what ammo?

[painterman]

well I am running the Pa 10 308 and am getting 6 inch groups with 150 grain federal fusion. I guess the rifle doesn't like them. Thinking about stepping up to 168's.

any suggestions are appreciated as if a this doesn't work I will make the next step and get this thing to a Gun Smith. Rifle was unfired gen 11 when I bought it with a cheap scope and rings on it . I put a vortex diamond back tactical 4-12 x 44 on it. Had that installed at Gun store and had them recheck after range visit to make sure the rigs were still torqued correct. all was well so I don't think its that. Like I said vortex scope and vortex rings.

 

any help I will appreciate as like I said for still its good but this is going to be my deer rifle. When its right I will be selling my Remington R1 in 30 rem ar. Love the rifle but just want a change'

thanks in advance

[98Z5V]

27 minutes ago, painterman said:

well I am running the Pa 10 308 and am getting 6 inch groups with 150 grain federal fusion.

 

Awesome hunting ammo, from a bolt gun. Anything with a leaded soft tip is a hazard in a semi-auto with feedramps and bolt lugs like an AR.  Switch ammo and try something different. 

[Boot_Scraper]

I shot the 150 fusions in my R25. Didn't like em either. I had great luck with the 165 fusions though. Performed very well. 

Edited January 20, 2019 by Boot_Scraper

[Armed Eye Doc]

In addition to the ammo change, make sure your rifle is lubed well.  It sounds like your rifle is new, it may take a while to settle in.

[painterman]

1 hour ago, Armed Eye Doc said:

In addition to the ammo change, make sure your rifle is lubed well.  It sounds like your rifle is new, it may take a while to settle in.

it is...unfired when I got it and I have only put 60 rounds down the pipe...two shots and swab barrell….let it cool and two more...every 20 break down and cean,,,,may be over kil but its the way I was taught...

[painterman]

2 hours ago, Boot_Scraper said:

I shot the 150 fusions in my R25. Didn't like em either. I had great luck with the 165 fusions though. Performed very well. 

Dude that's what I wanted was a R25...I have the R15 in 30 rem ar....love that rifle, but the R25's I found were way out of my price range plus I got real lucky and picked the PA 10 up for 500 bucks

[Boot_Scraper]

11 minutes ago, painterman said:

Dude that's what I wanted was a R25...I have the R15 in 30 rem ar....love that rifle, but the R25's I found were way out of my price range plus I got real lucky and picked the PA 10 up for 500 bucks

It shot very well but was too heavy for the long walks. 

 

I built a PA10 as well, and for the money they are hard to beat. 

Edited January 21, 2019 by Boot_Scraper

[98Z5V]

1 hour ago, painterman said:

love that rifle, but the R25's I found were way out of my price range plus I got real lucky and picked the PA 10 up for 500 bucks

This is what we run in to here.  Hate to say it, but you get what you pay for. I'm not "snobbing" anything, I ain't about that.  However, you build a gun with quality parts, and it runs. Pick the parts yourself, and do it wisely  You buy a budget gun, and you better be prepared to work on it to get it to do what you thought that Knight's SR25 was gonna do (Yes, I know the difference between the Remington R25 that you referenced, and the KAC SR25, and I'm using the SR25 as the dollar/quality reference on my own) .  That PSA dollar comes from somewhere, and you got it cheap for a reason.  Compromise was made somewhere.

At least you are here, right now, painterman, figuring out your gun.  For the most part, the budget price of the PSA attracts the "budget people" that think everything had a lifetime warranty, and it should run out of the box just like an SR25 - and that's just not the case.  I hate - HATE - arguing with those "budget people" over this shiit.  PSA doesn't care, either - they already made their money...  

[painterman]

16 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

This is what we run in to here.  Hate to say it, but you get what you pay for. I'm not "snobbing" anything, I ain't about that.  However, you build a gun with quality parts, and it runs. Pick the parts yourself, and do it wisely  You buy a budget gun, and you better be prepared to work on it to get it to do what you thought that Knight's SR25 was gonna do (Yes, I know the difference between the Remington R25 that you referenced, and the KAC SR25, and I'm using the SR25 as the dollar/quality reference on my own) .  That PSA dollar comes from somewhere, and you got it cheap for a reason.  Compromise was made somewhere.

At least you are here, right now, painterman, figuring out your gun.  For the most part, the budget price of the PSA attracts the "budget people" that think everything had a lifetime warranty, and it should run out of the box just like an SR25 - and that's just not the case.  I hate - HATE - arguing with those "budget people" over this shiit.  PSA doesn't care, either - they already made their money...  

not arguing here......I know quality cost....and if I cant get it going good I have ost very little as I have a friend wants it for what I have in it.....no harm no foul right.....this is a learning adventure and at the time it was very cheap. Every other 308 ar was double or more to buy. I have no interest in building as that's just not my thing. Also at the same time have no problems paying for a built rifle either. My 556 is  a frankinstined rifle with more parts makers than I can speak of and is a tack driver. I didn't build it. A friend of mine did and then needed money. Its here if he wants it back for what I gave him for it. I got it for what he had in parts so again no harm no foul.

 

 

[Sisco]

Painterman, try your 168’s also try some 175’s and if your hunting try some hollowpoints or maybe Hornady’s ELD-X loads with the plastic tip. See if that makes a difference before you give up on your rifle. Let us know the results. Also let us know how it cycles, or not, as the case may be.

[98Z5V]

1 hour ago, Sisco said:

Painterman, try your 168’s also try some 175’s and if your hunting try some hollowpoints or maybe Hornady’s ELD-X loads with the plastic tip. See if that makes a difference before you give up on your rifle. Let us know the results. Also let us know how it cycles, or not, as the case may be.

Yep, what he said.  If it has cycling issues, we can fix those.  Depending on the stats on it, I've got 3 fixes right off the bat.

[cheap-bastidge]

I can confirm the pa10 18 inch .308 really likes the 168 grain projectiles. I have been using Hornady 168 grain stock#305016 for precision target shooting.
For taking game, the barnes triple shock X 168 grain bullets would be an excellent choice.

Both of these are not the most economical, but they are very accurate and the PA10 likes them.

[painterman]

thanks every body.....going to be a couple weeks as I am having a hard time finding any 168's in my area. That and money is tight as all I have extra right now is tied up a hog hunting coming up. I have found many 150's and a lot of 180's at local big box stores and have a local ammo store ( Acme Bullet Company ) in Graham NC making me a mixed box of 163 I think it was up to 168. He said 5 groups of 4 rounds making 20 all together and hes charging me $20. I can live with that . If I find a great round in those I wil get load data from him and get a die to reload them myself....again thanks for all the info...its a learning curve for me

[Boot_Scraper]

That's the spirit! If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Three of my favorite powders for the 308 are Varget, Varget, and Varget! 

[mley1]

On 1/22/2019 at 9:21 PM, painterman said:

thanks every body.....going to be a couple weeks as I am having a hard time finding any 168's in my area. That and money is tight as all I have extra right now is tied up a hog hunting coming up. I have found many 150's and a lot of 180's at local big box stores and have a local ammo store ( Acme Bullet Company ) in Graham NC making me a mixed box of 163 I think it was up to 168. He said 5 groups of 4 rounds making 20 all together and hes charging me $20. I can live with that . If I find a great round in those I wil get load data from him and get a die to reload them myself....again thanks for all the info...its a learning curve for me

Mine likes the Barnes TTSX 168's. The factory loads shot into 1.5" for me. My reloads do about the same. I got decent accuracy from the Federal Fusions as well. With the 150's I was getting 1.75" groups on average. It was good enough accuracy for me. I've hunted two seasons now with my PA10, and that kind of accuracy is fine for the hunting I do.

[mley1]

On 1/22/2019 at 9:33 PM, Boot_Scraper said:

That's the spirit! If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Three of my favorite powders for the 308 are Varget, Varget, and Varget! 

My reloads are using Varget as well. Works good for me.

[shooterrex]

I like varget  for 308 and 223.

[painterman]

Ok so I finally got the money to get several different types of ammo. Went to the range toady and was extremely happy.

first let me say the Larue MBT 2S trigger is a god send for this rifle. After time on the range with it I think its time to order another for my ar15. The ar15 trigger I felt happy with is now crap. So lets say I am not sure about my last trigger time but this was a great day. LAst time could have been the sorry trigger that was in it.

 

Anyways. I shot Hornady match in 165gr. Winchester Super X 180 grain power point , Federal fusion 165 grand Remington core Lokt 180 gr. Make no mistake the best grouping was was the Hornady match I was shooting from my shoulder and a bipod set on the rifle. 1/2 inch group.Next best was the Winchester. It had a 3/4 inch group. The federal Fusion came in third with a 1  1/2 group followed by the Remington with just a touch over that.

I fell comfortable with all the rounds but of course the match will not see a deer hunt in my opinion. I am thinking the Winchester but the Remington is priced less but it was the last box to be fired and I of course forgot to take anything to clean the barrel.

 

Either way any of these will get the job done. Question is is the 180 gr to much ammo for whitetail? I know I will get to hog hunt some so I am good there but more than likely unless I get very lucky I will never go after bigger game. 

[Sisco]

You really won’t notice any difference in the amount of meat off a whitetail using a 180  versus a 150. If it is accurate, use it.

[98Z5V]

@painterman do you reload any ammo?  If you do, give the Hornady GMX, SST, or ELD-X projectiles a try.  They are all hunting projectiles, and all very good. You load up something in the 165~175 range, and they'll all perform great for you, in hunting. Sierra 165gr Game Kings are also very accurate, and specific hunting projectiles.  90gr Sierra Game Kings are by far the most accurate projectiles that I've found, so far, for my 25/45 Sharps.  90gr Hornady GMX is the next test on loads for that gun.

[painterman]

@98Z5V….yes I do reload....just not in the 308 Winchester....YET....hehehehehehe….that is next so for now I am building up brass and also need to get a die set.. Started reloading for my Remington r15 in 30 rem. Had to as only one place anywhere that still has ammo for the thing. Seems Remington didn't support the weapon and let the 30 rem die so to speak. It took a few trials to find that rifles sweet spot but I have it clover leafing at 100 yards if I do my job. I also really need a chrono so I can get some speed reading

[98Z5V]

4 minutes ago, painterman said:

@98Z5V….yes I do reload....

I was hoping you were going to say that - that is great news, and you have nothing to worry about, then.  I can tell you that Sierra Game Kings are accurate, and Hornady SSTs are accurate.  I haven't loaded any GMXs or ELD-Xs yet, myself, but they're supposed to be good.  The ELD-X is supposed to be just as good as the ELD-M, and I load the crap out of the ELD-Ms, and they DO perform. 

[hiprimer]

In the short time I have had my PA10, 20", .308, the 140 ELD-M has performed the best.  Been using Win brass, WLR and 42g of Reloder 15.    43 of IMR4895 also shot well (both shot under .8 MOA).   Loads seated to 2.810" OAL.   No chrono data, yet.   Going to be starting soon on a 1000 yd load and most likely shooting the Berger 185 Juggernaut or maybe a 178 ELD-M.      Both have high G7 BCs just depends on which is the most accurate and if I can push them hard enough.

[Belt Fed]

Try these, mine like then and they are lethal on deer, that is if you're hunting with them.

 

[98Z5V]

3 hours ago, hiprimer said:

In the short time I have had my PA10, 20", .308, the 140 ELD-M has performed the best.  Been using Win brass, WLR and 42g of Reloder 15. 

Unless this is a brand new projectile from Hornady - they don't make a .308 projectile in the 140gr ELD-M variety.  Have they not updated their website?