308 155 load

trigger puller

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I am new to this and would like to ask a question. I have a model 70 in 308 that i have been loading 155 SMK Palmas. This load will group under .5 MOA at 100 yards I was going to load Berger VLD's but the sierras have a better ballistic coaficient, also if i read it right it has a higher sectional density. Is this bullet alright to hunt with. I shoot out to 880 as far as i can go back. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
trigger puller-
sooner or later someone will tell you not to hunt with the smk's so i'll save them the trouble. sierra emphatically states, the match king bullets are not recommended for hunting!!! having said that, the bullets you speak of and their respective B.C.s... pick you up a copy of bryan litz's book "applied ballistics for long range shooting" midwayusa has them for about 40$ and i think you can pick one up from this website. in this book you will find actual tested b.c. data showing that the .308 cal 155 smk palma (2155) average b.c. is actually .417 while the berger 155 vld is .439. the smk 2156 has a pointed meplat and shows a .449, however, due to the pointed tip it is doubtful that it would be able to upset, especially at longer ranges where the impact velocity is lower. if you were hunting coyotes for fur then this bullet may reduce pelt damage, but if that is your primary concern then i suspect you can come up with some other answers to that question. on the big game fields the bergers have a reputation for clean kills and outstanding accuracy, the only issue with the berger bullets is seating depth, some rifles don't shoot them well because of the amount of freebore at standard seating depth, but then that could be said of any bullet. my recommendation is before you start making any decisions about next deer season pick up that book and read it. there are a bunch of other things you need to consider before you settle on a hunting load.
 
thank like i said am new trying to get good info. my barrel is a 1-13 twist so anything over 168 is out of the question. I will get the book and go to reading.lightbulb
 
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Look into the Nosler Balistic Tip hunting bullet in 168. I use that very bullet and shoots very, very, well. I am quite please. Though I didn't get a chance to put it on a deer this year, it will see use in the fields this spring and summer.

Tank
 
Berger would be a good bullet. Nothing wrong with them. I know some guys are using the 155 A-max with good results. This is the first year I tried the Nosler Balistic tips and I was very impressed. My rifle with a 1:12 twist shoots .25 MOA regularly. The Bergers should work just as well. Berger's Hybrid in the 155 and 168 both have very good BC's.

Tank
 
I am going to go ahead and back up what previous posters have said-- look at something besides the SMK for hunting purposes. I realize that it is accurate as all get out, but I have actually experienced greater accuracy from a 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

This is my load data for the 165gr BT, fired out of a 24" bbl, Savage M10 FP:
Powder: 45.7gr of IMR 4.64
Primer: Federal Lg Rfl
Case: Winchester (new brass, full length sized via RCBS sizing die)
COAL: 2.865"
200yd 4-shot group: 1 ragged hole, .478" outside to outside (Seriously, I was flamed horribly on another thread for this, but screw 'em.)
MV (measured at 10'): 2941
ME: 3169


Just nasty.
 
as an update I bought some 168 bergers and after a some load development I can say that the SMK never shot as well as the bergers. Thanks for the info and I will continue to absorb as much info as possible. Thanks again
 
as an update I bought some 168 bergers and after a some load development I can say that the SMK never shot as well as the bergers. Thanks for the info and I will continue to absorb as much info as possible. Thanks again

Did you buy the normal 168 Berger, or the Hybrid? When you run them to 1000, could you let us know. I'm most curious as to how they shoot that far.
 
155 SMK Palma = One large whitetail buck

That being said, I would keep it inside 700 yards on deer sized game unless you can push them real fast. At 220 yards it exited off side shoulder with about a 3 inch hole.

big10.jpg
 
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