308 Bullet drop

[Highmeadow]

Having recently acquired a Sako 85 308, I’m looking into what ammo to use, and bullet drop estimates. Some estimates I’ve read say a 2” drop at 200 when zeroed at 100 m, others go as far as 3.9” of drop at 200 when zeroed at 100. Any advice on the best ammo and grain to use, and what experience has taught you about actual bullet drop would be much appreciated.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

Check out the sako app and it will give you a guide to what effect the weight of the bullet has on drop for that bullet.
I use Sako 123 at the moment and they certainly do the job. Can't help with nontoxic as don't shoot it.

 

[Rory]

It's very subjective, depending on what grain bullet, barrel length, charge etc is being used. If buying ammo, the stats on the back are usually a rough guide, so it's worth getting ammunition chronographed to get an actual handle on muzzle velocity. Once you have that metric, you can play around with a ballistics calculator and work out drops for your rifle.

 

[jcalleja91]

These are some tables from rounds I use with my AI AT .308 with a 24", 1 in 12inch Twist barrel.

What barrel length/Twist have you got and what are you using it for?

Download Hornady 4DoF and put in some theoretical data.. should give you a rough idea of what you're looking at.

This is my Sellier and Bellot 175gr Match ammo, 2694fps.


Hornady 150gr GMX at 2860fps.


Hornady 178gr ELD Match BTHP at 2589fps.

 

[purdeydog]

Having recently acquired a Sako 85 308, I’m looking into what ammo to use, and bullet drop estimates. Some estimates I’ve read say a 2” drop at 200 when zeroed at 100 m, others go as far as 3.9” of drop at 200 when zeroed at 100. Any advice on the best ammo and grain to use, and what experience has taught you about actual bullet drop would be much appreciated.

Just get out there and measure the drop. Can’t advise on ammo and grain to use as depends what you’re doing. I used 150g RWS ammo before reloading. Shot all uk deer with it, no issues.

Ultimately put any deer legal bullet in the right place and you have a dead deer. There is no best bullet.

 

[Highmeadow]

These are some tables from rounds I use with my AI AT .308 with a 24", 1 in 12inch Twist barrel.

What barrel length/Twist have you got and what are you using it for?

Download Hornady 4DoF and put in some theoretical data.. should give you a rough idea of what you're looking at.

This is my Sellier and Bellot 175gr Match ammo, 2694fps.
View attachment 326606

Hornady 150gr GMX at 2860fps.
View attachment 326607

Hornady 178gr ELD Match BTHP at 2589fps.

View attachment 326608

Thanks, I should have stated my barrel length is 20”, I have a Stallon mod, and use the rifle solely for stalking. Most of my deer are Fallow and Roe, with the occasional Sika.

 

[Rory]

JBM - Calculations - Trajectory

jbmballistics.com

 

[jcalleja91]

So you probably have a 1 in 11 Twist.

My 1 in 12 performs well with everything from 150gr to 178gr. Sub .5 inch groups at 100yds no problem.

I'm guessing the lighter weights around 150gr to 160gr at a higher Velocity would serve you well and less deviation inside 200yds than the 170gr+ match bullets I shoot.

Buy some, see how they perform and go from there.

 

[Smellydog]

My Remington 20" barrel would shoot around -2" @200 +1"@100. 110gn v max @3160fps.
50gn h4895.

 

[Utectok]

Shoot the rifle at 200m use a tape measure this will work 100% of the time guaranteed

 

[6.5-06 TIKKA]

I use sako 123gr gamehead. .shoots flat drops everything.
You need to shoot the round yourself.
Varbles are bullet weights, barrel twists, barrel length and if possible shoot over a chronograph as factory ammunition dont always do as per stated.
I've checked this out myself over the years with various calibres.
Enjoy the 308....

 

[.308]

I use 150g hornadry sst and 1.5 high at 100 zero at 200 find it a great choice and the deer havnt complained wither

 

[Foxyboy43]

There you go.


Oops - just noticed the column headings are missing - the range ones are on 50m increments with 0 being 150m.

 

[big ears]

True hunters zero 1” high at 100m and don’t worry out to 220m. Just point and squeeze.

Too much time wasted worrying about drop

 

[Heym SR20]

Having recently acquired a Sako 85 308, I’m looking into what ammo to use, and bullet drop estimates. Some estimates I’ve read say a 2” drop at 200 when zeroed at 100 m, others go as far as 3.9” of drop at 200 when zeroed at 100. Any advice on the best ammo and grain to use, and what experience has taught you about actual bullet drop would be much appreciated.

Read the data on ammunition websites and then read the box data.

Most centrefire deer legal cartridges zero to shoot 4cm high at 100m and bullet will be within 4 or 5 cm of point of aim out to 230 ish metres.

But the only way to know exactly where your rifle shoots for you is to zero and then shoot it at different ranges.

Height of scope above bore, length of barrel, weight of rifle, your own weight* and build all have an effect on where the rifle shoots.

(* Weight of rifle and the shooters build affects how the rifle recoils and thus where bullet leaves the muzzle in the recoil pulse. )

 

[mike243]

I zero my .308 around 2.75" high at 100yds with 165gn ammo in a 22" barrel with a north star mod which is about spot on at 230yds and about 3" low at 270ydsish

 

[Donkey Basher]

As an approximate rule of thumb, & one which will enable you to put a round into the vital area on a suitably sized deer (i.e. not shooting muntjac at 300 yards), from an initial 100 yard zero pretty much all typical deer legal centrefire cartridges will drop around 2 moa at 200 yards; they will then drop about another 3 moa at 300 yards. This equates to 4" low at 200 yards & 15" low at 300 yards.

These are approximations and you'd do best to get a suitable sized target, (accurately) measure out 100, 200 & 300 yards & shoot it using your combination of rifle & ammo.

Personally I zero my 308 using 150gn Nosler BTs 2" high at 100 yards & for fallow I just point & shoot to around 230 yards.

One word of advice though, don't mix yards & meters, there isn't that much difference at '100' but when you get to 200 & 300 it'll make a difference - 300m = 330yards = increased bullet drop.

Now is a good time of year to try your elevation adjustments with plenty of stubble fields around, just set yourself up with a good back stop, find a suitable backing board & target & put some round size down.

 

[Tim.243]

Having recently acquired a Sako 85 308, I’m looking into what ammo to use, and bullet drop estimates. Some estimates I’ve read say a 2” drop at 200 when zeroed at 100 m, others go as far as 3.9” of drop at 200 when zeroed at 100. Any advice on the best ammo and grain to use, and what experience has taught you about actual bullet drop would be much appreciated.

Printed data is fine but finding out what it really does will be far better than numbers in your head.

Shoot from a solid rest to both your marks and you will find out as you will see what groups better in your rifle which is more important than drop. Get the grouping then work out the drop.

Examples I have encountered over the years a fox cub @ 200 is quite tiny compared to an adult same with a muntjac at the same distance to a fallow. The aim point where the bullet will be going is the same but perceived size kicks in.

Sort the grouping then work out the drop would be my way of finding out.

 

[Hook'N'Bullet]

Having recently acquired a Sako 85 308, I’m looking into what ammo to use, and bullet drop estimates. Some estimates I’ve read say a 2” drop at 200 when zeroed at 100 m, others go as far as 3.9” of drop at 200 when zeroed at 100. Any advice on the best ammo and grain to use, and what experience has taught you about actual bullet drop would be much appreciated.

Mine drops around 3 to 4 inches at 200 when zeroed at 100

 

[ChesterP]

You need to establish this yourself but actually shooting a group at 200, 250 and 300yds after zeroing at 100 yds. 3 shot group, take the centre of each, job done. You also need to chrony your MV and use the MV data along with bullet BC entered into an app which will give you wind drift for 10mph full (and preferably 15 and 20mph full).

My 24 inch 1/11 barrel using 150grn sierra GKs at 2650fps zero'd at 100 yds has a 3.5 inch drop group centre to group centre at 200 yds.