Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: 168 or 175 grain .308 Sierra MatchKing

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    3,399

    Default 168 or 175 grain .308 Sierra MatchKing

    PSA has a deal on .308 Federal Sierra Matchkings in 168 grain and 175 grain right now. I’d like to pick up a few hundred rounds while they are on sale but don’t have a lot of experience with either. Just starting to venture into target shooting.

    For ya’ll that shoot long-range, all things being equal, which would you prefer? I have a .308 precision rifle with a 20” barrel that I haven’t shot yet. I doubt I’ll see many opportunities past 500 yards but if one is generally better I’d appreciate the input.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    upstate
    Posts
    9,696

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by billyjack View Post
    PSA has a deal on .308 Federal Sierra Matchkings in 168 grain and 175 grain right now. I’d like to pick up a few hundred rounds while they are on sale but don’t have a lot of experience with either. Just starting to venture into target shooting.

    For ya’ll that shoot long-range, all things being equal, which would you prefer? I have a .308 precision rifle with a 20” barrel that I haven’t shot yet. I doubt I’ll see many opportunities past 500 yards but if one is generally better I’d appreciate the input.
    buy a box of each, go shoot them and see which your rifle likes best.

    I have 3 .308's and they each like a different round ranging from 125 gr to 168.
    A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.

    Theodore Roosevelt; 26th president of US (1858 - 1919)
    ____________________________________________

    “A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity” Sigmund Freud

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    667

    Default

    168 for long range

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    columbia,sc
    Posts
    77

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cat III View Post
    168 for long range
    This here is true statement

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Horry County
    Posts
    3,800

    Default

    Buy the 175 for long range. It was designed to replace the 168, has a better BC, and will stay supersonic longer. The 168 was designed for 600 yard matches and performance falls off quickly as it slows down beyond that. You won’t see anyone at a long range match shooting 168s.
    If you don’t reload try and get your hands on some M118LR. It the 175 Gold Medal Match loaded a bit hotter for Uncle Sam. Good stuff ! I’ve got a 5 gallon bucket of 118 LR brass that I shot through a 700 and Armalite.
    Last edited by FLS; 11-14-2018 at 01:25 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Spartanburg
    Posts
    6,297

    Default

    When I shot a 308, I found that the 178 preformed more consistently at distance than the 168.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    South Florida
    Posts
    2,423

    Default

    You gotta try em both dude. Nobody on here can answer this question. Only shooting your rifle will tell the truth
    "Hunt today to kill tomorrow." - Ron Jolly

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    3,399

    Default

    I agree. Every gun is different. I just wanted a few opinions before I gambled a few hundred bucks on ammo. I won’t have time to shoot for a while and $16.99/box is a hell of a lot better than $26.99.

    Thanks for the input ya’ll.

    I do reload and plan to reload for .308, but I suck at reloading.

    .38 Special and .357 are the only bullets I’ve done well with so far.
    Last edited by billyjack; 11-14-2018 at 07:41 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Forest Acres
    Posts
    10,214

    Default

    These aren't hunting bullets are they?
    It's not enough to simply tolerate the 2nd Amendment as an antiquated inconvenience. Caring for the 2nd Amendment means fighting to restore long lost rights.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    8,657

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cat III View Post
    168 for long range
    Quote Originally Posted by jedmonston2005 View Post
    This here is true statement
    These two have hear by been banned from all long range discussion.
    Quote Originally Posted by tman View Post
    You gotta try em both dude. Nobody on here can answer this question. Only shooting your rifle will tell the truth
    Not true. Both 308 and FGMM have both been around so long that it’s a proven combo. Both will shoot well in any factory 308
    Quote Originally Posted by rp View Post
    These aren't hunting bullets are they?
    Once people get it through their head that southern deer are not the same as elk or moose they realize that match bullets are more effective on deer than most “hunting” bullets.

    To answer the original question. Inside of 500 yards there will be no difference from an accuracy standpoint. Like Tha Dick said the 175s will be better our further due to the higher BC. Your barrel is probably 1/10 or at a minimum 1/11 so stability won’t be an issue
    Seeing these soulless vanilla ice lookin Yankees on a bassboat is worse than watching a woman get her implants taken out. It's just wrong. Get back in your Lund and go back to infisherman.

  11. #11
    CWPINST's Avatar
    CWPINST is offline 168 grains of assistance from a distance
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Aiken
    Posts
    5,232

    Default

    The boat tail on the 175 SMK was designed so that it wouldn’t cause the bullet to destabilize when going trans sonic. Not so with the 168, but that is normally not an issue until around 800 yards. In general the 168 tends to be a little less temperamental than the 175 but that is not a guarantee. My .308 prefers the 175 with 8208 powder, however the best load is with RL-15 and a 150gr AccuBond......go figure.
    If it ain\'t accurate at long distance, then the fact that it is flat shooting is meaningless.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Forest Acres
    Posts
    10,214

    Default

    I swear I tried to post a comment yesterday......My thing is the match bullets are not made for expansion but putting holes in paper. My one experience with a match bullet on a deer was a hole straight through. No expansion at all. The deer died due to shot placement But if it was lungs only, I'll bet that deer would have been gone.

    That's my concern about match bullets.

    That gun does shoot match bullets very well at 100 yds.
    It's not enough to simply tolerate the 2nd Amendment as an antiquated inconvenience. Caring for the 2nd Amendment means fighting to restore long lost rights.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Horry County
    Posts
    3,800

    Default

    My experience has been the opposite. They expand violently. Berger and Amax more than Match Kings.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    South Florida
    Posts
    2,423

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by FLS View Post
    My experience has been the opposite. They expand violently. Berger and Amax more than Match Kings.
    Yes
    "Hunt today to kill tomorrow." - Ron Jolly

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    3,399

    Default

    Wasn’t planning on hunting with them, but I have heard that they almost explode in a way and you’ll often not find the bullet and there is no exit wound.

    Basically, they dump a lot of energy into the target/animal. The hollow cone on top collapses and the bullet expands very well.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Forest Acres
    Posts
    10,214

    Default

    OK. So maybe the matchkings don't expand as well as others.
    It's not enough to simply tolerate the 2nd Amendment as an antiquated inconvenience. Caring for the 2nd Amendment means fighting to restore long lost rights.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Horry County
    Posts
    3,800

    Default

    Premium hunting ammo is so accurate, there is no point, unless you’re shooting long range and that’s all you have data for.
    Sierra Game Kings and Nosler Ballistic Tips shoot almost as accurately as Match Kings in my rifles.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    8,657

    Default

    In theory a bullet that exits an animal is wasted energy. Argue all you want but your argument is with physics and not me.
    I understand in the south we sometimes need blood trails becuse we don’t have the luxury of being able to watch an animal for a mile. To me the biggest factor in bullet selection is expected impact velocity not match vs hunting. I’ve had “hunting” bullets that wouldn’t exit a deer even on a double lung shot because they were screaming fast. I’ve also had “hunting” bullets only partially expand because they were going slow upon impact.
    For example a 110vmax is a great hunting round in a 300 blackout. Put the same thing in a 300wm and it won’t go 6” into a deer at 100 yards. Then you get into animal density. Like with pigs vs hogs but we can save that for another time
    Seeing these soulless vanilla ice lookin Yankees on a bassboat is worse than watching a woman get her implants taken out. It's just wrong. Get back in your Lund and go back to infisherman.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •