308 loading help

[308_Branden]

Recently starting reloading and having a few issues, I loaded fresh alpha 308 brass with 44 gr of varget and a 155gr TMK. Load shoots great under a half MOA at 100 yards with single digit SDs. I loaded them to 2.855 and it chambers fine. However, the rounds smack the bottom of my feed ramp in my rifle. If I wanted to seat the round to 2.800 I would be compressing the load. Do I just need to back the charge weight back in order to seat it? Might be a dumb question thanks everyone.

 

[Turpentine21]

Varget can stand a bit of compression. Does your round still hit the feed ramp at 2.825 or so? I don't like much compression because it causes seating depth to vary. You can always try backing off on the charge however and seating to 2.8. Then seeing how it shoots.

 

[308_Branden]

Varget can stand a bit of compression. Does your round still hit the feed ramp at 2.825 or so? I don't like much compression because it causes seating depth to vary. You can always try backing off on the charge however and seating to 2.8. Then seeing how it shoots.

I think 2.825 may work I just don't want to back the charge off cause it's a 20in barrel so I want to keep some velocity. But I might have to in order to make it work with feeding obv. Reloading has been a huge pain but kind of fun at the same time.

 

[Turpentine21]

If you back off the charge, then seat deeper, your velocity and pressure may not change. It's worth a try just to see what happens.
Or try your charge at 2.825 seated and see what happens. You'll have to read your bolt lift and pressure signs. What rifle are you shooting?

 

[308_Branden]

If you back off the charge, then seat deeper, your velocity and pressure may not change. It's worth a try just to see what happens.
Or try your charge at 2.825 seated and see what happens. What rifle are you shooting

I think it's a great idea for sure. And it's just a Remington 700 20 in carbon 6 barrel. It shot great I had velocity in the 2730s I was happy just the feeding was horrible. Maybe mag tuning?

 

[Turpentine21]

In my 700 308 with 26" barrel feeding was terrible no matter what. The ramps would mar my brass when cycled. N A Wyatt's box mag and bottom metal fixed that and allowed me to seat to 2.87. The bolt just glides now.

 

[308_Branden]

In my 700 308 with 26" barrel feeding was terrible no matter what. The ramps would mar my brass when cycled. N A Wyatt's box mag and bottom metal fixed that and allowed me to seat to 2.87. The bolt just glides now.

Maybe notch the feed ramp?

 

[Roughrice]

I'm surprised you're having issues with Rem 700 feeding 308 with 155's.
I have several Rem700's and never had an issue feeding 125 to 175 grain bullets in the factory BDL.
I'd bet it's got to be a magazine feed lip issue.

 

[308_Branden]

I'm surprised you're having issues with Rem 700 feeding 308 with 155's.
I have several Rem700's and never had an issue feeding 125 to 175 grain bullets in the factory BDL.
I'd bet it's got to be a magazine feed lip issue.

That's the next place I was going to. I think I'm going to try and tune my mdt mags

 

[Turpentine21]

Maybe notch the feed ramp?

I polished the ramp and worked out some burrs and rough spots on the magazine. Made no difference. The single stack Wyatt's mag feeds much smoother. The internal mag and follower would jam the tip of the bullet right or left of center as it fed and really scratched the brass.. This gun had some issues. I replaced all of the bolt internals and shroud with Gre-tan parts. The x mark trigger was awful. I threw it away. I replaced it with a Geissele Super 700. Probably the best 2 stage trigger I've ever felt. I have two stage triggers on all Of my rifles. Only one bolt lug was touching. I fixed that issue, Then I threw the oem stock away and put a B&C M40 stock with aluminum bedding block and skim bedded it with Devcon. Lastly I polished the cocking piece on the bolt to make bolt throw smoother.
One day I will re barrel to 260 AI and possibly put it in a chassis.

 

[Russ-T]

The rifle has to load unless you are single feeding.

You can mess with all of the things people are talking about, but it's easier to just work within the parameters of your rifle. IMHO

I have a 308 that has a longer throat, but need to work within the magazine constraints.

Try 2.825 and see if it shoots. you can load small batches when you need them to decrease the time sitting and growing due to compression.

Also pretty easy to just load a ladder test for accuracy at a shorter COAL.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Have you tried a drop tube or a vibrating toothbrush to get the powder to settle more, giving you more room to seat slightly deeper without compressing the load or at least minimizing the compression?

 

[JAYgs8163]

Maybe try a different mag and if that doesn't work…… Use a 5-6" drop tube like mentioned above, pour the powder out slowly so it makes contact with the funnel walls before going down the tube. This should help a lot. I also wouldn't worry about compressing the powder some.

 

[308_Branden]

Maybe try a different mag and if that doesn't work…… Use a 5-6" drop tube like mentioned above, pour the powder out slowly so it makes contact with the funnel walls before going down the tube. This should help a lot. I also wouldn't worry about compressing the powder some.

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Sounds like a solid idea thank you!