Just getting back into reloading, and getting a new 700 in .308. My plan is to buy factory match ammo (mostly 175g, some 168g) to see how the rifle shoots...establishing a baseline I suppose you'd call it. I would not trust my initial quality of handloads to do the rifle justice. Anyway, the two brands of match stuff I'm most familiar with (just hearing about/seeing) are Federal and Black Hills. My question is, which has the more perferred brass for subsequent loading? Or are there other options I'm not aware of?

Thanks.

Federal brass has the reputation of being on the soft side, and primer pockets tend to enlarge rather early.

The Black Hills stuff should be Winchster select brass. It's the better choice in my opinion. If you want to get fancy, get Lapua brass. It's not that much more expensive than regular brass in the .308 chambering, believe it or not...

By the way, write this load recipe down. You'll need it later after you've exhausted all the other suggestions.

175 grain Sierra Matchking
45.0 (not 43, not 43.5, not 44, not 44.5, but 45.0) grains of VARGET. Do pressure checks beginning about 42.5 grains, but don't stop until you get to 45 unless you do see pressure signs--which you shouldn't.

VERY IMPORTANT: Use the CCI BR primers. These have just the right ignition qualities to get excellent consistency out of the Varget powder.

Take care, and let us know how your rifle does.

Dan Newberry
green 788

GREEN 788,
You mentioned something in your reply that I've not heard before. Please let me know you source on Black Hills cases being Winchester select brass? That bit of information has peaked my interest. Thank you.

Varget and CCI's BR2's do work great.

My magic loads that work for me are 42.2 or 46.0 both shoot great

[ 08-30-2002, 17:46: Message edited by: kromer ]

Bob,

In the .308 Win chambering, Black Hills has been using Winchester cases, which I have noted are almost ten grains heavier than the Winchester component brass I have bought in the past.

A local dealer gave me the information that the Black Hills brass was specially selected Winchester brass. True, dealers lie. But the cases obtained from fired Black Hills .308 loads are headstamped "Winchester," and do weigh a little more than usual, so it sounds plausible.

Black Hills uses Lake City cases on their .223 ammo.

Reportedly, Black Hills uses Ramshot powders in their ammunition. I don't know if they use it exclusively, but it appears that the .223's have Ramshot X-Terminator powder in them. I haven't taken apart any of the .308's but I wouldn't be surprised if they were using Ramshot Tac in those. It's a ball powder, reported to be temperature insensitive, and would meter extremely well.

Many folks report better results from the Black Hills ammo than they get from Federal Gold Medal. I have never compared the two, but I will say the Federal stuff would be a hard act to follow.

Dan Newberry
green 788

As far as ammo goes, the Federal Match is almost impossible to beat.
I know several serious target/tactical shooters who reload. They argue that Norma makes the most consistant brass currently, very closely followed by Lapua.
I think I'd go with Lapua just because it historically has made top quality components. I can't say that for Norma.
Winchester brass takes the most powder and produces the most velocity. It is very close in quality to the above.
It would depend on what you plan to shoot. If you plan to shoot handloads, skip the factory stuff. Sooner, or later, you will need to learn how to load match ammo, what is worth the effort and what isn't.
I don't find it that tough. Size the brass, and trim it. I don't bother with match primers. I do use either Federal or Winchester primers. I like ball powders, particularly the AA 2520, and 2460 powders. I don't weigh the charges.
My Remington 700 VSFS shoots several loads, Sierra Match, and Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets, into .4-.6 MOA groups.
BTW, you want to shoot the 175 gr. MatchKings at ranges over 200 yds. They are very impressive at longer ranges, but, sometimes, not at 100 yds. E

GREEN 788,
Dan, thank you for the info. I'll give Black Hills a call and see if I can get my hands on some. If not I'll just buy some ammo and give it a try.