.308win & RE 17

[Varmint Hunter]

I've got my Broughton barreled .308 shooting very well with the 155 A-Max and Benchmark powder. Shot a .36" group at 200yds followed by a .58" at 300 yds. Not too shabby for a hunting rifle.

While the rifle seems to be at its best I thought I might try some Berger 210 VLDs and RE 17 powder. Anyone have any data or other info that they would like to share?

 

[backwoods83]

Well honestly I think a 210 berger would need a 9 twist because it doesn't have enough *** to push it fast enough and re17 is to cold for a 308 you'd do better with re15 and your only going to get about 2350 fps with 44-45grns re15 compressed.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Hmmmm, that may be a problem I hadn't considered. My Broughton is an 11 twist. I also have an 11 twist on my 300 RUM which stabilizes the 210's fine but the velocity difference may be an issue.

 

[eric2381]

I have a 30", 1-10" twist McLennan on one of my 308s. I use Hornady match brass, wlrm primers, 47gr RL17, 200gr SMK. I get an average of 2707fps. Deviation of around +-5fps.

Shoots very well in my rifle. I'm .020" off the lands.

I've shot it to 900yds with 1/3 moa accuracy.

I'd like to try the 208gr amax, but can't seem to find any.

 

[TRG300WM]

Your 1 in 11 twist will shoot 210 gr Berger very nicely. My sako trg has a 1 in 11 twist and I shoot that bullet often.
I haven't used RL 17 with the 210 gr yet. But I have used 190 gr bergers with RL17, that powder only gives better velocity in the 308 w when heaver 190 gr + bullets are used other wise your better off with H4895 or varget. these are my chronographed speeds in lapua brass which has less room than Winchester brass. My early RL17 loads were worked up from 45 grs …….
190 gr berger VLD 48gr RL17 2585 2646 2628 2649 2639 FPS AV 2629 ES 64.
48.5 2703 2672 2692 2704 2698 FPS. AV 2694 ES 30.
48.8gr 2700 2709 2703 2733 2724 AV 2713 ES33

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've been doing a little web surfing and have found shooters using 12 twist and faster with the 208/210 gr bullets and getting good results. Charges between 44.0gr and 50gr. seem to be used by those inclined to work with the RE 17. The 208 A-Max has a bigger following than the 210 Bergers but I've got a few boxes of the Bergers on hand so that's what I'm using.

I'll get a few Lapua cases loaded up and see what's practical in my rifle.

 

[eric2381]

I weighed Norma, Remington, Winchester, Federal and Hornady 308 brass. The Hornady was the lightest of them all. In theory giving the most room for the slow burning RL17.

 

[backwoods83]

I say what the hell, go ahead and give it a try it may work well, who knows? What I do know is that with 210 bergers from a 300wby 11 twist bench gun they have to be run between 2950 and 3050 to keep them stabilzed to 1k yards and 2750 to 2900 in a 10 twist 300wm bench gun. They will likely be fine out to 3-400 yrds then they will be unstable and your target will probably look like you were using buckshot at 50 yrds.

 

[Johnboy]

go to snipershide and you will find a hudge write up on this.I think over 200 post on it.and yes it will work great if you take the time to do a ladder test with the two.my 5R really shoots them great and my barrel is only 1/4 more twist.its just that you may want to try win brass to get a little more powder to get it a little faster.47.5gn's works great in Lapua brass for me.but you will be able to get up to 50gn's in win brass.

but you will need to make them long to get their.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Loading to the maximum length (touching the lands) really doesn't leave very much capacity for the RE 17 in my Lapua cases. 44 grains was no problem, 46-47 required more powder compression than I'm comfortable with and 48gr was out of the question (for me).

I'll shoot the 44-45-46 & 47gr. loads just for the heck of it but unless you are throated loooong I don't see how the combo is a viable option.

Maybe some 185 VLD's and a faster powder would be a better option in my rifle.

 

[backwoods83]

Yes 185 bergers or lapuas or the 178 hornady bthp match vlds with 48-50grns RE15 are stout loads, id try one of those combos, I mean if a 308 handled the heavy weights so good there wouldn't be any bigger 30 cals!

 

[Varmint Hunter]

UPDATE:

I finally got to the range and tested the .308 loads with the 210 VLD loaded to a gentle .002" crush fit. All groups were 3 shot at 200 yds. Wind was calm, weather was friggin' HOT. 100 deg under the overhang.

1) 44.0 RE 17 2,390-7 ft/sec 1.30"
2) 45.0 RE 17 2,456-5 ft/sec .55"
3) 46.0 RE 17 2,520-2 ft/sec 1.20"
4) 47.0 RE 17 2,590-15 ft/sec .75"

The number annexed to the velocity is the SD.

This a fairly small test but it does provide some insight for anyone else who may be interested in shooting heavy bullets in their .308 win. with RE 17 powder.

Barrel is a 22" Broughton 5c with an 11 twist.

 

[esorensen]

I've shot a few hundred 210 Bergers and the RL17 combo. It brings the .308 to life in my opinion. I use that same load with the 208 AMAX, too. Same result. I don't worry about compression though. I've shot them mag length form a bolt gun and from an AR10. I've also loaded them to over 3.00". Any way you slice it, a bullet with BC over .6 going around 2600+ fps is good stuff in my book. I recently bought 300 more 208 AMAX's to shoot. I don't see any reason to shoot much else especially not having to worry about wind calls as much.

 

[eric2381]

I've shot a few hundred 210 Bergers and the RL17 combo. It brings the .308 to life in my opinion. I use that same load with the 208 AMAX, too. Same result. I don't worry about compression though. I've shot them mag length form a bolt gun and from an AR10. I've also loaded them to over 3.00". Any way you slice it, a bullet with BC over .6 going around 2600+ fps is good stuff in my book. I recently bought 300 more 208 AMAX's to shoot. I don't see any reason to shoot much else especially not having to worry about wind calls as much.

I agree. It's an awesome combo. And I haven't even tried the Bergers or the Amax in mine yet. I've got 500- 200gr smk to shoot first.