I was hoping someone might have some suggestions with loading Nosler 168 gr Ballistic tip. I shot quite a few variations in powder grains and I was extremely dissapointed with the results from them. I've been loading 168 gr in both Hornady A-Max & Sierra BHPT Match and have been shooting 1/2 MOA groups at 100 yards but the Noslers are all over the place. I was lucky if I was getting 3" groups with them. The following is the data for the loads:

.308 Remington 700 Police

168 gr Nosler Ballistic tip

Once fired Federal cases trimmed to 2.005

Winchester LR primers

Varget 38.0gr, 39.0gr, 40.0gr, 40.5gr, 41.0gr, 41.5gr & 42.0gr.

OAL: 2.895 (Factory spec is 2.810). For my rifle, I can seat the bullet out another .080 leaving at least one bullet diameter in the case & be not contacting the lands.

My hopes are to be able to have a target load and hunting load both in 168gr bullets where the ballistics are somewhat close but, with the poor performance I got out of the Noslers, I wouldn't even think about hunting with them.

The two main questions I have is could a different powder make that much difference? & since I'm just beginning to work up the load, will some bullets only perform well once I get closer to the max load? I have some IMR-4064 I'm going to try but, I wouldn't think it will make that much of a difference. I'm hoping someone has had experience with the noslers but, any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

You are too low on powder for case capacity. Clean the copper out of the barrel and start at 43gr of Varget and work up to 45.5gr to see what your rifle likes. Seat your bullets long as possible. With most remington 700Ps that will be roughly 2.9" OAL.

quote:

will some bullets only perform well once I get closer to the max load?

It ain't the bullets so much as the powder burn rate and charge. No powder burns consistanly at pressures a lot lower than it was designed for.

How far off the lands to seat in any two rifles is as variable as any two women. If you want to know how changing something works, try it.

165gr NBT? Not all rifles like all bullets. Sometimes the bbl just won't shoot a specific bullet well, happens. You can try cahnging powders & seating depth, but it may not help.
My 338-06 is really finicky. It will not shoot ANY brand 225gr bullet well. They are ok, but not the sub moa that I get w/ 200-210gr or various 250gr bullets. It just doesn't like that bullet wt. Bbl harmonics are wierd things.

quote:

Originally posted by 30378:
You are too low on powder for case capacity. Clean the copper out of the barrel and start at 43gr of Varget and work up to 45.5gr to see what your rifle likes. Seat your bullets long as possible. With most remington 700Ps that will be roughly 2.9" OAL.

+1 I start 308 165/168 loads at 42g Varget and/or (usually both) and after many a 308 rifle usually find the sweet spot by 44gr but once and a while a tad higher.

I should mention I like 308's and have more than a few

My Remington 700 shoot Noslers of this weight into an amazingly small hole with 43.9 graisn of Varget. Try to get the speed up!