Thread: Projectiles for Bergara BA13 308 subs

Not having much joy with the 152gr cast HP projectiles, they have point of impact 8-9 inches high at 50m compared to my supersonic load 168gr Amax.

Saw a guy at the range the other day and he was shooting 220gr Nosler BT Subsonic out of the same setup. My rifle is the takedown version, and 1:12 twist.

Anyone with a 1:12 BA13 in 308 have experience with heavier pills for subsonic ? I see Hornady does a 190gr speciality sub projectile as well. Hoping someone has found a projecilte that stabilizes out of the Bergara.

Using Trailboss powder.

@MB @Cigar

Watching patiently from the sidelines. A have the 1:8 twist in 16.5 inch .308 takedown. Looking for both super and sub loads. Used to using shottie powder for the subs, but have taken everyones advice and bought that big can of ADI trailboss.

Greetings,
Experience with my .308 rifles has shown that some pretty large variations in point of impact with different projectile weights and velocities should be expected. I have a 1 in 12 twist BA13 here but have only loaded some mild 150 grain loads so far. There are some sub loads in the yet to be shot box. These are for my M700 but I will try some in the Bergara in due course and report.
Regards Grandpamac.

Winchester does a 185gr factory sub sonic you could try? I would be inclined to try a RN 170-180gr sierra or hornady. Mate ran the 220gr sierra RN and he shot 7 goats and a pig one day. Reckoned they basically began to roll end over end pretty quick and were no good past 70m

My Bergara shoots the 151hp cast bullet fine, up 4.5 MOA on the scope and it's bang on at 50m. I have some 190gr Hornady Sub-X loaded but haven't tried them yet. They should stabilise fine in my Bergara but it's a 1:8 twist. I doubt it will be stable in my 1:12 308 or 30-30 but I will be trying them sometime. Hornady do a 175gr Sub-X for their 30-30 ammo, but I don't think it's available for reloading yet.

ebf.......they are the ducks nuts....try something different....in loading technique...maybe seat longer,yours in first time Ive heard of them going higher....
lots of folks are crimping them lightly for more consistancy.
if you want to go heavier try the 200grn jobbies from same fella....

No problem stabilizing the 190 Sub-X out of a 1:10 T3.
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....20/index2.html
Post 28

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

ebf.......they are the ducks nuts....try something different....in loading technique...maybe seat longer,yours in first time Ive heard of them going higher....
lots of folks are crimping them lightly for more consistancy.
if you want to go heavier try the 200grn jobbies from same fella....

MD these were lightly crimped.

I've got a small number of 200gr cast left, will test those next.

Some of the yanks having good results with Hornady FP 170gr Interlocks, the 30-30 bullet, so might gives those a try as well.

Originally Posted by ebf

Not having much joy with the 152gr cast HP projectiles, they have point of impact 8-9 inches high at 50m compared to my supersonic load 168gr Amax.

Saw a guy at the range the other day and he was shooting 220gr Nosler BT Subsonic out of the same setup. My rifle is the takedown version, and 1:12 twist.

Anyone with a 1:12 BA13 in 308 have experience with heavier pills for subsonic ? I see Hornady does a 190gr speciality sub projectile as well. Hoping someone has found a projecilte that stabilizes out of the Bergara.

Using Trailboss powder.

@MB @Cigar

Sorry mate, I'm a weekend player with a BA13 in 300BLK using factory Sub-X rounds. Same pill, but obviously different cartridge. Barrel is 1:8 twist.

The 170 gr hornady fbfp are very accurate, but they don't expend. I tried to hollow point them following an article from Duley in an old nzhunter magazine,results were marginally better on goat , but the 151 gr cast was really the big improvement. Try a different powder other wise, like the shotgun powder (AS 50 ?)

I know a guy down here who uses the Leigh Defence projectiles.

Their brass from memory
130gr Sub. Have the fancy hollow point in em and he swears by them

Hope this info is of use to ya

The Lehigh are good but I wish we could try the Maker Rex slugs here, look bloody awesome in the reviews, need to import some I suppose !

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice guys

Had a couple of PMs and a phone call, and seem to have narrowed it down to one of 2 things.

Tested again today, same projectiles, but holding the fore-end and loaded with standard primers instead of magnum.

Seems to do the trick. Point of impact much closer to my supersonic loads

Will do another round, and figure out which of the 2 variables is the culprit.

For future reference, drilled flash holes don't seem to make much difference at all. Tested 2 sets of cartridges today, one set with standard flash holes, and one set with 3.5mm drilled flash holes. No discernible difference in muzzle velocity.

12 twist you are pretty much limited to the 151 cast bullets locally available.
I shoot a 8 twist takedown Bergara and it shoots really well with both Hornady 190gr Sub X as well as the 160gr Peregrine copper bullets (same as what discreet ballistics use), i get 0.5" or better groups at 50 yards