Hard to shoot sub 1" with a 150 gr in a .30 cal?

Travis Hallam

I was wondering if it is difficult to get a 30 cal to shoot a sub 1" group using a 150 grain bullet? I used to shoot great groups with a .308 Warbird in a 165 grain but the 300 WSM finnlight I shot did not seem to shoot too well using them. It shot good enough to take 2 really good bucks at 265 but the group was closer to a 2" at 100 yards then the usual less then 1" group that I am used to getting with Sako's. I liked the rifle but sold it hoping for something more accurate. I have the chance to get another in the same caliber and I am aware that every rifle will shoot one bullet better then another but just wondering if it is difficult to get a 300 WSM to shoot tight with a 150 grain. I had a nice muzzle brake so recoil was not an issue at all. Thanks for any help.

moonshine

Are you using reloads?

If not try different brand of factory
and see what you get.

Radar

Had a old match shooter tell me that a 30 cal bullet that is longer will shoot better that a shorter bullet most of the time. Military match ammo was 173gr in 06 and 308,think the changer it in the 308 a few years ago.Why the 3grs ? why not 2 more and make it 175,guess they had a reason.

CapnMidnight

168 gr is the answer, what radar said is right, or atleast it's what I learned years ago. I tried 150gr Noslers in my 300 Win mag once when I going to hunt sheep, didn't work. Went to 165gr and solved the problem.
For what it's worth.
W.D.

MIKE WISKEY

the bullet weight has nothing to do with accuracy in general, each rifle (I should have said barrel) has it own preferances. I've got .30 cals. that will put 150's in one hole all day, others that won't hit a barn at 50 yrds. btw, 2" at 100 yards is still a fine hunting rifle to 500 yards, selling one because of it is a waist of $$$

wanted man

What Mike said...and...
Bullet LENGTH, barrel twist (and a hundered other factors that you CANNOT control unless you handload) are all factors in the INHERENT accuracy of any bullet/rifle combination.

Tailgunner1954

Not at all hard to get 150's to group under an inch, at least from my 30-06.
There is one question I would like to ask however, what size groups are you getting at 200 (and or 300)yd?
I'll let you do the research yourself, but there is a known phnominon that occures with bullets that start out spinning to fast, and it often takes them more than 100yd to completly settle down.

MMOMEQ-55

My 300 H&H will shoot most all weights accurately but I had to work on te loads to get them accurate. I have a 150 gr load that I use for deer that I down load to the speed and energy of a 308 that will putem in a single hole when I do my part. I have years of trial and error to get this accurate with this load.

jonk

I just put 3 shots from my Swiss K31 (30 cal) into a .3" hole yesterday- could have knocked me over with a feather. Roaring wind and cold. And all on the X ring!

With good bullets it will shoot 1" and that's with iron sights, all day long. Granted that's one of my best shooting iron sight military guns, but it surely can be done.

m113103

The shorter the bullet the slower the twist. 150 gr bullets like 1 in 12 twist (look at the 308 win). You could try a tunable muzzle brake with different brands of ammo or reload your own. Just make sure that the barrel is broken in before you can get max accuracy.

tsr1965

It could have been many things in conjuction together that caused your problem. As you state, mechanics of the rifle is not USUALLY an issue with SAKO. I would doubt it in this case too, but not count it out.

The main thing is the twist rate to be concerned with, and the consistancy of the ammunition you are shooting. As an example, I have a friend that has a civilian M-4 carbine with a 1-8 twist. He also had another varmint upper with a 1 in 12. I told him for gophers and coyotes to use the Hornady 40 grain V-Max loads in the varmint upper. In the M-4 upper they produced groups of 2-3 inches at 100 yards, and in the varmint 1/2 inch. When he switched to the 62 grain match load in the M-4, his groups were MOA or better. So all of this said, I suspect that the rifle you had either had a mechanical problem or the twist was a bit fast for the lighter bullet weights.

Best.