308 loads - The Firearms Forum

sendit308 · 11-09-2008, 07:41 PM

CURRENTLY I LOAD 46.0 gr OF VARGET AND SHOOT A REMINGTON SPS TACTICAL W/20 INCH BARREL. THE BARREL AND ACTION ARE MOUNTED ON A H/S FULLY BEDDED STOCK. I BELIVE I FOLLOWED THE CORRECT PROCEDURE WORKING UP MY LOAD AND I SHOOT CONSISTANT GROUPS ( ABOUT 1 TO 1.25 INCHES @ 200 YD) I GET AN AVG OF 2700 TO 2710 fps. HOWEVER I WOULD LIKE TO TIGHTEN MY GROUPS UP TO BELOW 1 INCH. ALSO I NEED 85 PLUS 1/4 INCH CLICKS TO REACH 600 YD, MY BUDDIES USE AROUND 55 TO 59 CLICKS WITH 24 AND 26 INCH BARRELS.

CAN ANYONE SUGGEST LOAD DATA FOR 308 USING VARGET, SIERRA 168smk, HORNADY MATCH BRASS AND CCI 200 PRIMERS? OR HAVE I RECEIVED THE BEST RESULTS ONE SHOULD EXPECT WITH MY SETUP?

USMC-03 · 11-10-2008, 09:57 AM

Welcome aboard, sendit. If those results were mine I'd be very happy. Yours is one of the standards for accuracy, and very similar to my 1,000 yard load; I use the 175 grain SMK, Varget, Remington brass and Federal Gold Medal primers.

The first thing I would consider is case preparation. If you don't already, try these things; segregate brass for weight and consistency, make sure you deburr the inside of the flash hole, clean out the primer pocket. Also, play with bullet seating depths if you are seating close to or into the lands.

As far as your elevation adjustments, make sure you are comparing apples to apples; pay no attention to the other guy's clicks, how many minutes is he moving and from what initial range setting? Also, if you're not already doing so, start keeping a detailed data book on your rifle, ammunition and range activity.

sendit308 · 11-10-2008, 10:08 AM

THANKS USMC-03, I AM GOING TO CONSIDER A DIGITAL SCALE TO WEIGH MY BRASS AND EXPERIMENT WITH BULLET SEATING DEPTH. I AM ALSO GOING TO ORDER A FLASH HOLE DEBURR TOOL.

JLA · 11-10-2008, 07:46 PM

another thing you can try in order to squeeze just a little more precision from your rifle is to mark the orientation of the case with a sharpie in order to place the cartridge back into the chamber in the same orientation it was originally fired in. Nearly all chambers bear small imperfections and slight inconcentricities that directly affect the accuracy potential of a particular rifle and cartridge. ensuring the re-loaded round gets placed back in the chamber in the same spot it was originally fired from will 'soak' up these accuracy robbing inconcentricities and thereby improve accuracy, sometimes quite profoundly. another trick to couple with this method is to neck size only. this can be done with either a neck sizing die or by simply backing your full length die out until it just kisses the fire formed case at the shoulder. This method is more for tightening up the headspacing of the cartridge, and coupled with the method described above, and the others USMC-03 described will have a drastic effect on the performance of a particular rifle/cartridge combination. USMC-03 has a solid gold suggestion in making a range notebook for your rifle, i would also add that it is a good idea to chronograph your loads and document them in this notebook, and once you have accumulated data on that 'pet' load, use a ballisitics calculator to make a range card for your particular weapon system.

sendit308 · 11-11-2008, 12:11 PM

THANKS JLA I WILL ADD YOUR TRICKS TO MY BAG. ALSO I HAVE BEEN KEEPING A RANGE BOOK. I KEPT DETAILED NOTES WHILE WORKING UP MY LOAD AND WHEN I CHRONOGRAPHED THEM. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INPUT.

JLA · 11-11-2008, 06:46 PM

You're very welcome, those tricks among others have served me very well.

11-09-2008, 07:41 PM	#1
sendit308 Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 8	308 loads CURRENTLY I LOAD 46.0 gr OF VARGET AND SHOOT A REMINGTON SPS TACTICAL W/20 INCH BARREL. THE BARREL AND ACTION ARE MOUNTED ON A H/S FULLY BEDDED STOCK. I BELIVE I FOLLOWED THE CORRECT PROCEDURE WORKING UP MY LOAD AND I SHOOT CONSISTANT GROUPS ( ABOUT 1 TO 1.25 INCHES @ 200 YD) I GET AN AVG OF 2700 TO 2710 fps. HOWEVER I WOULD LIKE TO TIGHTEN MY GROUPS UP TO BELOW 1 INCH. ALSO I NEED 85 PLUS 1/4 INCH CLICKS TO REACH 600 YD, MY BUDDIES USE AROUND 55 TO 59 CLICKS WITH 24 AND 26 INCH BARRELS. CAN ANYONE SUGGEST LOAD DATA FOR 308 USING VARGET, SIERRA 168smk, HORNADY MATCH BRASS AND CCI 200 PRIMERS? OR HAVE I RECEIVED THE BEST RESULTS ONE SHOULD EXPECT WITH MY SETUP? -->

11-10-2008, 09:57 AM	#2
USMC-03 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Peoples Republic of the Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,825	Re: 308 loads Welcome aboard, sendit. If those results were mine I'd be very happy. Yours is one of the standards for accuracy, and very similar to my 1,000 yard load; I use the 175 grain SMK, Varget, Remington brass and Federal Gold Medal primers. The first thing I would consider is case preparation. If you don't already, try these things; segregate brass for weight and consistency, make sure you deburr the inside of the flash hole, clean out the primer pocket. Also, play with bullet seating depths if you are seating close to or into the lands. As far as your elevation adjustments, make sure you are comparing apples to apples; pay no attention to the other guy's clicks, how many minutes is he moving and from what initial range setting? Also, if you're not already doing so, start keeping a detailed data book on your rifle, ammunition and range activity. __________________ Let not the rifles of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots. - Fortes Fortuna Javat - Last edited by USMC-03; 11-10-2008 at 10:25 AM..

11-10-2008, 10:08 AM	#3
sendit308 Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 8	Re: 308 loads THANKS USMC-03, I AM GOING TO CONSIDER A DIGITAL SCALE TO WEIGH MY BRASS AND EXPERIMENT WITH BULLET SEATING DEPTH. I AM ALSO GOING TO ORDER A FLASH HOLE DEBURR TOOL.

11-10-2008, 07:46 PM	#4
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,319	Re: 308 loads another thing you can try in order to squeeze just a little more precision from your rifle is to mark the orientation of the case with a sharpie in order to place the cartridge back into the chamber in the same orientation it was originally fired in. Nearly all chambers bear small imperfections and slight inconcentricities that directly affect the accuracy potential of a particular rifle and cartridge. ensuring the re-loaded round gets placed back in the chamber in the same spot it was originally fired from will 'soak' up these accuracy robbing inconcentricities and thereby improve accuracy, sometimes quite profoundly. another trick to couple with this method is to neck size only. this can be done with either a neck sizing die or by simply backing your full length die out until it just kisses the fire formed case at the shoulder. This method is more for tightening up the headspacing of the cartridge, and coupled with the method described above, and the others USMC-03 described will have a drastic effect on the performance of a particular rifle/cartridge combination. USMC-03 has a solid gold suggestion in making a range notebook for your rifle, i would also add that it is a good idea to chronograph your loads and document them in this notebook, and once you have accumulated data on that 'pet' load, use a ballisitics calculator to make a range card for your particular weapon system. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

11-11-2008, 12:11 PM	#5
sendit308 Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 8	Re: 308 loads THANKS JLA I WILL ADD YOUR TRICKS TO MY BAG. ALSO I HAVE BEEN KEEPING A RANGE BOOK. I KEPT DETAILED NOTES WHILE WORKING UP MY LOAD AND WHEN I CHRONOGRAPHED THEM. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INPUT.

11-11-2008, 06:46 PM	#6
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,319	Re: 308 loads You're very welcome, those tricks among others have served me very well. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!