Which ammo to sight in my Tikka .308?

[SB1964]

Likely only shoot 1-2 hundred yards, target & hunting. Is the Federal Eagle "M1A" OTM MATCH good for sighting? AE .308D? I don't see a need for pricey match ammo at this point. I'm aware the hunting cartridges are a lot different, but their pricey, not sure I wanna drop a ton sighting. 22 inch fluted stainless barrel. Recommendations?

[Merc1138]

Yeah, that'll work fine. Although I'm not sure why you'd think 5 rounds is a "ton" to drop even if using something like FGMM that costs more.

Keep in mind that if you do change the load you're using, your results are going to change anyway(not drastically to the point of being unable to hit the paper, but it can still change by a bit). Also, if you're the type of guy who goes to the range with 100 rounds and leaves with a target that looks like a shotgun patterning board after making random adjustments to their scope turrets... you'll be better off doing some basic research on how to bore sight your rifle and then zero it(and shoot a few more rounds just to confirm your zero).

[SB1964]

confused about 5 rounds being a ton? I don't wanna spend money on pricey ammo if I'm not sure it's what I'll use. I suppose it's all gonna be a bit different, that's why I'm asking. I'm gonna have it leveled/boresighted when I pick up my pistol soon. Just want ideas of what people might suggest in regards to brands/weight.

[jtake]

Figure if you use 2 MOA ammo, your sight groups are not going to be very tight -- 2 MOA.

Use good ammo to sight in -- 175 or 168 FGMM or other match ammo and then be confident about (1) how accurate your rifle can be and (2) how close your zero is set.

Of course, whenever you change ammo your POI will shift from your zero, but you can at least be assured that your original zero was pretty good when using accurate ammo.

And PSA has 175gr FGMM for 23.99 plus shipping right now. A good price compared to the $29.99 many were charging.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/federal-gold-medal-match-308-175gr-sierra-matchking-bthp-20rds.html

[NapalmCheese]

What are you looking to hunt and where? I use Winchester Ballistic Silvertips on Wyoming deer and have liked the performance. The Hornady GMX or something loaded with a Barnes TTSX are fine copper choices. I've not shot any of the E-tips, but just bought some to start working up a copper load for a .243.

Anyway, buy some cheap FMJ .308 and go to the range. Put your rifle in a very stable rest. Center your crosshairs on the bullseye and fire one round. Set your rifle up again pointed at the bullseye. Now click your scope while looking through it so that (having not moved the rifle) you drift the scope on top of the bullet hole. Set up your rifle again on the cross hairs, reload, and fire 3 more rounds. If it grouped around the bullseye you're on target.

Now, buy a box of Hornady Superformance GMX (if you'll be hunting in the condor zone) or a box of Winchester Ballistic Silvertips, or something loaded with an Accubond if you want an all around lead load for deer up through elk.

Load 3 rounds, fire three rounds. How did it group? If it's grouped 1.5 inches or less at 100 yards you have a viable hunting round. If it grouped bigger than that then congratulations, you have a box of expensive practice ammo. Buy some other load appropriate to what you're going to hunt and do this again. Rinse and repeat until you get something that'll shoot under 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Yes, this might cost you $100 bucks in ammo.

Once you have found the ammo you are going to use, sight it in the same way you sighted in your cheap FMJ. Put the rifle in the rest, center the crosshairs on the bullseye, fire one round, reset your rifle, drift the scope, fire at least one more round to ensure that you are on at 100 yards. Now click in 7 or 8 clicks of elevation, fire one more round, ensure that you are 1.5 to 2 inches above the bullseye and now you're ready to hunt. Put the crosshairs in the heart/lung area for anything out to 250 yards. 250 to 300 hold halfway between the centerline and the animal's back.

Then, don't futz with your scope when going between cheap plinking ammo and hunting ammo unless your ant to sight in your rifle again.

[Timberwolf]

I'd use FGMM 168s to sight in. Let those groups be the benchmark for your rifle's accuracy ability. Then tweek it to whatever blasting or hunting ammo you want.

[milotrain]

Use Federal Gold Medal Match. It's not like you are going to shoot it so much that ammo costs become prohibitive. If you do shoot it that much then you'll want to be shooting good ammo because you aren't just blasting, so you'll shoot FGMM. Or you'll handload.

Crap ammo is crap and it will shoot like crap. If you are fine with that then...

[SB1964]

Thanks guys! Not a lot of difference between 2 boxes of PMC (for example) & 2 of FGMM. 10$ difference, big deal, didn't mean to sound THAT cheap, lol. I know the Hog ammo is 45+ didn't really wanna go that route, not right now. I'd rather sight it using match grade & hopefully be happy about it, than shoot crappy ammo/groups & wonder about the rifle. Gotta pay a few bills then buy a few boxes & go shoot it!

[SB1964]

What are you looking to hunt and where? I use Winchester Ballistic Silvertips on Wyoming deer and have liked the performance. The Hornady GMX or something loaded with a Barnes TTSX are fine copper choices. I've not shot any of the E-tips, but just bought some to start working up a copper load for a .243.

Anyway, buy some cheap FMJ .308 and go to the range. Put your rifle in a very stable rest. Center your crosshairs on the bullseye and fire one round. Set your rifle up again pointed at the bullseye. Now click your scope while looking through it so that (having not moved the rifle) you drift the scope on top of the bullet hole. Set up your rifle again on the cross hairs, reload, and fire 3 more rounds. If it grouped around the bullseye you're on target.

Now, buy a box of Hornady Superformance GMX (if you'll be hunting in the condor zone) or a box of Winchester Ballistic Silvertips, or something loaded with an Accubond if you want an all around lead load for deer up through elk.

Load 3 rounds, fire three rounds. How did it group? If it's grouped 1.5 inches or less at 100 yards you have a viable hunting round. If it grouped bigger than that then congratulations, you have a box of expensive practice ammo. Buy some other load appropriate to what you're going to hunt and do this again. Rinse and repeat until you get something that'll shoot under 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Yes, this might cost you $100 bucks in ammo.

Once you have found the ammo you are going to use, sight it in the same way you sighted in your cheap FMJ. Put the rifle in the rest, center the crosshairs on the bullseye, fire one round, reset your rifle, drift the scope, fire at least one more round to ensure that you are on at 100 yards. Now click in 7 or 8 clicks of elevation, fire one more round, ensure that you are 1.5 to 2 inches above the bullseye and now you're ready to hunt. Put the crosshairs in the heart/lung area for anything out to 250 yards. 250 to 300 hold halfway between the centerline and the animal's back.

Then, don't futz with your scope when going between cheap plinking ammo and hunting ammo unless your ant to sight in your rifle again.

Hopefully I'll get to pig hunt in the next few months. Likely I'll be working in Louisiana though, maybe sooner than I thought. Good advice from you guys, I'll put it to use. I don't mind spending money, I just don't have a lot right now, it'll come. I'll get some Federal 168 gn match & have at it.

[peacedivision]

FGMM vs crap ammo hehe. Same rifle same shooter.

[ar15barrels]

Likely only shoot 1-2 hundred yards, target & hunting. Is the Federal Eagle "M1A" OTM MATCH good for sighting? AE .308D? I don't see a need for pricey match ammo at this point. I'm aware the hunting cartridges are a lot different, but their pricey, not sure I wanna drop a ton sighting. 22 inch fluted stainless barrel. Recommendations?

Sight in with the ammo you intend to shoot.
It only takes a half a dozen rounds to reliably sight-in a rifle so don't even bother sighting with the incorrect ammo as you are just going to have to re-sight it for the correct ammo anyways...

[Merc1138]

Thanks guys! Not a lot of difference between 2 boxes of PMC (for example) & 2 of FGMM. 10$ difference, big deal, didn't mean to sound THAT cheap, lol. I know the Hog ammo is 45+ didn't really wanna go that route, not right now. I'd rather sight it using match grade & hopefully be happy about it, than shoot crappy ammo/groups & wonder about the rifle. Gotta pay a few bills then buy a few boxes & go shoot it!

Right. It's not like we were saying to go buy an $80 box of lapua for 20 rounds. peacedivision's picture explains it perfectly. Crap ammo = crap results, but like I said if you change the load you're shooting the impact is going to change anyway.

[SB1964]

I bought 4 boxes of the GM308M2. 175 gn Sierra match. I'll go try it out when I get the oppty, Likely the gun will shoot a lot better than me, lets hope so! I wonder how a .308, or MY .308 will respond to barrel cleaning & changing ammo? Will it take, or does it take "fouling shots" to put down deposits before the barrel groups better? How do these larger bores work that way? I know my best .22 barrel, after I scrub it, groups will settle down a lot after 20-25 rounds.

[lewdogg21]

OP - If you sight in your hunting load and then go home and clean the barrel and take it out hunting it will probably have a different POI. Hence the term fouling shot. So basically after you hit the range and sight in your hunting ammo there is no reason to clean the bore before going hunting. If you want you can sight it in at the range, then clean the barrel, then fire a fouling shot (or two if needed) to ensure you still have the same POI.