first load help?

[emn83]

Originally Posted by rscott5028

I don't know about 4065, but Bart B says IMR4064 was the preferred powder for NRA High Power competition for many years with the 175 SMK.

OOPS...Typo, I meant 4064, thanks for catching that...

[srlamy]

Originally Posted by emn83

Thanks for the advice guys.

DirtyHarry: Thanks for the help, the Sierra book is now on the list

rscott5028: I plan on doing a LOT of reading. With the weather here, I don't plan on starting to actually reload before like late April. In the mean time, I plan on reading all the way through the Speer handbook I'm getting with the kit, and hopefully getting a Hornady handbook as well, and reading that. I'm also doing a lot of research on different reloading websites. I have a small notebook just for handloading now.

My rifle is a Savage 308 with a 1:10 twist, so am I correct in thinking that the heaview 178gr would be better?

My reloading is mainly to punch paper, but I want to work up a load for MN white tails also. I've read on this site that people use the A-Max for hunting as well as target, which was part of my reason for choosing them, in addition to the fact that they shoot well from my rifle

I have had great luck with 178 bthp hornady, the new ones they have high g7 and g1 bc and I can get them to 1200 yards with lapua brass and reloader 15. for hunting the 178 hornady amax will perform much like the bthp

[emn83]

Originally Posted by srlamy

I have had great luck with 178 bthp hornady, the new ones they have high g7 and g1 bc and I can get them to 1200 yards with lapua brass and reloader 15. for hunting the 178 hornady amax will perform much like the bthp

cool, thanks for the info...I'll look at the bthp and compare to the Amax

[backwoods83]

My 308 is also a 10 twist savage its at its best with what Richard reccomended, 178 amax or bthp with varget and BR2s, next in line is 4064 then RE15, but the RE15 tends to give me better results with Fed210Ms. Another good one is 175 SMKs with Imr4895 and 210Ms. Good luck.

[emn83]

Originally Posted by backwoods83

My 308 is also a 10 twist savage its at its best with what Richard reccomended, 178 amax or bthp with varget and BR2s, next in line is 4064 then RE15, but the RE15 tends to give me better results with Fed210Ms. Another good one is 175 SMKs with Imr4895 and 210Ms. Good luck.

Cool,...Thanks...I bought some CCI #200 primers because that's what the local store had, I'll check the price on BR-2 primers at a different store tomorrow, and picking up some 178gr AMax and Varget

My reloading gear arrived today and I might not be able to wait till the garage warms up...good thing my kitchen table is a 50 year old monstrosity built by my grandpa of solid oak, it might just work for now

[backwoods83]

I will say always start atleast 10% low, but the exact load I used to put 7 shots in a .271" group was sorted winchester brass fully prepped, neck sized with redding type s, using BR2s with 47grns of Varget with 178bthp's .010" in the lands, this is ABOVE max but shows no sign of pressure in my rifle, so if you try it work up with caution. Have fun!

[emn83]

Originally Posted by backwoods83

I will say always start atleast 10% low, but the exact load I used to put 7 shots in a .271" group was sorted winchester brass fully prepped, neck sized with redding type s, using BR2s with 47grns of Varget with 178bthp's .010" in the lands, this is ABOVE max but shows no sign of pressure in my rifle, so if you try it work up with caution. Have fun!

I was planning on starting at or near the minimum suggested powder weight and working up. I was thinking make 5 rounds each going up like .3gr intervals, or something like that...Really want to be careful since I am brand new