I have completed the following loads:
* 10 of 308win 45grains of 4350 w/ 200gr speers
* 10 of 308win 42grains of 4895 w/ 150gr Ballistic tips
* 10 of 308win 42grains of 4895 w/ 150gr speer BTSP
* 10 of 308win 40grains of 4895 w/ 165gr BTSP
* 10 of 308win 39grains of 4895 w/ 180gr BTSP
* 20 of 30-06 53grains of 4350 w/ 180gr BTSP
* 20 of 30-06 50grains of 4350 w/ 220gr RN
* 20 of 30-06 52grains of 4350 w/ 200gr Speers

REDUCED LOADS:
* 5 of 30-06 25grains of 4198 w/ 165gr BTSP
* 5 of 308win 20grains of 4198 w/ 150gr speers

Sounds like it's time you get out to the range and start testing that lot. Remember to log EVERYTHING as you go, keeping your targets (I scan mine, and insert them into my reloading notes sheet - that way I can compare a 10 year-old load with one I shot yesterday)

You probably don't own a chronograph yet, but being able to borrow one (or rent the range's chrono) will tell you a whole lot about your loads - really puts it into perspective!

Best of Luck - this is where it becomes either very satisfying, or very frustrating!

much as i love reloading and i guess you do too, might i suggest that you take 1 calibre and bullet weight at a time and then do some kind of load work up, starting from maybe 10% below max, load 5 or 10 of each going up in .5 or 1 grain increases, seeing how it goes, watching for signs of pressure and shooting each group of 5 or 10 on a different target. like this u can watch for signs of pressure and also changes in group size. Of course if you only want to hunt or have fun, then just use the starting loads and you'll normally be fine!

That is a very good sudgestion. There does not seem to be much learned from the loads that I see. It is best to find the best load for each style and weight of bullet. Find the right amount of powder and then find the right seating depth for the best accuracy.
That is my way. It really depends on what end result is expected I guess. Everybody has their own agenda.
Have fun.

quote:

starting from maybe 10% below max, load 5 or 10 of each going up in .5 or 1 grain increases, seeing how it goes, watching for signs of pressure and shooting each group of 5 or 10 on a different target.

This is great advice! I always choose a bullet first for the purpose it will be used for (i.e. Partition for hunting...Matchking or Ballistic tip for accuracy) and then load up a range of powder charges with the same powder. Starting at 7-8% below max and working up in 3 shot groups. As I get closer to max the charge increases get smaller to watch for pressure signs. My last load group in a 300 Ultra went like this: 83.5, 84.5, 85.5, 86.5, 87.5, 88.5, 88.9, 89.1, 89.3, 89.5, 89.7 which was max listed. 84.5 gr. & 89.5 gr. were clearly the smallest groups so I went back and varied the charges on either side of the two number by a couple of tenths. With handloading you want to isolate as many variables as possible to minimize possibilities and maximize your results.

Adam, cha-ching$$$

When I started, I made the mistake of loading up 20 rounds of three or four different charge weights. Big mistake, ended up having to pull about 50 bullets. Now I do 5 of a charge weight, shoot them, then go back to the ones that showed promise.

Primary rules of accuracy workups:

1. Keep good records.
2. Only change one variable at a time.
3. Keep an open mind.
4. Someone else's "pet load" won't necessarily shoot well in your gun.

quote:

Originally posted by adam5432002:
I have completed the following loads:
* 10 of 308win 45grains of 4350 w/ 200gr speers
* 10 of 308win 42grains of 4895 w/ 150gr Ballistic tips
* 10 of 308win 42grains of 4895 w/ 150gr speer BTSP
* 10 of 308win 40grains of 4895 w/ 165gr BTSP
* 10 of 308win 39grains of 4895 w/ 180gr BTSP
* 20 of 30-06 53grains of 4350 w/ 180gr BTSP
* 20 of 30-06 50grains of 4350 w/ 220gr RN
* 20 of 30-06 52grains of 4350 w/ 200gr Speers

REDUCED LOADS:
* 5 of 30-06 25grains of 4198 w/ 165gr BTSP
* 5 of 308win 20grains of 4198 w/ 150gr speers

Just wondering why you want to shoot 200 grainers in the 308, and with 4350 of all powders? 180 would be my limit and I'd probably use RE15, or IMR4064. You'll be lucky to push 2300fps with the 200 Speer. And I've found 45.5grs RE15 to be the most accurate with 150 Sierra SBTs, H4895 was a close second. Jay

quote:

Just wondering why you want to shoot 200 grainers in the 308, and with 4350 of all powders? 180 would be my limit and I'd probably use RE15, or IMR4064. You'll be lucky to push 2300fps with the 200 Speer. Jay

It's not the most obvious choice, but it's still a pretty good one. The 200-grain .308" bullet has about the same SD as the 175/7mm slug that has such a great African reputation. I had a handful of 200-gr. Partitions and some partial cans of Varget, IMR 4320 and H4895 lying around a while back, so I tested them in a 22" 308 M-70 FWT that tends to run slow with 150- or 165-gr. bullets. Using loads from Nosler and Hodgdon, I topped out right at 2,400 fps with all powders on a 40-degree day. That velocity range has a solid reputation on heavy game. Zero +2.5" at 100 yards, and the 200P is only 5" low at 250. That's a pretty far poke where I hunt.

For hunting big animals in tight cover with a 308, any of those loads would be ideal, and could reach out a bit if needed. 165@2,700 is a better open-country load, but the 308 is versatile with a capital "V."


Okie John

quote:

Originally posted by Steel Slinger:
When I started, I made the mistake of loading up 20 rounds of three or four different charge weights. Big mistake, ended up having to pull about 50 bullets. Now I do 5 of a charge weight, shoot them, then go back to the ones that showed promise.

That be true. I load 3 at a time. that gives me a decent idea as to what's going on. I normally concentrate on a load for one bullet/powder combo at a time, I might get confused shooting so many combos in one range session. Of course I document all info from the range, and the bench too.

How far off of the lands are you seating them? No, I am not asking for OAL, either.

Wish I had the cash to load so many combos. Not that I would shoot them all in one session, its just cool to have an assload of reloading gear and supplies around. Dont forget to post your findings in the fav loads forum. I get so into load development for any particular combo, I make posts when the stuff hits the door from the big brown truck!!

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Gorski:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by adam5432002:
Just wondering why you want to shoot 200 grainers in the 308, and with 4350 of all powders? 180 would be my limit and I'd probably use RE15, or IMR4064. You'll be lucky to push 2300fps with the 200 Speer. And I've found 45.5grs RE15 to be the most accurate with 150 Sierra SBTs, H4895 was a close second. Jay

Jay. Why not? Being a person with an experimental nature I went a bit farther, I played with 220 gr. round nose bullets in the .308.
Bear with me on this. For a time, after the 30-6 came out, it was considered that the 30-40 Krag was a better elk cartridge than the the 30-06. We know now that the problem was bullet construction more than anything else. The bullets of the period could not not hold up at 30-06 velocities.
Krag velocity of the period was about 2000 FPS IIRC. Surely, a .308 Win. could easily duplicate or better that level. Using a Winchester Model 70 and W-760 powder, I reached 2300 FPS with the 220 gr. Sierra round nose. I think that 2250 FPS would be more advisable in a rifle wwith a 1 in 10" twist. The Winchester has a 1 in 12" twist. Accuracy was superb at .375" to .50" at 100 yards with no apparent signs of instability.
My point being that factory ammo with the 30-06 and 220 gr. bullet is advertised at 2400 FPS. The .308 delivered the same weight bullet only 100 FPS less, and that's not too shabby.
No, it's not a load to reach out and touch something 500 yards out. It's not supposed to.
W.D.M. "Karamojo" Bell once said that the .308 Win. with a 200 gr. solid would be, in his opinion, the "perfect elephant gun." I wonder how he would have felt about using a 220 gr. solid. It would have penetrated even more than the 200 gr. bullet.
Maybe there's too much emphasis on trying to get as high a velocity possible so as to snipe off some poor critter sitting way out yonder. It might be interesting to try and find a box or two of 30-06 ammo with the 220 gr. bullet and run them over the chronograph. If they do like the tests I rans with some 180 gr. 06 ammo, they won't be going much, if any faster than the .308 load I worked up.
Paul B.