Just started reloading, here is the ?

Quick back ground, I am new to loading, I will be shooting this out of a Savage FTR rifle (30 inch barrel)
On hand I have some Varget powder, CCI large primers, 168 grain A-max bullets and Hornady, Norma, Perfecta and Lake City brass.
I have have loaded so far 20 rounds of the Hornady brass with the above components using 42grains of powder and an overall length of 2.8 inches, no crimp.
My question is; is this a good load (according to the book I have it should be) but, what do you all think or recommend? While I have your attention, how should I move forward and what should I look for when test firing?
I plan on hitting the range on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning so at this point I have a little time to change things up.
Thanks in advance.

If it shoots well for the distance you are shooting it should be good. You will be shooting midrange, 300 or 600, or long rang 1000. So your 100 yard groups are meaningless. Practice and test at 300. I think somewhere around 44 grains plus or minus is where you will be happy at 600. You may have even been told that on accurate shooter already. The advice was good.

No didn't get that advice just what someone was saying about lands jump?
However I do appreciate your advice. I'm going to head to the range Saturday but, the range I belong to only stretches to 200 yards. What do think, will I get a good reading there, what tell tale signs should I be looking for?

200 is better than nothing. If you are going to shoot a 200 yd match at your range, it is perfect. If you are going to travel to a club match/range where you are not a member but want to shoot longer ranges, you may ask if they have squaded practice. You usually only see that right before a big event or at the long range targets but it doesn't hurt to ask. I looked to find a link to conquer with my suggestion and my first hit was your request for help over there. Someone had already posted the same recipe. Many shooters that load with Varget and have a 10 twist barrel find a sweet spot for the 155's near 45gr. The 168's near 44gr's and the 175 class near 43.5. You will see and hear lots of variation but normally withing.5 grains. YMMV .

The obligatory disclaimer:
Remember to work those loads up looking for presure signs. Lapua palma and that makes a big difference when shooting high presure loads. The only other brass to use at higher presures besides Lapua is Winchester.

It just so happens I have about 100 rounds of Winchester brass! So think I should load some of them with the same load?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

Many shooters that load with Varget and have a 10 twist barrel find a sweet spot for the 155's near 45gr. YMMV .

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My 12FV in 308 loves exactly that. 155 A-Max over 45.0gr Varget in Winchester brass with a WLR primer. It is a 10" twist 26" varmint barrel. Take all that FWIW.