.308 Winchester newbie

[basil brush]

I know this has been done to death.
I have just purchased a tikka 308.

I am off to the range so what ammo should I try first?
I have read the article below about sighting in a 308 which was exremely helpful
I am going to Victorisa soon for a Sambar hunt as a first hunt with this rifle
but it will a an allrounder in the furure.

thanks

[<<Genesis93>>]

If you just want to blaze away at the range... then buy whatever ammo is cheapest...(or reload)
If you want to sight in for a hunt, then ideally sight in with the ammo you plan to use on the hunt - different brands/different projectiles/different velocity with not only have different trajectories but 'behave differently for different rifles.....

Over the weekend I had some young fellas blazing away with a 308win, had a combo of federal commercial 180grSP and 168gr Hornady BTHP handloads.... Those Federals where not too exxy, and perfect for Deer

[Baldrick314]

I've used Federal Powershock (just the standard stuff) in 150 and 180gr and they've performed well in both my 308's and one of my mates. I've heard good things about the Federal Fusion 130's but I don't know if they're adequate for Sambar (never hunted deer) they're a bit more expensive too

[basil brush]

Thanks

Thats what I needed.
The slugs I buy are for hunting deer so I wll get the federals for the range for sighting in.

Cheers

[brett1868]

I'll be shooting .308 at St Mary's tonight from 7pm with my nephew so if you're out that way drop me a pm.

[Sam45]

Hang on to your shoulder lol

[Lorgar]

I have just purchased a tikka 308.

I am off to the range so what ammo should I try first?
I have read the article below about sighting in a 308 which was exremely helpful
I am going to Victorisa soon for a Sambar hunt as a first hunt with this rifle
but it will a an allrounder in the furure.

Gratz on the purchase

Tikka are pretty good for out-of-the-box accuracy and most quality ammo should shoot well enough for you, definitely accurate enough for hunting.

Between a few mates and I we have a handful of different Tikka chambered for different rounds and have found they all like Nosler Ballistic tips. Not the cheapest ammo but accurate and will be good for your Sambar hunting too.

Personally I'm also a fan of Sierra Pro-Hunters and found their 150gr flat base bullets to be very accurate. The projectiles are half the price of Nosler as well.

You might be tempted to try lighter bullets for less recoil, 110gr - 125gr are the usual go-to for light .308 loads, I've never gotten much accuracy out of the lighter stuff when it comes to .308.

150gr - 165gr seems to be about the sweet spot in most rifles.

Your Tikka is 1:11 twist if I remember so should handle 180gr fine. IMO there isn't really any need to go that heavy. It's just more stress on your shoulder for nothing, especially at the range.

[Baronvonrort]

I know this has been done to death.
I have just purchased a tikka 308.

I am off to the range so what ammo should I try first?

I am going to Victorisa soon for a Sambar hunt as a first hunt with this rifle

thanks

You need minimum 150gr to be legal for Sambar in some places.
The ammo you want to shoot Sambar with is the ammo you should practice with.

[<<Genesis93>>]

I know this has been done to death.
I have just purchased a tikka 308.

I am off to the range so what ammo should I try first?

I am going to Victorisa soon for a Sambar hunt as a first hunt with this rifle

thanks

You need minimum 150gr to be legal for Sambar in some places.
The ammo you want to shoot Sambar with is the ammo you should practice with.

min 130gr
min 0.270calibre/6.85mm

in Mexico.

[Sender]

Your Tikka is 1:11 twist if I remember so should handle 180gr fine.

Checked the site and 1:11 is right.

[Lorgar]

Yeah thought so.

Not that it really matters though, Basil wouldn't need 180gr for what he wants. Something lighter will do just as well and be a bit friendlier to fire.

[basil brush]

Just to follow up on this thread.
I went to the range with my SS Tikka and a box of bullets.
Well it was windy and I was was all over the shop due to my inexperience and fear of the recoil.
I eventually got to close to what I wanted to achieve.
I was aiming to zero in at about 1.5 inches high at 100m.
The results arent perfect but close enough for a first time and the recoil aint so bad.
I will go back to the range after my Sambar trip next week.

Thanks to all the help I got from other posters on here.
[imghttp://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e203/rafferty7/silverdale_zpsxf1d9fjp.jpg][/img]

[Herdsman]

Well it was windy and I was was all over the shop due to my inexperience and fear of the recoil.

Flinching is pretty common to start and has a huge impact on accuracy.

It gets better in time.

Try loading some lighter rounds, shoot something with a bit less recoil like a .260 or .243. Things like that can help.

Dunno how you're shooting but sitting leaning forward into your rifle on the bench intensifies recoil a little bit. Prone is worse.

Shooting the same thing standing is easier on your shoulder because your body will sway back with the recoil instead of jarring against it.

Try a box of standing shots to get used to it to

[Baronvonrort]

Just to follow up on this thread.
I went to the range with my SS Tikka and a box of bullets.
Well it was windy and I was was all over the shop due to my inexperience and fear of the recoil.

If the recoil is a problem you could fit a muzzle brake.
www.precisionarmament.com/product/m11-muzzle-brake

Best not to think about it otherwise you could flinch

[winchestersx]

Congratulations on your new rifle. Lots of dry fire practise will help overcome flinching.

[David Brown]

Just to follow up on this thread.
I went to the range with my SS Tikka and a box of bullets.
Well it was windy and I was was all over the shop due to my inexperience and fear of the recoil.

If the recoil is a problem you could fit a muzzle brake.
http://www.precisionarmament.com/produc ... zzle-brake

Best not to think about it otherwise you could flinch

And buy some REALLY good ear muffs

[Title_II]

Get a better recoil pad. It makes all the difference.

Practice dry fire at the range. Shoot unloaded 100 times concentrating only on keeping front sight (or crosshairs) stable and precisely on the target before loading a single round. It is better practice.

[<<Genesis93>>]

Just to follow up on this thread.
I went to the range with my SS Tikka and a box of bullets.
Well it was windy and I was was all over the shop due to my inexperience and fear of the recoil.

If the recoil is a problem you could fit a muzzle brake.
http://www.precisionarmament.com/produc ... zzle-brake

Best not to think about it otherwise you could flinch

or take up knitting......seriously, if the 308 recoil is a problem, given that its at the lower end of the small bore centrefires range (what? who said small bore )

As far as brakes go, if you're planning on spending time at the range, as in with other shooters nearby.... fix the problem of recoil fear / flinch rather than a band aid solution.

To fix a flinch you need to shoot the rifle lots / often.... if you shoot a few rounds now and then, it will never go away....

If you want to 'see' your flinch, load up a dummy round (one with no propellant and a spent/dead primer) and ask a mate or range neighbour to load your mag full including the dummy)
Then fire off the mag full like normal and you'll soon witness your own flinch / confirm or otherwise its existence.....

(Its been said that anyone using a brake on less than a 338 Supermag is gay you know, in the jovial / happy way )

[Title_II]

Flinch is fixed with dry fire. You don't shoot your way out of it.

[<<Genesis93>>]

Flinch is fixed with dry fire. You don't shoot your way out of it.

The beauty of this freedom we have is that, at least up until now...

....you can believe anything you like

[Title_II]

Agreed on that, mate, straight up

[juststarting]

Ha! Thats me few month ago, though there can only be one incompaptant me, but anyway...

If you want to sight it in, a box of Hornady A-Max 308win in 168gr will do it very very well. Or Federal also 168gr. Upto $47 per box. Keep the brass, you may not reload now, but as I found out, you may want to later.

For anything else, PPU 150gr are cheap and work fine. If you can find PPU 165gr or 168gr - get those, but PPU is cheap and good'ish.

[bigtone]

I run Sierra 168 grain HPBT with 46 grains of 2208 powder. Works well in my Sako 85 and Rem 7600. I bought a heap of ADI rounds in cans which had the same projectiles and a similar powder charge and there is minimal difference at 200m between the factory rounds and my reloads. The best part is the price but damn accurate too. Another bonus is you can use the same projectiles in your 300winmag and they really get motivated. Ferals love them and paper gets scared too! Dont stress about flinching. Just put 400 rounds through your winmag before using the 308 and you will be fine!

[juststarting]

Also, 308 doesn't really kick if you hold it right... Unless you place it on your bicep, then it hurt and jerks here will probably laugh at you. In a helpful, encouraging, don't give up dumbass kind of way.

[BBJ]

Get a better recoil pad. It makes all the difference.

Yeah it can be a massive improvement over a crappy hard factory pad.

[<<Genesis93>>]

or harden up and shoot military;

Special soft compound STEEL 'recoil pad'

[Bourt]

Pass

[sandgroperbill]

is that a butt converted to a whistle?

How does it work on foxes? whistle em in, then turn it around and shoot em?

[Browning]

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but honestly, give it a hundred shots and you'll never worry bout recoil again.. I personally don't see what the fuss is about recoil... And for goodness sake, don't get a muzzle brake, especially if you're at the range a lot...

[<<Genesis93>>]

is that a butt converted to a whistle?

How does it work on foxes? whistle em in, then turn it around and shoot em?

Yup, its the whistle in the butt, whistle em in, then spin the rifle around and give it 200gr of 8mm joy at 7m

Thats not my pic, easier to get it off the gogle machine, but many shooters dont realise what the interesting looking round holey thing is, its actually a handy installation to help take down the bolt and remove the firing pin..... I bet over a century plus it has saved countless thousands of firing pins...