1 in 12 twist OK for 150g. bullets in .308?

A

AEM

New member
I'm looking real seriously at buying the Remington 700 VS (heavy 26" barrel, fiberglass stock) in .308. The rifling is 1 in 12 inches for this model, whereas in the sporter weight models the .308 has a 1 in 10 twist.

I know that for long range work the 168g. boattail is favored, and I guess that's why the Varmint and Police models have the 1 in 12 twist. But I also want to be able to shoot 147g. fmj and 150g. softpoint ammo with the greatest accuracy possible. Will the lighter bullets shoot in a 1 in 12 twist, or will I have to stick to the 168g. for really accurate shooting?

Thanks
 
Usually slow twist barrels will not stabalize heavy bullets.I don't know Remingtons reason for using a slow twist in the .308 model 700 but if it will shoot 168's it should also work with 150's.I have a 257 roberts imp. with a 1 in 14 twist that will shoot well with about any bullet under 90 grains but it key holes with 100's.

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Fear a government that fears your guns
 
A one in 12 will stabilize. a 168 beyond sub sonic If I were building me a 308 to shoot 150 gr. Bullets I would put it on a one in 14 twist barrel. On a gas gun most will want a 11 twist to be sure that it will stabilize a 173 gr. Mil round. I shot a 308 one year at the Nationals and shot Fed Match 168 out of a 16 twist barrel and was in the top 20. That particular barrel was made to shoot 110 gr bullets but for some strange reason would stabilize a 168 out to 600 yards never found out why because a hunter class shooter saw it shoot and decided he had to have it on his hunter class rifle. That barrel dominated Penn hunter class for several years.
 
Thanks for the information, gentlemen. Mr. McMillan, I'm especially glad to see you're back on the forum.

I guess I'm confused. I thought that heavier bullets needed faster twists. Is 150 g. close enough to 168g. that it will stabilize at close to max velocity in a 1-in-12 barrel?

Thanks again for your help.
 
The rule is the longer the bullet the faster you have to spin it to stabilize it. There is an equation which includes velocity but it only tends to confuse the issue as the faster the velocity the faster you will spin the same weight out of the same barrel
 
While I no longer use it, I have an old Model 70 Win Std Target in 7.62mm NATO (308win), with the original factory barrel 1:12 twist.

This barrel, despite it's being "slow twist", always handeled 180 grain Seirra MatchKings, and handloads with the FA Match bullet (173 grain) quite well.

On a rate of twist basis, no reason that a 1:12 twist barrel wouldn't do what you mention, though every barrel is "different".
 
Thanks, everyone. I understand it now. I did some reading last night and was reminded that it is the length of the bearing surface that matters. I've also had it pointed out to me that one turn in ten inches is FASTER than one in twelve. I had myself confused on that minor point!

This isn't the first time I've embarassed myself over rifling twists. In college, I was the "gun expert" in my group of friends, and encouraged several people to get involved in shooting, reloading, etc. They started dragging firearms of all descriptions out of their parents' closets and bringing them by my place in the country to shoot.

One friend showed up with a Remington 721 in .244 Remington, but had been unable to find any .244 ammo. I informed him that the .244 was now known as the 6mm Remington, and that 6mm ammo would work fine. But for the life of me, I couldn't remember why Remington had renamed the cartridge. My friend bought some heavy bullet 6mm ammo, and of course it shot all over the backstop! I gravely informed him that something was seriously wrong with the rifle, the scope or both, and directed him to a gunsmith.

Later, when he told me that the gunsmith had explained that .244 rifles were made with slow twists, and that the heavy bullet 6mm ammo wouldn't work in his .244, it all came back to me!

The more I learn, the more I forget!

[This message has been edited by AEM (edited February 21, 2000).]
 
I own a Remington 700 VLS with the 1:12 26" barrel and this gun absolutely LOVES 165 & 168 gr BT bullets. Shoots 150 gr very well, but I have not found a 180gr load that I can get much under a 1 1/4 at 100 yards.

BTW: In 308, Remington only uses the 1:12 on their 26" heavy barrel offering, on the shorter 308 barrels they use the 1:10. The reason as explained to me by their rep., 26" = Varmint = lighter & faster ; 24" & under = hunting = heavy & slower bullets.
 
i have a Rem 700 VS 308 Winchester -- cut the barrel down to 22 inch and lightened factory trigger down to 2.5 pounds --- and still have factory barrel -- i handload using 150 Sierra HPBT Match, Federal Match and W748 42.3 grains --- getting consistent half inch groups or better at 100 yards --- i was using 168match at first but found out this particular gun likes 150 --- my gunsmith talked me out of having my barrel changed to a match barrel 'cause he said there is still no guarantee that that gun will shoot better.
 
Sounds like a great load, j-man! I hope my 700 likes 150 g. bullets as well as yours.

I'm interested in 150 g. because I believe the terminal ballistics would be better than with the heavier bullets. I want the bullet to expand when it gets there. For pure accuracy shooting, I'll probably use the 168 g. match bullet. That is, unless the 150 g. shoots as well in my rifle as yours!
 
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