.308 / 155gr Hornady A-Max bullets

[fgw_in_fla]

155gr Hornady A-Max bullets in my .308 rifle. Anything else I load (125gr Nosler BT, 150gr NBT, 155 Nos. Cust Comp., 150 Sierra GK & MK, 165 NBT) I can get .75" or less - sometimes an occasional one holer.

You guys having any luck with them?
I found 3 boxes in my stash cabinet and tried running an OCW on them. I've loaded them hot, I've loaded slow. I've loaded them in between using 4895 & 4064. I can't seem to settle them down.
Best I can get is 1" at 100yds.

I'll probably use them for hoggies since most shots are under 200yds.

Are they typically loose or do they suck totally?

What say ye?

[scope eye]

What other powders do you have on hand.

Dean

[fgw_in_fla]

IMR 3031, 4350, 4320, 7828
AA4350 (in my 25.06 this works identical as IMR4350
H4831
RL15, RL19
H380

Various, numerous pistol powders

What are you leaning towards? Faster or slower?
Right now 43.2gr of 4064 will remove the 1" red dot on a target with 5 rounds. I like to see tighter.
Whatcha got?

[scope eye]

OK here we go, I have used a full case or some where around 47gr, of RL15 and H380 with the 150s and 155s, with great results and that is no where near MAX.

Dean

[fgw_in_fla]

Alright, alright...
This is going to kill me to admit but......

You're right.

The story-
I had a good accurate load for my beloved '06 and 180gr Nosler BT's. Problem was at 100yds they were hitting 3" lower than my 165's. The powder was 4350 at 50.8gr.

I reran the OCW on the hi end of the charge (according to Mr. Lyman) and came up with 54.8gr and it's dead nuts on the money flat to 175yds - right even with the 165's. Keep in mind, Mr. Lyman says 50.0 to 56.0 is the useable range for 4350.

At 54.8 I have to run the tumbler on the bench while the wife jiggles the bench top in order to get the powder low enough to start the bullet in the case then, using a 3' long section of 1" rigid pipe on the press handle I can seat the bullet.
I have to shoot them right away before the powder pushes the bullet back out.

With that in mind, now I have to rerun OCW on all calibers for the hi end of the charge. Hopefully I can get at least 3 firings from the brass before I have to super glue the primers in.

I'll try the 15 in the .308.
All the other bullets used in that rifle did so well with either 4895 or 4064 I figured I'd follow suit but- no joy.

I'll let you know how it goes.
I won't rule out the possibility that every once in a great while there will be a type / weight bullet that just doesn't get along with a particular barrel....

[stomp442]

Separate those Amaxs by weight especially if they are older ones. The Hornady bullets used to weight out terribly especially in the .30 cals and SST line of bullets. They have since gotten much better especially with the Amax line but I still weigh them all out for consistency just because of my previous experiences with them. Hope this helps.

[fgw_in_fla]

I'll check them out.
I gave up on the SST's a long time ago for that very reason. I couldn't make them happy at all. I stood a better chance of making my 2nd ex wife happy before I could make any SST's happy.
I never really had great results with Hornady bullets but bought the A-Max's since they were on sale (a few years ago) and I know of someone that swears by them.

Just now getting around to giving them a try.

I'll try Deano's method of stuffing the case, greasing the bullet and WD40 in the barrel and see what happens. Couldn't do any worse than they already have, I 'spose...

[Ahenley45]

My rifle loves 155 A-Max with 43gr IMR4895. 2750fps with lapua brass. Around .4 moa

[fgw_in_fla]

Can you loan me some of that Lapua brass?
I only have Federal, Hornady & some Serbian crap.

I think I'm going to give the RL-15 a try. The barrel in question has been very finicky in the past. I had a heckuva time getting the 165's to settle down. They get launched with 43.2gr of 4064.
I was perusing my book earlier and checking out the RL-15 info. I may use that as an alternative when I can't get the usual 4895 & 4064to be happy. Never really thought of it as an alternative.

[bootsmcguire]

I have had great luck with the 155 Amaxes in my 12FV 308. 1/2" @ 100 with little effort all day long. Cold bore, hot bore, right to POA just stacking them up. Many times when I am on my A game it will be stacking them in the same hole. Loaded just shy of the lands in Winchester brass using WLR primers and (here's the real secret and the part that I know Frank does not want to hear and will not try at all) 45.0 grains of (wait for it, wait for it.................) Varget.

[fgw_in_fla]

What's a Varget?....

Looking back thru some notes the barrel in question has been rather finicky on everything I put thru it. I noticed a pattern of it not liking anything on the low end of the charge spectrum. I always found the sweet spot past the mid-point of the info in Lymans.

The barrel is a Savage factory 24", fluted, matte black, with the big ugly muzzle brake that Savage offered for it. In fact, here's the rifle:
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/newstocks003.jpg (http://s1075.photobucket.com/user/fgwinfla/media/newstocks003.jpg.html)
This is the 2nd Axis I put a Boyd's stock on after that addiction started.
Chances are I'll run out of bullets before I finally have the "happy recipe" but as we all know, the reloader's OCD runs deep in some guys and giving up is not an option. It's become a quest to find the elusive sweet spot in this one.

[Ahenley45]

With a little care to trim and ream, Lake City once fired brass will shoot just about as good as the Lapua. Probably won't last as long but the price is right

[scope eye]

Hey Frank, sorry to say this but not all factory rifles will shoot 1/2 min, they are after all just that a factory rifle, some are better then others and some are built on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon, it is still a good hunting rig at 1 min It's just not a target or varmint "depending on size and distance" Rig.

Ann Landers


PS: Nice Turd, sorry I meant Rig Freudian slip there.

[fgw_in_fla]

With a little care to trim and ream, Lake City once fired brass will shoot just about as good as the Lapua. Probably won't last as long but the price is right

I was just yanking your powder dispenser about the loan.
I have approx. 1500 pcs. of .308 brass from just about every manufacturer out there.
Except Lapua.
I find Federal & Winchester give me some of the best accuracy and Remington seems to last the longest but is a little inconsistent in the accuracy department. Milsurp brass gets to be a part time job to process & clean for use so it's on the lower end of my list. Even Prvi Partizan works pretty well in my .308 & 25.06.

Anyway, I'm outta here for the day gents. I have a day of shooting at the swamp lined up since the weather is nice. Looking for a high of 78 today after the fog clears out. This is the month I get to be 60 years old & I'm starting the celebration early in the month. Lots of hunting, shooting, gun buying and shooting. Maybe a little hunting after shooting. And shooting, too.
It not easy dealing with this retirement stuff. No set schedule. Gotta look for stuff to do. Unscheduled naps. Watching the broccoli grow. Tuff stuff.
Later, y'all.