308 velocities from a 20inch barrel

[farrieral]

One shot isn’t a group, but one shot perfectly adequate to confirm that rifle is still shooting to point of aim for most stalking purposes - an inch either way is still a dead deer.

That is indeed what I was getting at

 

[Cloudhopper]

Barnes 150gr TSX, 45.5 gr H4895, 2900 fps and very precise. Easily sub-MOA from my 20" Sako 85.
CH

 

[DRN]

168gr Amax 44gr N140 gives 2624 fps from my 20 in barrel

 

[Foxyboy43]

About 25/30fps per inch less than what you were getting with a longer barrel….

 

[Twodogs]

20” barrel
Vit N140 @ 45 grains
Fox 150 grain Hunter
2739 fps

Have a box of TTSX but yet to try.

 

[Rutland lad]

Accuracy versus Speed? Agree with accuracy, but I would happily give up a little accuracy for more velocity, better downrange performance, flatter trajectory and more energy and more expansion on target.

Happy to stay with my original point. I’m not shooting over 200m with the .308 due to geographical issues, so I don’t think anymore speed would help.

But that’s my personal opinion - and others are welcome to have their own.

 

[Heym SR20]

Happy to stay with my original point. I’m not shooting over 200m with the .308 due to geographical issues, so I don’t think anymore speed would help.

But that’s my personal opinion - and others are welcome to have their own.

Agree - you have a load that shoots well and you are happy with it, and out to 200 it will work well.

I was very much in your place for years. Recently I have access to open hill red deer stalking, hence I prefer a little more velocity.

Higher impact velocity will give a bigger temporary wound channel - not really needed on the smaller deer, but quite helpful on bigger deer - and when shots are more 200 than 100 this is quite useful.

Flipside is more carcass bruising thanks to the bigger temporary wound channel.

 

[Adders]

450mm barrel. 2550fps with 155grn ELD-M (n150)

 

[Rutland lad]

Agree - you have a load that shoots well and you are happy with it, and out to 200 it will work well.

I was very much in your place for years. Recently I have access to open hill red deer stalking, hence I prefer a little more velocity.

Higher impact velocity will give a bigger temporary wound channel - not really needed on the smaller deer, but quite helpful on bigger deer - and when shots are more 200 than 100 this is quite useful.

Flipside is more carcass bruising thanks to the bigger temporary wound channel.

I take your point.

If I think I need more reach for a specific piece of ground I put 6.5x55 barrel on - if I’m going hill stalking in Scotland I put .300WM barrel on.

I’m new to .308 and it’s okay, but to be quite honest I’ll be using the 6.5x55 barrel on for next season knowing I can deal with deer that are slightly further away.

That said, I’m still a believer in a heavy bullet going slow (relatively) for knock down power and less meat damage.

 

[NullMac]

150gr lead 2700+ 165gr 2650 ish.

The 25fps per inch rule works well on the 308. I am sure you could ram it up but thats the ballpark you are in give or take. So you can just look at Barnes Load Data page and subtract 100fps

 

[CookM]

I only ,within the last three years,have used a .308.
Reloaded from day one.
Don't have a chronograph.
Used Barnes 150 gr TSX until l ran out,then 168gr TSX until l had the same issue.
Deer fell over,all was good.
Recently,factory,Federal copper 168gr.
No change.
T3X V 20"

 

[Ginc]

From my Bergara 46cm barrel:
Hornady SST 150gr on N135 805ms (+ 21C)
Fox 130gr on N135 850ms (+21C)

 

[Cuthy246]

CZ550, 16.5" barrel
Hornady 150gr SST
2720 FPS with Hodgdon H4895, got up to 2900 with a compressed load but speed varied a lot and signs of pressure

 

[Chosenman]

I used to stalk with a Remington m700 with a 20” barrel. I reloaded Nosler 150grn ballistic tips which produced an MV that hovered around 2600.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Im looking for velocities achieved by those reloading for a 308 using a 20 inch barrel. I can't find any viable data and hoped someone could share. I'm particularly interested to hear about velocities in the 150 grain weight and even more so if your using Barnes tax/ttsx. Cheers

Ran a 20" 308 for 6-7yrs
2650fps with 150gr Fox Classic Hunter
2950fps with 136gr Peregrine

Shot the 150s out to 300m on game without issue (well 285m to be precice, largest red stag I ever shot)
136s at 2950 are essentially point and shoot out to 200m, shot a moving fox at 175m

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Agreed, terminal velocity drives bullet performance.

some need it more than others
Some dont need it as much

Large hollow points/Meplat and designs that favour terminal effect over high BC will require less terminal velocity to elicit the same effect

285m
150kg stag
2650fps MV
150gr Fox Classic Hunter
Terminal Velocity 1930fps
Stag unaware

Chest shot - Heart Lung
Moved 10yds from shot site
Complete pass through
3/4” entry
1/2” exit

Not an uncommon observation

 

[Scotty99]

150 grn Sierra Gameking over 42.9 grns of N140 - 2,484 fps. Not the fastest load available but the most accurate for my Mauser M12.

 

[Mungo]

shot a moving fox at 175m

And two sika deer with one shot…

 

[Scotty99]

Not quite what you asked, but just as a point of reference I'm loading 130gr Barnes TTSX over Ramshot Wild Boar and getting 2950fps on average. That's from a T3x with 20in barrel.

I do have some 168gr rounds loaded, but I haven't got to testing them yet. I'll keep you posted.

I’m currently working up a load for 130 grn TTSX for my M12, how far off the lands are you seating your bullets?

 

[Scotty99]

I run 130 gr TTSX in both my 20” Sako S20 and a 20” Tikka T3X Wideland Veil. I’m currently using up stocks of IMR4895 but the load I “built” to mirror Barnes factory VOR-TX .308 130gr has a MV of 2945 fps.

I’m currently working up a load for 130 grn TTSX for my M12, how far off the lands are you seating your bullets?