.308 sierra 110gr hp

[rgenzer]

I've been loading these for my Rem 700 VSS and had great results with RE-7, 0.500 at 100yds. My Rem is just too heavy to carry around. I recently bought a new encore prohunter barrel from bergera for my T/C, 20in barrel 1:10 twist. I tried to work up the load with the same powder with terrible results. The couldn't keep the low end charges on paper and the higher charges were5-6 inches at best. Looking for some recipes with different powders. RE-15, RE-10x, benchmark is what I have on hand but any recipes would be appreciated if I can find the powder.

[versifier]

What is the twist on your new barrel?

Your Rem has a 1/10" twist, and in all honesty you're very lucky it stabilizes and shoots those light bullets so well. That's a good example of what I call "barrels can't read, so they don't all know what they're supposed to work well with". Ideally, you would want a 1/12" or 1/14" to perform best with light bullets in a .30cal barrel. My 1/10" Rem788 won't do much better than 3" with 110's, 2" with 125's, then it's sub MOA with 150-180's and that's normal performance for that twist. Individual barrels always have their preferences, and your Remington is a good example.

Your new barrel is designed for hunting large game. I expect it has a standard 1/10" twist and is behaving appropriately. First find out how it does with the bullet weights it's designed to use. Begara barrels are known to be pretty accurate, so if it does what it's supposed to do with them, it is performing within expected parameters. Get a box of factory 150's or some 150 or 165gr Sierra GK's and try them with some 3031, 4064, 4895, or RE15 and see if it doesn't keep everything under 1" with its favorite combination. Then go back to the 110's and try some different brands of bullets, and I would try at least one other faster powder like 3031, H335, or BL(C)-2. It might be that it just doesn't like the Sierra 110HP/RE7 combination and will respond well to changes in components.

On rare occasions, you get a barrel that is very primer sensitive, and switching brands will really tighten things up. Also, if the chamber has a really long throat, it is often difficult to get short, light bullets seated to a long enough OAL and they won't always enter the rifling squarely. (Think Weatherby.)

Let us know what happens.

[rgenzer]

I took me a while to measure my COL, I left around .010 between bullet and rifling. I tried the recomended COL as well as my measurements. It didn't make any difference. I really wanted to use the light HP for this gun, forgot bout the twist being so tight. I've got some 150, 165 sierra. I'll give them a try. Thanks for the input.

[runfiverun]

t/c's are famous for having a large/long throat.

[versifier]

You might also try some sabots with .22 cal bullets in them. The long sabots seem to stabilize pretty well in 1/10" twists. I have tried them in my .30-30's (1.5" @ 100yds RE7, 55gr bullets) but haven't yet had a chance to try them in the .308. I will post the link if you are interested.