.30cal 175 Sierra mk vs. 175 Nosler custom competition?

[Oliveralan]

Hey everyone,

Today I decided to go buy some 175 grain bullets for my .308win for 600+ yard whitetail, hogs, and paper. I was going to get the Berger vlds, but at $42/100 they're too costly. I'm either going with tried and true 175 sierra mks or 175 Nosler Custom Competition HPBTs (B.C. .505) they run $63/250, much more economical and the two reviews on midway (Nosler Custom Competition Bullets 30 Caliber (308 Diameter) 175 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail Box of 250 - MidwayUSA) are both 5stars and say they duplicate the Sierra mk for a fraction of the cost.

Does anyone have any experience with them? On game or paper?
Are try comparable/a duplicate of the Sierra mk?
Does the quality udder under the reduced price?

Thanks,
Oliver

 

[Michael Eichele]

Hey everyone,

Today I decided to go buy some 175 grain bullets for my .308win for 600+ yard whitetail, hogs, and paper. I was going to get the Berger vlds, but at $42/100 they're too costly. I'm either going with tried and true 175 sierra mks or 175 Nosler Custom Competition HPBTs (B.C. .505) they run $63/250, much more economical and the two reviews on midway (Nosler Custom Competition Bullets 30 Caliber (308 Diameter) 175 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail Box of 250 - MidwayUSA) are both 5stars and say they duplicate the Sierra mk for a fraction of the cost.

Does anyone have any experience with them? On game or paper?
Are try comparable/a duplicate of the Sierra mk?
Does the quality udder under the reduced price?

Thanks,
Oliver

You wont get enough velocity out of your 308 to open a 175 SMK or Nosler on deer at 600 yards. Theyre excellent paper bullets though.

If you want a bullet that will expand at 308 velocities on deer at those ranges, look at the 178 AMAX. They are just as accurate if not more so than the 175's (IMHO). Theyre cheaper than the bergers as well. I am getting .514 for a real world BC which is better than advertised. I dont think any other 178 AMAX users will dispute that BC either more than just a few points anyways. Cheaper than the VLD's, just as accurate, better BC, good expansion at lower velocities. It make for good common sense when fired out of a 308 for 600 yard deer.

 

[Oliveralan]

My barrel is only a 1-12 twist so I don't know if this can stablize the 178s. Do you think this would work? My barrel is the standard Remington 700 varmint barrel of this makes any diffence.

 

[Michael Eichele]

My barrel is only a 1-12 twist so I don't know if this can stablize the 178s. Do you think this would work? My barrel is the standard Remington 700 varmint barrel of this makes any diffence.

12x in 308 win. is actually optimum for 175-180 grain pills. The box states 10x but they are WAY off the optimum twist. With that factory 26" 12x I would be trying 43.0-45.0 grains of VARGET under that 178 at 2.800-2.825" OACL. Make any needed adjustments to the powder charge as needed. Your velocity should be close to 2750 and scary accurate. It is a caliber specifec sweet spot for those remmy varmint barrels.

 

[Oliveralan]

Really? Wow didn't know that! Thanks, I'll check into the 178amaxs right now.

Thanks,
Oliver

 

[Oliveralan]

Will buy amaxs, need to get them for f-class at quantico next weekend! (anyone else going?) Problem is since I'm 15 I don't have a credit card, so must nag parents to use theirs and hope it gets here in time!

If it does not, would it be possible to push 168mks to 1000? I've heard a lot of stories about how the angle of the boat tail isn't correct and that going transsonic messes with POI. But I have once fired winchester brass and CCI BR2 primers that can handle 46grains of varget without any pressure signs, would this work as a mediocre last resort?

Thanks,
Oliver

 

[Michael Eichele]

Will buy amaxs, need to get them for f-class at quantico next weekend! (anyone else going?) Problem is since I'm 15 I don't have a credit card, so must nag parents to use theirs and hope it gets here in time!

If it does not, would it be possible to push 168mks to 1000? I've heard a lot of stories about how the angle of the boat tail isn't correct and that going transsonic messes with POI. But I have once fired winchester brass and CCI BR2 primers that can handle 46grains of varget without any pressure signs, would this work as a mediocre last resort?

Thanks,
Oliver

It will depend on what altitude, temprature and velocity you fire them. The 168 SMK can make 1K in a 308 if the air isnt too dense and are fired with a good starting velocity. At 2700 FPS, 59 degrees at sea level they will be near the edge but should make it. If youre higher than sea level or warmer than 59 degrees or both, then they will make it. I have on rare occasions had circumstances that allowed me to make 1K with the 168's. I have also only shot the 168 SMK at a full 1K in sub freezing temps near sea level.

 

[Oliveralan]

Seeing as I don't have a chronograph handy I can't clock the speed of my 168s but over 46grains of varget in a 26" tube I should be pretty close. As for weather, i'm pretty close to sea level and it isn't much above 59degrees so I better get those 178s. Is there any downside to using them at shorter distances? Or should I use a mk for the 0-300yard stuff? Preferably I would just use the amax since I don't need to cover an extremely wide spread of distances, unless I sacrifice a lot of energy or accuracy.