700 5R in .308 - 168gr or 175 gr. SMK

[maidendeth13]

Looking to order some ammo in bulk for the new rifle.

Found the FGMM 168 gr for $1.00/rd and the 175gr for $1.15/rd.

With the 11 1/4 twist rate and a 24" barrel what do y'all recommend. I'm taking a class where I can shoot out to 1000 but where I'm going to zero I'll probably only be able to get out to 2-300. I can buy a box of each at cabelas but within 2-300 yards I'm not sure I'll get enough data from either to really decide anything (unless 1 or the other just won't group I guess...)

Have access to 1000 but it's not an everyday thing so don't want to break in and zero there if I can avoid it.

Appreciate the input.

[jtake]

If you are actually going to shoot out to 1k, 175s. If only to ~600, the 168s will do you fine. The 168s have start having issues past 600-700 yards.

[NorCalFocus]

If you ever will shoot beyond 800 yards, just go the the 175s. Plus that 11.25 twist is pretty much optimal for the 175 match king.

[bender152]

I use 175's (my own reloads) in my .308 5R.

Recently, Palmetto has had 168gr and 175gr FGMM ammo on sale for $1 per round with free shipping.

[peter95]

How much are you planning to shoot it?

what do you consider bulk?

Deoending on these questions, i recommend Reloading your own. Have exceptional accurate ammo shooting sub moa groups at 200 yards for half the price when buying factory match loads.

if you buy bery good 175 smks 500 match rounds, youre looking at what approx $700?

Thats good enough to get all the reloading equipment and load about that same number of your own and save much more since youll definitely keep shooting.

Def. look into it. Reliading isnt as hard as people think it is.

[mif_slim]

Youll most likely zero at 100y anyway so 175gr.

[SixPointEight]

Just buy the 175gr ammo

[Horrendo Revolver]

I'd buy a box of each, shoot them and bulk order which one is the most accurate in my rifle.

[usmcchet9296]

I reload 168 with 42grn of IMR 4064 and get sub MOA

[maidendeth13]

Update on this since it came back up. I picked up 220 rds of 175 gr and they did fine out to 1000 for me.

I have reloading equipment but haven't developed any loads yet. The timeframe for my class didn't support reloading any ammo in time to develop a load and then load enough for the class. I did save all my brass (and some other peoples who slacked off on cleaning up) and plan to reload a bit going forward.

[renardsubtil]

Careful picking up used brass though, sometimes folks will leave their brass after they've used them a few times.

[usmcchet9296]

Careful picking up used brass though, sometimes folks will leave their brass after they've used them a few times.

I only pick up brass when I know the person shooting it had brand new boxed brass and I ask first

[SixPointEight]

Careful picking up used brass though, sometimes folks will leave their brass after they've used them a few times.

So? Load it until the primers fall out when seated, or you start to see case head separation. Otherwise, who cares if it has 1 firing or 25?

[TKCastle]

Dont buy 168,s they will shat the the bed if you try to take them to 1k. Witnessed it first hand last year at a 1k yard class.

Just buy 175s and be done with it. They will be accruate, trust.

[maidendeth13]

Careful picking up used brass though, sometimes folks will leave their brass after they've used them a few times.

Nobody there was shooting reloads so should be good to go. Good point for future reference or other people doing the same thing though.

Also, nobody around to ask as they'd all packed up and gone so figured they weren't coming back for it.

There were a few people with 168s. Some of em made it to 1k some of them didn't. My guess is it's more to do with the shooter at the level of experience all of us had. Not that it wasn't harder for them but there were a few guys with 168s that hit at 1000.