Others are tougher bullets designed for bigger game and deep penetration. Most of the "target" bullets are on the tougher end of the spectrum. They still expand, just slower than SOME hunting bullets.

I used to think this then shot a yearling doe with a HPBT at about 40 yards. Shot was right in the lungs, broadside. Deer jumped a bit then ran. The hole it made was tiny. The hole it made in its roast as I shot it running away was substantial and regretted however.

Doesn't prove anything. The biggest buck I ever killed took a perfectly placed shot with a Nosler Ballistic Tip from a 30-06 to the lungs. He ran over 100 yards before falling. Or even showing signs of a hit. I fired twice more but missed. Was getting ready to pull the trigger a 4th time when he turned and showed me the other side and a 4" exit hole with blood and lung tissue running down his front leg. Some animals just don't give up regardless of what you hit them with.

From 100-800 yards I'd be looking at the 178 gr Hornady ELD bullets. The ELD-X is a "hunting" bullet with excellent BC's. They make a ELD-M match bullet. They are also reasonably priced. The biggest difference is probably the box they come in. You need a heavier bullet than 168 gr to get to 800 yards and the ELD's have earned a reputation as both a long range bullet and an excellent hunting bullet. The ELD-X's are often said to expand too rapidly at close ranges, but that works in your favor with better expansion at longer ranges and slower impact speeds.
 
800 meters may be a bit ambitious for the set up you have, not impossible but sub-optimal. I started my quest for marksmanship on a 700 SPS Tactical and I learned two important lessons. The 20" barrel robs you of velocity and that is compounded by the 1-12" twist rate of the factory barrel, limiting your ability to shoot some of the higher BC bullets that make shooting past 600 yards easier. That being said, I shot a ton of 168 grain A-max at 2650 FPS and 175 grain Sierra Matchkings at 2525FPS. It was great out to 600 yards or so but past that range, I really had to reach for the WSM pushing a 200 grain bullet to be effective. Those A-max bullets are absolutely deadly on deer sized critters out to 550 yards though.
 
I tend to think of "match" bullets as better than lighter varmint bullets, but not as good as "hunting" bullets of the same weight.

I might use a 168gr match or hunting type bullet on white tails, and I might use a 140gr hunting bullet, but not a 140 match bullet if that makes sense. I typically only use "heavy for caliber" bullets anyways. I only switch to SGK instead of SMK because they shoot almost as well, perform better, and most importantly, are cheaper.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top