308 reload

[circa1885]

Some time ago I made bitter complaints about the accuracy of a couple of 168 gr loads for my 308. The hand loading gods must have been offended by something I did or did not do. Bottom line is I tried again and had remarkable results with a couple of commercially loaded products. I found a Hornady Manual on Amazon for something like $900 and was not very interested. Does anyone have any recommended loads for Hornady 168 gr A-max bullets? Looking for accuracy not a big bang. Can someone help?

[woolleyworm]

Best advice I can tell ya is to work up a ladder test and it will highlight a sweetspot or two for you rather easily. There's a sticky at the top of the reloading forum that explains it. It's not a test that is going to give you an exact perfect load, but it will help greatly in knowing what charge weights to use in finding the perfect load for your rifle.

As far as powder goes, the more I use Benchmark, the more I like it. I know JLA likes powerpro 2000MR and others swear by Varget.

[jack404]

for the amax, Winchester 748 and IMR-4064 seem to give the least amount of variation

as Woolley stated do a ladder work up

with the IMR start at 40 grain and 41 for Win 748 and work your way up from there

good luck

[snuffy]

I found a Hornady Manual on Amazon for something like $900 and was not very interested.

I sense a reluctance to spend money to achieve you goals. Being frugal is fine for some things, but handloading is seldom successful while trying to go cheap.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/783420/hornady-handbook-of-cartridge-reloading-8th-edition-reloading-manual

While I'm not saying the Hornady manual is the answer, it can't hurt, and may help.

Your thread is very vague about your techniques and/or your goals. With more information about your methods, we could possibly help you achieve whatever level of accuracy you're striving for.

[Dan Newberry]

winchester or your factory Hornady cases... 43.6 grains IMR 4895 (work up from 42 grains)... and you should be there.

post back and let us know.

I've yet to see a decent .308 not shoot that 43.6 grain IMR 4895 recipe well with 168's

Dan

[The Duke]

Dans load is right there with my best accuracy load in a DPMS Panther LR...I found it on my second try with this rifle...Took a lot of fun out of trying differnt combinations..:)

[312shooter]

Load development must be a labor of enjoyment or handloading just aint your cup of (insert your drink here). I had issues with .308 at one point and through frustration came learning. After I covered all the common influences of a good accurate load I came upon a more subtle issue- my rifle hated Federal brass. If i could send you a load that worked for me it would be with 43.5gr of varget under a 168gr Nosler BTHP.

[cpttango30]

I use 44gr of RL15 and have had good results.

http://www.6mmbr.com/308Win.html

[JLA]

Dan, You tinkered much with alliants power pro line? particularly 2000MR and 4000MR?

[Dan Newberry]

JLA... some guys on my forum (practical riflery) have, and it looks like those powders are doing very well.

My disadvantage there is I have so much of the old school stuff hoarded up I haven't justified trying any of the new things yet... haven't tried RL17, 8208, or the Alliant pro powders you mention...

But again, feedback on those looks good from what I've seen so far.

Dan

[JLA]

I am using both of them. 2000MR in the .308 under 175 SMKs for ~2750 fps and .25 MOA at 200 yds.

4000MR in the .243 under 85 SGKs and 105 Amaxes for ~3147 fps and ~ 2913 fps respectively. Also turning in sub MOA at 200 yds.

I still have some tinkering left to do on the .243. I just finished building it christmas eve. But the 85 SGK load had a single digit extreme spread.

[Dan Newberry]

Good work, for sure. I really like those .308 numbers... I don't generally get much over 2700 fps with the 175s... shooting either Varget or 4895.

I'm getting 3000 fps from a 24" Douglas 8 twist in .243 win with 48.1 grains of Retumbo. With the 105's, I use 48.5 grains... it's a screamer... :)

Dan

[JLA]

I had em running 2985 before the primer pockets opened up and started dropping primers. I was 3 grains over max at that point and decided it best to stop and regard that as IT. I still wasnt having any hard bolt lift or sticky extraction. My savage .308 is barreled with a CBI 26" match barrel and still in its factory accustock.

Im still tinkerin with the 105s in the .243. Mostly seating depth at this point. They are printing around 3/4 inch at 200 yds right now at .015" off jam. I think for the most part the load is as consistent as its gonna be, it doesnt quite have the single digit spread of the 85 SGK load but its not far off. i think the spread on it was like 17 fps or so and the SGK load was 8 or 9. I aint ever had extreme spreads that low.

The .243 is a Remage hybrid conversion also barreled with a 26" match grade CBI tube, 8 twist. And bedded to a Hogue O/M pillar stock.

I liek the CBI barrels.

[circa1885]

I waited way too long to let everyone know that I very much appreciate the response and advice.

[JLA]

:thumbsup: