I'm new to handloading but I have everything I need to get started. I have a Rem 700 carbon fiber in a 308 to load for. What would anybody recomend as the starting procedure to find a good load. Start with seating depth alone? Powder? Or bullet? Any help would be appreciated.
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308 kickoff
- Thread starter terpstra
- Start date
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I have had excellent accuracy in several 06's and my 308 with good old plain jane vanilla hornady 150 grain flat base bullets. For 308 you can't go wrong using RL15, Varget, or I4064. Actually the 308 likes alot of different powders. You kind of asked for a pet load and my little browning BLR was just an average shooter till I tried the 150 hornady over 45.5 of RL12. (Which is noslers accuracy load--without the hornady bullet of course) Unfortunately that's a hard powder to find but the other above powders or H4895 or win 748 can all give stellar performance.
Since nobody else has poasted about developing loads, Ill run through some of my load development procedure.
1st: pick your bullet,
2nd: choose your start seating depth, which is one of two dimensions, either just short enough to fit in the magazine, or .010 off the lands, depending on your application.
3rd: open your sierra/lee/Hornady/Nosler manuals and see what powder they reccomend for top accuracy, with the velocity you are looking for. Basiclly you are looking for a certian burn rate spectrum.
4th: shoot a ladder test. If you don't know what that is, email me for my version of the process. There are a few good sites dedicated to it, but ive got a conglomerated version, with my own observations added. Its really long, and has lots of pics/graphs, so id rather not post it.
5th: validate your results.
If you have a specific bullet/bullets in mind, Ill post some loads that have given me good success. I have data for bullets 55gr to 250gr.
1st: pick your bullet,
2nd: choose your start seating depth, which is one of two dimensions, either just short enough to fit in the magazine, or .010 off the lands, depending on your application.
3rd: open your sierra/lee/Hornady/Nosler manuals and see what powder they reccomend for top accuracy, with the velocity you are looking for. Basiclly you are looking for a certian burn rate spectrum.
4th: shoot a ladder test. If you don't know what that is, email me for my version of the process. There are a few good sites dedicated to it, but ive got a conglomerated version, with my own observations added. Its really long, and has lots of pics/graphs, so id rather not post it.
5th: validate your results.
If you have a specific bullet/bullets in mind, Ill post some loads that have given me good success. I have data for bullets 55gr to 250gr.
abinok I would like to see that ladder progression if you don't mind. [email protected]
I would also search this site for information on breaking in your barrel before you fire any (or too many) rounds through it. This will pay off in the long run in accuracy, future cleanings and because of this it will aid in load development.
I would also search this site for information on breaking in your barrel before you fire any (or too many) rounds through it. This will pay off in the long run in accuracy, future cleanings and because of this it will aid in load development.
bailey1474
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If you are wanting an accuracy load, go with 175 gr SMK bullet, Lapua cases, 44 grs of Varget, Fed. match primer, and load it to 2.80".
Yes I do. I have had a lot of loads shoot best from there.
Using this method, start at .010, if you need more accuracy, move in to .005, and if you don't get any satisfaction from that, out to .015. Just shoot your best two loads from the .010 length. Say your node rund from 40-41 grains of powder xyz, you go to the top of the node to get low es, and shoot groups (3shot is fine) at40.6, 40.9, and 41.2. You can test .005, and .015 with only 18 more shots. Thats the great thing about this method. I have turned out loads under 1/4 moa, in 26 shots. More bullets to practice with!
Using this method, start at .010, if you need more accuracy, move in to .005, and if you don't get any satisfaction from that, out to .015. Just shoot your best two loads from the .010 length. Say your node rund from 40-41 grains of powder xyz, you go to the top of the node to get low es, and shoot groups (3shot is fine) at40.6, 40.9, and 41.2. You can test .005, and .015 with only 18 more shots. Thats the great thing about this method. I have turned out loads under 1/4 moa, in 26 shots. More bullets to practice with!
Wind Dancer
Active Member
Back to powders and such, I used to shoot IMR 3031, then IMR 4064, then BLC-2, Then W748, then switched to R15. Somewhere there was some H335 as I recall, and maybe a few others. Now I shoot nothing but Ramshot TAC (but I may go back to some IMR 4064 for 180 Nozlers). I usually shoot 150 Sierra Matchkings, 45 grains of TAC, Federal Match primers, and both Remington and Winchester brass. Have Lapua on the way. I am shooting a factory rifle (Sako 75 Hunter Stainless) and groups are usually around one half MOA some a little smaller, some a little larger (Required some bedding and a little other work on my behalf). Best groups at 500 yards have been right at 3/8 MOA (little less than 2"). That's all with a six power scope. Anyway, the powder shoots really well with everything I have tried...Barnes x in 150, 168, and 180; Nozler Partitions in 168 and 180, Balistic Tips in 150; and Sierra MKs in 150 and 168. By the way, I'm getting 2800 fps out of a 22 3/8" barrel for the 150 MKs. As I recall, that is a little less than the manual lists as max. but it is max in my gun. I DEFINITELY suggest you always start a little low, especially if you work up loads in the winter when temps are cooler. Although, TAC isn't affected nearly as much by temperature as either 748 or R15. The IMR extruded powders are usually less affected by temp than the Ball types. I am not shooting as far as a lot of these guys yet, but I love my .308. Hope you enjoy yours as well. They are soooo pleasant to shoot! Good Luck.
For some reason this 308 seems to have a very long jump to get to the lands. In fact, when I just pressed the bullet into the case enough to hold it, and then chambered it...hoping to my jam length...It never moved. I did this with both the 150 BT and 165 Sierra SPBT...Where do you suggest to start with a seating depth in this gun? I would like it to be deep enough to have a good grip on the bullet.
In a way you kinda answered your own question. The short answer is enough to hold the bullet. If its gonna be magazine fed, most sources state something to the effect of 1 caliber. That being said, I shoot a reduced load from my 300WM that uses 90gr Hornady xtp pistol bullets. This load has less than .090 in the case, and shoots great.
I would start with one caliber in the case, shoot your ladder, and by then you will know if you have enough neck tension to use less in the case. If you are shooting these bullets from a box at the range, by all means don't be afraid to seat them way out there. If they are hunting rounds, there is more chance that light abuse could push the bullet out of concentricy with the round. Very bad.
You aren't gonna see a huge change from 1 inch groups to 12 inch groups at 300 if you blow the seating depth by a little. Just pick a depth you are comfortable with, and give it a go.
I would start with one caliber in the case, shoot your ladder, and by then you will know if you have enough neck tension to use less in the case. If you are shooting these bullets from a box at the range, by all means don't be afraid to seat them way out there. If they are hunting rounds, there is more chance that light abuse could push the bullet out of concentricy with the round. Very bad.
You aren't gonna see a huge change from 1 inch groups to 12 inch groups at 300 if you blow the seating depth by a little. Just pick a depth you are comfortable with, and give it a go.
G
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abinok, could you email me your version of the ladder test please. Thanks. [email protected]
Harv
Harv
