For those of you shooting a factory 308 F/TR , what are your most accurate loads?
Also how do you hold? Soft hold or firm hold?
I will be using this gun for 1,000 and 600 F/TR class. Harris style bipod.
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For those of you shooting a factory 308 F/TR , what are your most accurate loads?
Also how do you hold? Soft hold or firm hold?
I will be using this gun for 1,000 and 600 F/TR class. Harris style bipod.
First rule of fight club, There is NO fight club....
First rule of reloading, your gun IS NOT the same as someone elses....
I shoot 175's and don't care about kick. A buddy hates recoil, and will deal with drift. What do you prefeer?
Take into consideration that the two leading bullets for those ranges are the:
173/175/178 gr class or else the 155 gr Palma match loads.
Take your pick.
Yes I am well aware that every gun is different......BUT with any guns chambered the same their are usually some FAIRLY universal loads. Have not found any
Info on the chamber specs for these rifles so I was curious as to what loads and weights seemed to function pretty well in these guns. Palma would elude to some type of Palma chamber for 155's. Just curious to anyones actual experience in loads and bullet weights they are willing to share.
With it being labeled F/TR, it would be nice if it was throated for the 185 class of bullet weights.
Thanks for any advice. This is my first adventure into 308 target shooting and their are SO
MANY available bullets you could easily spend a fortune buying bullets. I am pretty well stocked on primers and assorted powders for load development.
Thanks again
Oh yea, recoil has never been much of an isssue for me, the heavy weights are not much of a problem. The 18 lb weight limit is pretty nice
Berger 155.5 Fullbore bullets, Varget or N150, Winchester or Lapua brass, Fed 210M or Rem 9-1/2 primers. 46.5-47.5 gn powder in Lapua brass, 47.3-48+ in Winchester cases. Jump the bullets either 15-20 thou or 45-50 thou. Target velocity is 2950-3050fps.
Berger 185 Juggernaut bullets, Lapua brass, 42+gn Varget or N150, 210M. Jump 15-25 thou. Target velocity is 2650-2750fps.
Bear in mind that when this rifle was introduced, 95+% of F/TR shooters were running 155gn bullets. That said, the chamber isn't that far off for 185s. A little shorter than 'ideal', but not a lot. It might be hard to fit enough powder (Varget, N150) in the case to hit the upper end of the velocity window with the short-ish throat. At that point... you can either deal with it as is, look at having a local 'smith throat the barrel a little longer, or look at other powders.Quote:
With it being labeled F/TR, it would be nice if it was throated for the 185 class of bullet weights.
As an example, Alliant Power Pro 2000MR is a dense ball powder that seems to work pretty well behind the Berger 185 Juggernaut in a variety of guns (not just Savage). 46-47gn of powder still leaves *lots* of room in the case, easily hits the upper velocity node (or beyond), and doesn't seem to have wild temperature excursions. The powder is relatively new, and not well marketed so you probably won't be able to find it locally. I've been playing with it some at the end of the summer; haven't had enough time with it to recommend it unilaterally but it looks promising so far.
Monte
Just a note: The above 155.5 loads "are" hot in my 308. All guns are different.Quote:
Varget or N150, Winchester or Lapua brass, Fed 210M or Rem 9-1/2 primers. 46.5-47.5 gn powder in Lapua brass, 47.3-48+ in Winchester cases
I would start low, then work up.
[QUOTE][Berger 185 Juggernaut bullets, Lapua brass, 42+gn Varget or N150, 210M. Jump 15-25 thou. Target velocity is 2650-2750fps./QUOTE]
The above almost exactly matches my load using the 185's and Varget.
Just an example, shooting 155.5 Bergers in my 308, 44.9 grains of Varget was max for my gun. Anything more and pressure signs were all over the place.
I have no pressure signs with my 185 load, my velocity is 2,725 avg
I will agree that they are definitely 'warm' and a fair amount of prudence should be exercised when loading at the upper end of things... but in my last, oh, 7 or 8 Savage factory barrels (between 12 F/TR, 12 Palma, 12 BR) thats pretty much exactly where I ended up. Others I know that shoot similar guns end up at the same or more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dennis
Something to bear in mind Dennis - if I recall, you promptly rebarreled all your guns with aftermarket tubes. Factory tubes tend to take a bit more powder to make the same velocity.
Pretty much a given, which is why I didn't give exact charge weights, seating depths, etc.Quote:
I would start low, then work up.
42.8 grs H4895, WlR, 175 gr SMK, Lapua brass, very accurate in my FTR. Have since rebarreled to 6 Dasher. Start l,ow and work up. Luckus
Thanks guys. I fired a few rounds with some winchester brass and a handful of amaxes I had. Now I can measure a fired rounds headspace so I know how much to bump the rest if my winchester cases. Gonna get some Sierra 175' and some 155 palma sierras this week.
Bedded the stock, and fixed my bipod issues so looking forward to the weekend.
Monte,
Yes I do, what I really found interesting is our 185 loads were almost exact. I assume this is out of the same barrel?Quote:
Something to bear in mind Dennis - if I recall, you promptly rebarreled all your guns with aftermarket tubes. Factory tubes tend to take a bit more powder to make the same velocity.
That's what really caught my attention with your loads! And also "I" have to be carefull when anybody recommendeds a load, I know I have to start off low, sometimes at least 2grains.
And there is several of us who almost shot the same loads our of our rifles, but, most of us have non oem barrels.
Take care, I enjoyed your complete post, FYI
Monte,
Yes I do, what I really found interesting is our 185 loads were almost exact. I assume this is out of the same barrel?Quote:
Something to bear in mind Dennis - if I recall, you promptly rebarreled all your guns with aftermarket tubes. Factory tubes tend to take a bit more powder to make the same velocity.
That's what really caught my attention with your loads! And also "I" have to be carefull when anybody recommendeds a load, I know I have to start off low, sometimes at least 2grains. I learned this the hard way!
And there is several of us who almost shot the same loads our of our rifles, but, most of us have non oem barrels.
Take care, I enjoyed your complete post, FYI
Actually... for me, Varget behind the B185 Juggernaut worked better in a barrel that had some serious mileage on it and a much longer throat. There I was able get 44+ gn behind the bullet without excess pressure and get up to 2730-2740fps - until the barrel finally crapped out. With a 'new' barrel and the standard 12 F/TR chamber/throat, I can only get 42 and change in there... and maybe 2640fps.
Same barrel, same seating depth, and 46.5gn of 2000MR gets me 2796fps, with zero pressure signs.
Accuracy is always king... but all else being equal, velocity helps a lot on the bad days ;)
Lot of guys using 168 gr Berger Hybrids, some swear by them and Reloader Comp...
I think just under 43 gr @ around 2800 MV, but you better research that a bit as I don't shoot that combo.
Good Shooting
Local shop had 168 SMK and the newer 178 Hornady HPBT Match. I have seen the 168's do very well at 600. ,The 178 hornadys look good, hope they shoot good.
i agree work up my 155 amax load is 1.1gr hotter than above but i'm pushing it close to starting pressure signs.i've taken this out to 1000 without problems chrono's @2925 out of a shilen ss select match 30" tube.
Sorry for the sideways shot. Should be rotated. 300 yards new design sierra 155 palma
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...-25-20_621.jpg
The wind picked up a little on the last two
The 178 hornady load needs more work. 2inch groups best at 300.
The 168 SMK load was 1.5" for five shots at 300. Too bad iy wint hold to 1000
The low extreme spread on the 155 Palma bullet with Reloader 15 load looks great.
I am excited about that. That is the lowest of any load I have ever used. I tried half grain more and it was real low as well but had ejector marks. These russian primers seem to be the ticket.
David Tubb used Wolf primers exclusively at one time. By the way at the F-Class Nationals at Raton this year one of the winners was James Crofts.He won using a Savage Model 12 in .308. http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...-walnut-stock/ Beautiful rifle huh!? Guess the 200g Berger, Varget powder, and Russian primers did ok for sure!!
I met James at the last match at camp Butner last month. He is the reason after talking to him, that I picked up this savage . Shooting it while I build a F open around a Barnard action.
Great set up great shooting! Interesting to note that his throat is set up for Berger 185gr and 200gr Hybrid bullets with a 1:11 twist 30.5″ Brux Barrel, that's key to the package.Quote:
Originally Posted by wbm
Never shot a 308 win, did shoot .30 overbore, and rarely shoot IBR matches these days, however still keep up with who's winning what and how..... Trying combinations of 1000 yard bullet type for 308 search(s) on accurate shooter produces some interesting results.
Good shooting to all
i having good luck with 42 grains of rl15 168 grain sierra bthp match federal 210 match primer
45.5grains of Varget pushing 168gr Amax .016 off lands puts me at around 2800fps, and .5 moa at 300 yards
43.5 gr of rwloader 15 and 175 SMK seated to the books measurement...Full sized win brass and fed mag primers..most accurate in my 20 inch with 1 in 10 twist..I use a tight hold with this rifle..Works good for me REmington 700...