Federal Gold Medal 308 Winchester Ammo 168 Grain

[REELDOC]

I've been looking for some decent 308 168gr. for baseline testing. Took a box of this to PHA this morning and ran through 3 rifles that run 168 reloads pretty well. My SAS is really picky even on reloads but I ran 5 shots at a hundred and grouped right at a half inch. It advertises running at 2650fps from a 24" barrel and I got right at 2600 from a 20" barrel. Been a long time since I've bought any factory stuff but I am really impressed with performance.

Federal Gold Medal Match 308 Winchester Ammo 168 Gr Sierra MKHP - Ammo Deals

Federal Gold Medal Match 308 Winchester Ammo 168 Gr Sierra MKHP at Target Sports USA with free shipping available. Enjoy deals on 308 Winchester ammo.

www.targetsportsusa.com

 

[Pogue]

My 5r loves it. So much so that I never bothered trying the 175gr version. I was able to hit 3 back to back bulleyes on a air gun paper target at 100 yards the other day when sighting in a new scope. Never crossed my mind what had happened until I retrieved the target and realized the bullseye’s were 1/4” diameter. Hand loading may make a difference at a greater distance, but seriously, how could you ask for better performance in a factory load at “normal” distances?!

 

[georgel]

I've always been amazed how Federal came up with the magic pixie dust that allows the 168gr FGMM to work universally well in practically ALL guns. It is the standard by which to be measured and even the standard used to measure guns with.
I was on another dedicated to caliber site and someone was lamenting, Why isn't there a FGMM for this caliber?
I don't know what the magic is, but it works. Sure you can replicate a handload for your gun that has even better accuracy, but to be able to go from gun to gun with very good accuracy is it's magic.

 

[tod0987]

That sounds like what I get out my rem 700 20" shooting 168 fgmm. Pretty consistent too. I just wish I had more. Last 2 cases I bought from a PSA sale were it was $20 a box shipped. Academy has it now for $33 the other week.

 

[jimmyjames8]

Ive pulled down both and cloned the 175gr as close as I could and actually get better accuracy with the clone. One interesting thing about both loadings is "tar" on the bullet/neck and primer sealant. This could be part of the magic or it could be a military spec. Dont know. Glen Zediker was working on experiments with tars and sealants and was going to publish his findings when he died unexpectedly.

 

[Burt Gummer]

My savage loved it also.

 

[Jayne]

It's the only rifle ammo I buy (or bought anyway) in case quantities because I know it works in everything.

Handloads can be better in any one rifle, but for some reason no handload seems to be universally better across many rifles.

 

[jimmyjames8]

We see a lot of rifles come to the range on sight in days, my gunsmith doing testing and an optics mfr that does testing. We all agree, if the gun won't shoot FGMM inside an inch, it won't shoot period!

 

[georgel]

Glen Zediker was working on experiments with tars and sealants and was going to publish his findings when he died unexpectedly.

Wow. That must be some secret sauce.

We see a lot of rifles come to the range on sight in days, my gunsmith doing testing and an optics mfr that does testing. We all agree, if the gun won't shoot FGMM inside an inch, it won't shoot period!

Yeah, I was going to say, if your rifle doesn't shoot FGMM your rifle's broken.

 

[Gnash.Hyena]

Ive pulled down both and cloned the 175gr as close as I could and actually get better accuracy with the clone. One interesting thing about both loadings is "tar" on the bullet/neck and primer sealant. This could be part of the magic or it could be a military spec. Dont know. Glen Zediker was working on experiments with tars and sealants and was going to publish his findings when he died unexpectedly.

Would you be willing to share the clone load you developed? I'd be quite curious to try it.

 

[REELDOC]

If they shoot good in your rifle, chrono the factory rounds and get the average fps. Then take a couple of them and measure the average OAL. Then take a couple and pull the bullets and dump the powder. Resize the neck to about 4 thou neck tension. Pick up some Varget, start with about 44 grains for 175's and reseat the bullets using the same OAL. Chrono them and add/subtract enough powder to get to the factory fps with the same accuracy. If that works get some new Fed brass, primers and bullets and do it all over again. It's a real pain.

 

[Jerzsubbie]

Would you be willing to share the clone load you developed? I'd be quite curious to try it.

When searching a few years ago I found the below had been posted on a forum and confirmed by others as being the FGMM recipes, granted I don’t have the OAL but that’s easy enough to measure.
I haven’t tried them personally, haven’t had the need.

175gr FGMM load confirmed
175gr SMK
41.75gr IMR4064
FGMM primer
Federal brass

168gr FGMM load confirmed
168 SMK
42.8gr IMR4064
FGMM primer
Federal brass

 

[Gnash.Hyena]

When searching a few years ago I found the below had been posted on a forum and confirmed by others as being the FGMM recipes, granted I don’t have the OAL but that’s easy enough to measure.
I haven’t tried them personally, haven’t had the need.

175gr FGMM load confirmed
175gr SMK
41.75gr IMR4064
FGMM primer
Federal brass

168gr FGMM load confirmed
168 SMK
42.8gr IMR4064
FGMM primer
Federal brass

Oh huh. 4064? That's interesting. 4064 didn't do quite as well for me as other powders.

 

[Timfoilhat]

When searching a few years ago I found the below had been posted on a forum and confirmed by others as being the FGMM recipes, granted I don’t have the OAL but that’s easy enough to measure.
I haven’t tried them personally, haven’t had the need.

175gr FGMM load confirmed
175gr SMK
41.75gr IMR4064
FGMM primer
Federal brass

168gr FGMM load confirmed
168 SMK
42.8gr IMR4064
FGMM primer
Federal brass

Hey, random internet guy...Be sure to work it up. No shortcuts.
My Hornady manual says max charge is 41.6 for a 168. Sierra says maximum is 43.4.

My chronograph says GMM runs 2550 FPS from a 19.25" barrel on a 60 degree day.

 

[Timfoilhat]

Also, I've seen other recipes for GMM.
I think both may be right. There's old and new apparently. Again work up, Sierra book says 41.3 is max with 4895.