Improving the 308 Win performance

I've been thinking since the 195 will run at 2717 then I can probably get a 208 Berger running around 2600 to 2625. At 5000 to 6000 ft elevation that puts it in the 1700fps range and 1300ft/lbs of energy at 1000yrds. It will definitely ring steal and it can ring some other items as well.🦌 I'm just saying. This is also just running numbers on my app. I think maybe later this year I would like to invest in a large ballistic gel mold and possibly test something out like this. It would be nice to see what a bullet does. Or just reverse load these down to this velocity so I can definitely get it in the gel without any questions. Maybe it's already been done but the 208 are pretty new bullets. A lot like the 215 hybrid that everyone claims as elk killers. Just my thoughts.
 
I've been thinking since the 195 will run at 2717 then I can probably get a 208 Berger running around 2600 to 2625. At 5000 to 6000 ft elevation that puts it in the 1700fps range and 1300ft/lbs of energy at 1000yrds. It will definitely ring steal and it can ring some other items as well.🦌 I'm just saying. This is also just running numbers on my app. I think maybe later this year I would like to invest in a large ballistic gel mold and possibly test something out like this. It would be nice to see what a bullet does. Or just reverse load these down to this velocity so I can definitely get it in the gel without any questions. Maybe it's already been done but the 208 are pretty new bullets. A lot like the 215 hybrid that everyone claims as elk killers. Just my thoughts.
Don't think for a minute the 195 is any less an Elk killer than even the 215 gr Berger because of it's lighter weight. The 195 has a BC superior to every Berger up to the 215, at which point they are about equal (G7=0.345 /195 vs 0.350/215). Also you are likely envisioning a right angle impact on the Elk, but the reality is that what you are doing is hunting, not shooting, so you may not have the luxury of choosing the shot you want on the Elk you want. The reality is that the 195 will penetrate deeper and more consistently than the Berger, will not fall apart since there is no jacket involved (the195 being much tougher) and has a much greater probability of consistent expansion within 2" of penetration, so that quartering shots or even (Heaven forbid) a Texas heart shot become possible and are much more effective with the 195 than the Berger. Berger bullets are accurate but have a reputation of inconsistent behavior on game after impact and lots of meat damage at close range. You should look up Chris Tobias and Casey Knoor on the Badlands Precision LLC Facebook page, then find videos on UTube of Chris Tobias hunting Moose in Alaska with the 195 and 338 cal 275 SBD2. Casey has a detailed account of an Elk he guided a friend to shoot with the 195 BD2 using a load he had developed in the 300 WM for his friend. The Elk was taken at 1225 yds with a single DRT heart shot at an estimated impact velocity of 1770 fps. We no longer use FB much since they have made it more difficult to post, don't allow posts on the LLC page and the posts we do don't stay accessible for long and get lost in a sea of irrelevant posts about food, vacations, drinking, irrelevant adds and the like. Not saying that Bergers are not good bullets (superb in PRS target shooting) but the cup and core design has its limitations in hunting applications that are overcome by C110 copper lathe turned high BC bullets.
 
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Anyone know why Lapua paused SRP brass production and how long this will last? I didn't realize this.
military contracts in Europe, war in Ukraine, and supply chain issues were the reasons with no timeline for restarting production. the 6.5 grendel, multiple european metric cartridges and i believe the 6.5-284 are on the list. the 6.5 grendel is the one hurt, in the middle of a 22 grendel build at the moment.
 
Anyone know why Lapua paused SRP brass production and how long this will last? I didn't realize this.
Have no clear idea other than you have a war going on in Europe, namely Ukraine, and Lapua, being a European company, has increased demands for brass used in that conflict. Fortunately there is something of a work around. Peterson makes SRP brass for the 260Rem and 243Win. I have used the 260 SRP brass to make 243 Rem brass by simply necking down the caliber of the neck. One can do the same thing by necking up the 260SRP neck to accommodate a .308 cal bullet since the 260 SRP Peterson brass is a bit more available than the 308 SRP brass.
 
Have no clear idea other than you have a war going on in Europe, namely Ukraine, and Lapua, being a European company, has increased demands for brass used in that conflict. Fortunately there is something of a work around. Peterson makes SRP brass for the 260Rem and 243Win. I have used the 260 SRP brass to make 243 Rem brass by simply necking down the caliber of the neck. One can do the same thing by necking up the 260SRP neck to accommodate a .308 cal bullet since the 260 SRP Peterson brass is a bit more available than the 308 SRP brass.
I've searched around a lot and what you are saying here is anyone's best bet. Finding the other SRP brass is likely to be just as hard in a short time. My thoughts are along the lines of how long will it be before this is remedied by Lapua or another supplier picking up the slack on at least 308 SRP brass. Lapua has cut 7/08, .284 and 308 SRP brass if what I have read in other threads here are true.
 
I've searched around a lot and what you are saying here is anyone's best bet. Finding the other SRP brass is likely to be just as hard in a short time. My thoughts are along the lines of how long will it be before this is remedied by Lapua or another supplier picking up the slack on at least 308 SRP brass. Lapua has cut 7/08, .284 and 308 SRP brass if what I have read in other threads here are true.
Unfortunately, I think you are right. The way in which Ukraine is "helped" is insufficient for them to win quickly or outright, so I think we are stuck with what we have for the time being until that dumb war is over.
 
Got it to 2944 in 26" barrel. The 24" is next. Had to set up an Oehler to shoot from my garage as the spot I used the Lab Radar is snowed in. I should have results this week.
Finally got some results for you. The barrel is 24"Bartlein 1:9 twist with a COAL =2.939" to the lands using the 175 gr BD/ bullet (G7=0.305). Jump was 0.036". Was able to get an average of 2894 fps using 49.6 gr of LVR. At 50 gr I start to see early pressure signs in the primer flattening. From the 26" Savage 1:10 twist barrel I can get 2944 fps average with 51.5 gr LVR and pressure at 52.5gr. With the 175 BD2 bullet the COAL to the lands was 3.041 and the jump was 0.135". The two barrels have different throat lengths, presumably the free bore. The difference speeds can be accounted for by the difference in barrel lengths of 2" assuming an acceleration rate of 25 ft/sec/inch.
 
@nralifer
The bullet that I was using to test is a 195ELDM. I'm petty sure it's a cup and core bullet just like Berger's. But the 195 BD2 I think that is what you are specifying. Also I don't know how soft the C110 is.. I'm assuming you mean copper 110. I'll have to see what C110 is. Also have they been tested in ballistic gel as to see what the lowest velocity that they will open at?
 
@nralifer
The bullet that I was using to test is a 195ELDM. I'm petty sure it's a cup and core bullet just like Berger's. But the 195 BD2 I think that is what you are specifying. Also I don't know how soft the C110 is.. I'm assuming you mean copper 110. I'll have to see what C110 is. Also have they been tested in ballistic gel as to see what the lowest velocity that they will open at?
C110 is 99.9% pure copper and much harder than high antimony lead but much more ductile than steel or brass and much less brittle than free machining copper. It petals well and our bullets are tested to have a minimum opening velocity of 1700 fps impact. The SBD2 bullets open down to 1650 fps. Moreover they penetrate way better than lead core bullets at high impact speeds so their effectiveness envelope is very broad. They are very deadly at quartering shots within 200 yds with penetrations as long as 30+ inches.
 

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