308 axis

Hay guys just go a new axis in 308 did triger work took it to the range today tried some hand loads shot 168 grain boat tails behing 45 grains varget broke barrel in best i could get was 3 inches @ 100 next tried some 150 pro hunters behind 46.5 grains varget could get 2 inches with them next tried 110 v max bulets behind varget well lets just say i hit the target next tried 110 hollow points could cover groops with a dime was the last load i tried hopen to use 150 grain bullets but dosent seem to like them should i try them again seemed to shoot better each time i tired a different load how many round should it take to break in a barrel when cleaning it was not catching any copper seemed smooth am soaking it right now not dont see any copper build up in barrel

Trying just one bullet or load in a given weight doesn't tell you much. Pick up several different brands of the weight you want to try from different manufacturers, and keep experimenting. You may find one that your rifle likes much more than others in the same bullet weight. If you still can't find one that shoots an acceptable group, you may want to double check your rings and bases to make sure everything is tight.

I shot nearly 100 bullets trying to develop a load in mine, also in .308. It took about 50 rounds before the remington rounds I started out shooting really started to shot any kind of "group", and the best they did was around 2".... When I got my press and started handloading, it took me nearly 100 bullets to find the right load... 43.8gr of varget gives sub moa every time, sometimes much better....

Asfor your results, like is said above, you cant shoot one single load and say your rifle doesnt like it. Its called "load development", not "load guessing" ;D

Got back out this weekend with some nosler 125 grain blistic tip bulledt behind 49 grains varget shoots right around 1/2 groops good enought for me will work just fine for deer or coyotes

Try 180's or Sierra 175 Matchkings. Sometimes a barrel prefers a longer shank bullet?
IMO, a 125gr BT would not be an ideal bullet for deer sized game. Coyotes, YES by all means. I have also gotten my best groups with a 165gr Remington Core Lokt, 42grs Varget from my Win 88. Shot perfect clover leafs @ 100yds.
Sometimes a flat base bullet will shoot better than a boat tail.

Miker, I also have an Axis in 308 win.. Don't get discouraged with a bullet weight. Pick a couple bullets you would like to use and start at the lowest recommended charge and work your way up in about .3 of a grain. I see you found a good enough coyote round. I use 150 GR Remington Core-lokt's for deer. I also have Hornady 168 Grain A-Max and Sierra 168 Grain MatchKing. I'm working on my MatchKing load right now. Have you tried a different powder than Varget? That's what I started with when I got into reloading but I have picked up some IMR 4895. It's working quite well with the MatchKing's. Also are you loading to the recommended max OAL? It wasn't until I started seating .010" off of the lands that I really started seeing potential. Take some time with your load development and you will start seeing the potential in your Axis too!

I too found that my .308 liked IMR 3031 :)

Has anyone tried the new CFE223 out on your .308 loads? I too just got a Axis .308 and I'm in the process of load development for it.
I have an axis .223 and have found it LOVES this powder as well as H4895 using the 69gr Sierra HPBT both set .030 of the lands.

Thread resurrection!

I've been doing load development as well with my recently acquired Axis in 308.

Range session 1:

#1 Hornady Match 168gr BTHP, 42.5gr W748, Win LRP (RP/FC brass)
#2 Hornady Match 168gr BTHP, 43.5gr BL(C)-2, Win LRP COL (RP/FC brass)
#3 Hornady Match 168gr BTHP, 46gr Varget, Win LRP (RP/FC brass)
Notes - #1 and #2 were my similar, group sizes were 1.5". The Varget loads were spread out more. I was expecting more out the Varget load.

Range session 2:

#1 Hornady Match 168gr BTHP, 44gr BL(C)-2, Win LRP (RP brass)
#2 Hornady Match 168gr BTHP, 45 Varget, Win LRP (Lapua brass)

Notes- I had only a bit of BL(C)-2 left so I loaded most with this powder, #1 load was great at 1.25-2.00" groups (I'm taking into account lots of shooter error here. Again, the Varget loads disspointed even with Lapua brass.

I will update with pics shortly.

sorry, deleted

I think the Berger is actually 39.xxx--I remember I screwed up writing that down at the range--sorry bout that.

So I would look at the 175 class bullet. Load with one of the usual suspects. Slow you varget loads down a touch.. Try say 41 grains. Fix the trigger if you have not already done so. Have somebody sit down and watch your trigger hand, face and head very closely. Look for jerks, blinks or any head movement. Lets see what you are capable of before we send them downrange at 2800fps.

excellent comments--a well-worded way of saying something else might be going on. The more I shoot (and I'm a relative beginner), the more I realize just how important the ergonomics of the set-up have on my shooting comfort. Where the scope relief meets your cheek weld, length of pull and recoil pad position on my shoulder all go together to determine how easily I hold and fire my Axis (which I've worked to make very easy to shoot comfortably). When my groups wander my first suspect is the scope mount system, the rings can come loose on both the scope and the mount rails. The mount rails themselves are especially prone to getting loose, at least on my rifles, due to gun oil/cleaners working their way under them and into the screw holes.

Being a Marine I like to do dry fire drills. I know there are probably a lot of people who are most likely against dry fire drills or dry firing a weapon in general, but they are very effective if practiced properly. I use dummy rounds when I do them to practice cycling the bolt smoothly as well and give the firing pin something to hit instead of free travel. I put something like a thumb tack on the wall "aim small, miss small concept" and practice my breathing and trigger control so that I can keep the crosshairs on the head of the Tack through the trigger breaking and my follow through. I never think about the round going off because I practice the same things regardless of actually sending a round down range or just running drills. I've put hundreds of rounds on target in my career practicing this way. looking forward to carrying it over to the 600-1000yds side of shooting and maybe some F-Class Matches.

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Originally Posted by LoneWolf

Being a Marine I like to do dry fire drills. I know there are probably a lot of people who are most likely against dry fire drills or dry firing a weapon in general, but they are very effective if practiced properly. I use dummy rounds when I do them to practice cycling the bolt smoothly as well and give the firing pin something to hit instead of free travel. I put something like a thumb tack on the wall "aim small, miss small concept" and practice my breathing and trigger control so that I can keep the crosshairs on the head of the Tack through the trigger breaking and my follow through. I never think about the round going off because I practice the same things regardless of actually sending a round down range or just running drills. I've put hundreds of rounds on target in my career practicing this way. looking forward to carrying it over to the 600-1000yds side of shooting and maybe some F-Class Matches.

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Makes sense I'm going to add this to some of my range time.

First thing I saw was the powder loads. Way over max for 175's

Same thing as said above, I would try 41 grains and see how it shoots and work up from there. My 175 grain SMK loads are 41.8 grains of Varget and 0.030 jump and they are one jagged hole at 100.

Thanks for the pointers, guys! I'll rework the Varget loads. And I know for certain there are some ergonomic behaviours happening outside of my entire shooting routine. Do you guys shoot off a bench or shoot prone?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snipersyn

Thanks for the pointers, guys! I'll rework the Varget loads. And I know for certain there are some ergonomic behaviours happening outside of my entire shooting routine. Do you guys shoot off a bench or shoot prone?

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I sometimes shoot from the bench and usually off a bipod or bag. I also shoot off the tailgate of my pickup sorta standing. My single biggest thing to concentrate on is keeping still--I'm a natural-born spazz.

One more thing to think about, and this depends on the power of your scope, Learn about parallax. Study you scope design and become programed to check it before you shoot at any range.