Why are 308, 338 lapua and 50 cal preferred sniping calibers not 30-06?

[Feanaro]

Does anybody have an account of a military sniper running out of special "sniper" ammo, and resorting to shooting "standard" ammo instead out of their sniper rifle?

Herbert W. McBride's book on WWI, "A Rifleman Went to War," might have something on that. I know he and his MG crew handpicked certain kinds of ammo known to be reliable and accurate, to save for the really bad days. I think he did the same thing for sniping ammunition. But they didn't have special "sniping" rounds back then.

 

[Davo]

Yeah they used whatever lot of ball was most accurate, often AP was the most consistant. But that was in the days before match ammo for snipers.
And the insurgents in Iraq, though not considered military, are probably using whatever they can get their hands on.

 

[USSR]

The 190 SMK is a great bullet, with a BC of around 530. But it can't be launch at the same velocity as a lighter bullet. I use the Lapua scenar 155gn, which has a BC of 508. It can be launched at several hundred FPS higher for the same chamber pressure. At 2800 fps, the Scenar has a drop of 30 MOA at 1000 yards. The 190 at around 2500 drops 38 MOA at the same distance.

Yes, the 190SMK is a great bullet with a fairly high BC (.533). In a .308 using Hornady Match brass and N550 powder, I can safely push it to 2670fps out of my 26" barreled FN SPR. However, the 190SMK at 2900fps out of the '06 really brings it up a notch or two. The 155gr Scenar has become very popular with .308 shooters. Most of the guys using them are using IMR4895 and driving them at 2900-2950fps.

Don

 

[Zak Smith]

There are better bullet choices than the 190gr SMK. Its BC is too low for its mass.