.308 Factory Rounds

neutron619

Well-Known Member
Hello Chaps,

I have recently received my FAC for .308 / Mod - very happy about that. One of the members here is helping me get set up for reloading, but that's obviously going to take some time to achieve and time to learn the proper procedures (I'm working through the books).

In the meantime I need some reasonably cheap factory rounds. My local shop stocks the following brands (though not necessarily all in .308):

•Sako
•RWS
•Geco
•Hornady
•Federal
•Remington
•Eley
•Winchester
•CCI
•Barnaul
•Norma
•Sellier & Bellot

Assuming I can get .308 ammunition in any of the above makes, can someone point me toward the "budget" ammunition in that list - I need something cheap and cheerful. I've seen the Gecos advertised at my local shop for about £21 per box, but otherwise the price list for ammunition seems to be "secret" there. If any of the above were likely to be a similar price or not much more expensive, that would be good to know - I'd rather not have to go through every brand asking what and how much - it'll **** them off...

I've thought about using the Geco 170gr SPs but a 150gr SP of some kind would be preferable. If the fired brass has a reputation for being good for reloading, that would also help - I know some makes are better than others, just not which ones.

Any pointers you can give would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Adam.
 
It's a pity you can't get your hands on some PPU, that is cheap as chips and can turn out very good indeed in some rifles, so I am told.
I have used it in .222/.243/.308 and 30-06 in Remington, Steyre, Sako and now I am using it in a Blaser rifle and it has performed very well indeed.
I have used Sellior and Bellot when abroad and found it to be good too, and reasonably priced so may be reasonably priced over here too so give that a go, if you can't get any PPU, and see what you find.
 
At my local shop approx. prices are:
PPU £12
Geko £22
Sako £28

Unfortunalely PPU doesn't shoot that well in my Howa.
 
geco were good in the sako 85
​or the sako 123grain or the 150's both very good for me if i need factory stuff
the ppu ? a chap could not close his bolt on them at bisley in a new howa 1500
 
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You could try American Eagle ammo by Federal - I think it's their cheaper ammo, got pretty good groups out of my Howa with that.
 
Thanks for the pointers guys. I get the impression PPU is cheap and a bit of a marmite make - either it works great or it fails completely (i.e. can't shut the bolt or other failure). I will try some if I can find some - I know a shop about 20 miles up the road that might have some, so I'll give them a call and ask.

Otherwise, I know the dealer is very keen on all things Sako, so my guess is he'll stock plenty of that. I could get a couple of boxes of the Gecos (can't hurt to try them out and see if the rifle likes them - effective and clean when I used them before in someone else's gun) and a box or two of the Federal and Sako and see which ones group best.

So, of the four - PPU, Federal, Sako, Geco - can anyone tell me which of them would be the best brass for reloading? I was thinking about getting some fresh PPU cases anyway, but I don't mind reloading rather than just loading... :)

Thanks,

Adam.
 
i don't use ppu but save the sako ,geco as its an rws product, feds i use them as high seat cases as i don't mind dropping them more marmite as you say to me main case's i use are lapua in 308 home loading
 
The cheapest .308 I can get is PMC 180gr PSP (£18], Hornady 150gr BTSP (£20), and S&B SP 180gr at (£23). At present I'm using the Hornady which seems to group okay in my Savage.
 
The cheapest .308 I can get is PMC 180gr PSP (£18]

Let's hope that PMC have improved their quality control. I would not trust them myself as it was a factory PMC round that damaged my Swedish Mauser. Enough over pressure to expand the primer pocket and blow the prime clean out of the case. The gas pressure snapped the firing pin which on a Mauser is quite substantial in dimensions.
 
I use Prive 168gr HPBT for practice as it has the same POI as my hunting ammunition. I wish it was as cheap as it is in the UK. I started using it 4 years ago and it is fantastically accurate. I use Privi in 222, 6.5x57, 300WM, 9.3x62 and 375 H&H. For some reason my 243 does not like Privi, but for everything else it is fantastic in that it all groups within 3/4 of an inch except the .222 which is an inch and a half. I have my reloading gear set up and just waiting for the bullet puller to arrive as I intend measure the powder and reseat the bullets in 308 to see if I can improve the accuracy. I have 2.5k in my cellar for 308 as my dealer got a great batch in that worked brilliantly for me and a few other guys.
 
Well - just to update this - I couldn't get any Privi, but I got a box each of the Geco 170s, Federal 150s and Sako 123s - hopefully the gun will like eating at least one of those. Even if they don't work out, I've still got 60 cases for reloading...
 
I have used PPU 150g sp in the Mannlicher and have no complaints getting good groups. Similarly using their cases for reloading are fine and getting 10 reloads per case.

Accuracy 1 MOA or less is more than adequate for the stalking I do.
 
Can't comment on the .308 but was sprayed by a .22 RWS cartridge letting go last Saturday and have had feed issues with Geco.
 
I asked about the Sako .308 at my local gunshop yesterday and was advised against it. The salesman said that he wouldn't use it because it tended to splinter...

Anyone got any experience of this? Or was he just trying to get me to buy more expensive ammo?
 
You could try American Eagle ammo by Federal - I think it's their cheaper ammo, got pretty good groups out of my Howa with that.
It's FMJ isn't it?
​Brass is so super **** it's hard to define how **** it is but if you took some coke cans and fire formed them you'd get a better outcome with more uniform primer pockets.
Seriously, I wouldn't use it for plinking.

To the OP;
Sako is good, not cheap, but solid brass. Prob best choice for reloading
Norma, same bracket as Sako with good brass
RWS is pretty good, again solid brass.
Geco is budget RWS
PPU is marmite, shoots ok, I had a lot of neck splits on reloads after a few firings.
Yank brands value quantity over quality, results may vary.
S&B is pretty budget but does what is says on the tin
 
Some of the military surplus ammunition can be quite good. GGG ammunition is relatively cheap but really quite good. The downside is that its difficult to reload as the primers are crimped into position for military specification. The crimp has to be reamed before you can re prime the case. Also the holes in the base of the case are a pain to push the old primer out.


You can usually get GGG ammunition for about 60 pence a round.
 
Some of the military surplus ammunition can be quite good. GGG ammunition is relatively cheap but really quite good. The downside is that its difficult to reload as the primers are crimped into position for military specification. The crimp has to be reamed before you can re prime the case. Also the holes in the base of the case are a pain to push the old primer out.


You can usually get GGG ammunition for about 60 pence a round.

Just an update on this new manufacturer ('GGG' or GIRAITĖS GINKLUOTĖS GAMYKLA for all those of you who speak Lithuanian ... there are plenty of native speakers around me now) have just started to produce .308 sporting ammunition:-

http://ggg-ammo.lt/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/GGG .308 WIN ammunition.pdf

The 147gr GGG 7.62 is very good stuff, and is NATO spec. It's now in common use at Bisley (according to the armourer's post on the website), and filtering out to HOAC's who use MOD ranges or have their own - competing with Geco, MEN, and other FMJ target ammo.

I've been impressed by how incredibly consistent the cases are in both 5.56 & 7.62, which are both 2012 year production. All of this brass is Boxer & shows less than 1 grain variation. It's better quality & noticeably harder than PPU and GECO that's for sure.

I'll try to find out who the UK distributor is behind the local RFD supplier, and when the .308 SBT is likely to turn up in the UK.
 
I asked about the Sako .308 at my local gunshop yesterday and was advised against it. The salesman said that he wouldn't use it because it tended to splinter...

Anyone got any experience of this? Or was he just trying to get me to buy more expensive ammo?

Splinter in what way?? Sounds like he is trying to sell you what he has rather than order something else in
 
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