Help the rookie load his 308

14 June 2002, 14:34

<kromer>

I'm shooting from a 26 inch barrel so I think I should be looking at something slower burning, I donï¿½t like recoil but love accuracy.

Please keep it simple Iï¿½m a first time loader.

[ 06-14-2002, 05:45: Message edited by: kromer ]

14 June 2002, 17:00

Bigdaddytacp

quote:
Originally posted by kromer:
I'm shooting from a 26 inch barrel so I think I should be looking at something slower burning, I don’t like recoil but love accuracy.

Please keep it simple I’m a first time loader.

It is simple....get some 168BTHP..Serria is good....get some good brass....Lapua/Norma....or WIN...Remington...do the case trimming to length and size with a good lube...Imperial Die Wax...and clean the necks inside and out......Use Federal primers....benchrest or standard....but the others work also.......use IMR 4895 and start at apx. 40.5 grains and vary up a grain....seat to match Federal Gold Medal or with a lower load....such as 38.0 load with the bullet touching the lands to fireform......this is a "standard" match load and works well in almost anything....I have a 40X with a 27.5 in barrel and it shoots the above well and also loves the Federal Gold Match...168....this will work well to 600yds and after that try a 175 .....I don't shoot that far but many do with the 308....also if you are serious about accuracy loading get Sinclairs 10th Handloading book and catalog....good luck and good shooting!!!!

14 June 2002, 18:49

ricciardelli

http://stevespages.com/page8c.htm

14 June 2002, 22:00

Cold Bore

quote:
Originally posted by kromer:
Please keep it simple I’m a first time loader.

Put a 168 gr Sierra MatchKing over 40 grs of Varget. (Max load is a little bit more, but my rifle shoots great at this level).

Adjust your seating depth to find where your rifle likes it.

As you get more comfortable, you can start working on brass. I uniform the primer pockets, deburr the flash holes, and trim to length. Not a lot of work, and other than trimming, it's one-time-only work.

Good luck & have fun!

[ 06-14-2002, 13:01: Message edited by: Cold Bore ]

15 June 2002, 02:52

milanuk

Nice simple target load:

175gr Sierra Match King, 45.0gr Varget, Winchester case, CCI BR2 primer.

May need to work it up for individual rifles, but it is a load that works in about every gun I've heard of. Gives me 2750fps out of a factory 26" pipe on a Rem 700VS

HTH,

Monte

15 June 2002, 05:33

<kromer>

thank you all this is great stuff.

I was looking at the Varget powder as it is on sale this week, but I thought it would be one of the faster burning powders but I think i will give it a try.

so the set up is. Win casing
Siera 168gr. match
Varget powder ( i will start at 40'ish and work my way up)
and some CCI primers

AHHH and yes Steve's site!!! this is probably the greatest collection of reloading info on the web.

15 June 2002, 08:55

Cold Bore

quote:
Originally posted by kromer:
I was looking at the Varget powder as it is on sale this week, but I thought it would be one of the faster burning powders but I think i will give it a try.

If you can find a good deal on Varget, grab it. It is a very versatile powder. If you branch out to reloading other calibers, you'll probably find a good load for it in those as well.

I use Varget in my 223, 7mm-08, and 308, all with equally good results.

17 June 2002, 00:43

KLN

The classic bench rest load, according to Warren Page in his book, "The Accurate Rifle", is the Sierra 168 match bullet in front of 47 to 49 grains of H380. I have never gone beyond 47 because it is so accurate and shows no pressure signs.

Varget works just about as well in my rifles.

17 June 2002, 02:20

Eremicus

All things being equal, the powder charge weight affects recoil the most.
I've never tried IMR 3031 in my .308's, but it has a rep for being very accurate in light charges with the 168 gr. match bullets, say around 39-40 grs.
I like the ball powders the best, AA 2460, 2520, and Win 748. I hear good words for H380, and BC-2 as well. They meter so well it isn't worth the effort to weigh the charges, and they shoot cooler.
Two things I've noticed in the .308. Case weights/volumes vary alot. Winchester cases take a grain more powder than Remington, and the Rem. cases take a grain more than Federal, or LC cases.
I've noticed that either Winchester, or Federal, standard rifle primers shoot much better groups than CCI primers with ball powder. I haven't noticed any differnce with match primers. E