RUGER COMPACT IN .308 WIN.

[dave hall]

I'M THINKING OF BUYING A 308 IN A COMPACT.I WANTED TO KNOW IF ANYBODY LIKES THERE'S ,AND WHAT IT SHOOTS LIKE WITH THE 16 1/2 in. BARREL.I HAVE A FRIEND THAT HAS A CUSTOM MEDIUM-HEAVY 20in. BARREL TO PUT ON IT DOWN THE ROAD .BUT TILL THEN I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE FACTORY  RIFLE SHOOTS LIKE .AND WHAT GRAIN OF BULLET WORKS BEST OUT OF A SHORT BARREL. THANKS :wink:

[leverfan]

Dave-

I've used the 308 in a 15" Encore barrel quite a bit.  I mostly used 150 grain bullets, mainly Speer's hot-core.  Over a safe charge of Wincester 748, my loads averaged 2628 fps.  I can't see going over 165 grains for bullet weight with a short barrel 308, I would just use tougher bullets for larger game rather than heavier, but that's just me.  Dipping much below 2500 fps muzzle velocity in a 308 makes me wonder why I'm not just packing an even more mild-mannered 30-30.  

I was recently sitting next to a fellow that was using a Ruger Compact rifle.  The exact chambering has slipped my mind, but the muzzle blast has remained in my memory.  Short barrel non-magnums aren't bad to shoot, but it's not much fun to sit next to a guy that's popping with one.  The Ruger's owner was having a heck of a time getting the kinds of groups he wanted, and he wanted to do something about the factory trigger, but the accuracy problems could have been caused by some slippage in the ol' nut behind the trigger.  It seemed reliable, unlike the Winchester I had at the range that day.

[dave hall]

THANKS LEVERFAN
 IS THERE ANY FACTORY LOADS YOU WOULD USE THATS CLOSE TO YOUR HAND LOADS.

[leverfan]

Dave-

Factory loads?  What are those? :lol:   I really don't know, because I only buy factory ammo for a few guns, like rimfires and defensive carry ammo.  I'm sure that any factory .308 loads that you've liked in the past will do just fine, and they should be pretty close to my handloads in the velocity department.  Light Magnum or High Energy rounds might give you more velocity, even from a short barrel, but at the expense of greater muzzle flash/blast.  You'll have plenty of that, anyway, and the velocity gain in that short barrel won't be worth the price.  

For those that doubt that higher velocity can be obtained from Light Magnum/High Energy loads in the shorter barrel, tests on progressively shortened barrels and a variety of loads show that, for the most part, whatever's fastest in a long barrel is also fastest when the barrel is cut down.  The advantage may shrink along with the barrel, while flash, smoke, and blast grow.