Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles VSSF has me scratching my head!

I have a Rem 700 VSSF. I got it recently, no modifications, in the HS stock. It's chambered in 308 Win.

I have a bunch of 165gr NBT's and I can't get it to shoot that bullet into a group smaller than 2 in at 100 yds! I have tried commercial, and military brass, RL15, and Varget. I am limited to the COAL by Mag length. 2.820, and to get to the lands, I'm way off.

So yesterday, I tried 44 grains of Varget and a 150 grain NBT. I shot a five shot group into .675! That's great, but I want the 165's to do that well.

Any suggestions?

I would suggest that your rifle hates the bullet that you like. The nerve of that rifle......

But if you've tried both RL15 and Varget, I'd tinker a bit with OAL and/or charge weights and then move on with other bullets.

I'd load them to kiss the lands and single load them to at least give you more information!

If your deprimed military brass weighs something like 178 grains, and it's uniform enough to assemble low runout cartridges, then stick those 165's on top of 42 grains of IMR4895. Magazine length is fine. If that load doesn't shoot pretty well then pass on that bullet for that rifle.

I have some on hand, and will give it a try.

"The nerve" is right!!😄 Might just have to shoot 150's. This rifle loves them!

I'm going to kiss the lands with a handful of single shot loads, as also mentioned. Hopefully, that tells me a bit more.

Also, getting my hands on a few more samples to try.

If you have H4895 around then 41.5 grains in the mil cases should be good too.

I use 44 grains of H4895 with a 150 sierra in my 308's. I get very good groups with that combo. I have 165's I need to try.

You might try BLC-2. A friend uses a max load in his 308 with 168 grain match bullets and good accuracy. Another good load (but not fast) is 43 grains of WW-748. Another friend has an expensive custom barrel on his 308 and it won't shoot 168s very well. I can't understand it. It does like 125s. I told him to shoot 125s.

Recipe that I have been using for about 20 years with 165-168 weight class bullets:

Federal Brass
CCI LR Benchrest Primer
46.0 grains of Winchester 748
Bullets used:
165 Nosler Petition
168 Sierra Mach King
165 Hornady SST
165 Hornady BTSP
165 Sierra HPBT

Velocity is in the 2730+- fps range from 20" barrels.

I do not "kiss the lands". Instead I seat the bullet so that the shank of the bullet is in complete contact with the neck of the case. The boattail sticks down into the powder chamber of the case and where the boattail meets the shank is at the bottom of the neck. Picked this up from an article in HANDLOADER Magazine many years ago and now load all my calibers that way if possible...

All the guns I have tried this load in shot well under MOA if I did my part...

Friend's Remington LTR at 800 yards...Sierra 168



..same friend at 300...




Savage Hog Hunter with 165 SST








LTR I had at 100...168 Sierra

First test load...





SAKO TRG 20" 800 yards...




Works....Bob

The Federal GMM load was reported to be close to a 168 HPBT over ~42gr IMR 4064, I shot that load about a decade in my Cooper and then switched to 155 Scenars and Varget, shot just as well if not better.

I believe Montana Marine spent a lot of time with heavies +175 in his 308(s).

Scenar shooter posted his 308 load in the 260 vs 308 thread.

You have probably seen this, pet loads.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2255435/Good_.308_Loads#Post2255435

And it may not be the loads


155 Scenar over Varget

If I really to shoot 165's I'd measure distance to ojive with 150's and seat 165 with same and give that a try first