.308 - can the same load work in a precision bolt rifle and an M1A?

[zimm17]

I try to keep things simple and I still have too many calibers. I have an M1A SOCOM that I started shooting a lot. Now I have pile of brass. I'm also interested in buying a long range precision bolt gun. I was thinking instead of following the 6.5 Creedmoor bandwagon, stick with the tried and true .308 and reload for both. Can the same load work in both rifles? Obviously I want the match accuracy out of the bolt gun, but will it feed an M1A? Or will the M1A destroy my brass and I'd be better off shooting surplus out of it and just reloading 6.5CM?

I already load for .300AAC Blackout, but that means I have a large selection of 110gr and 220gr bullets, neither of which works well for .308. I think I need 168gr SMK's for accuracy.

Thoughts?

 

[joseywales76]

A mild 155smk load will work well in both. I did this for years.

 

[lightman]

Yes it can. Pick a medium weight bullet and a middle of the road powder and load them a little less than max. Something like Josewhales76 said and using something like 4895. A 308 is very versatile and is easy to find a good load for.

 

[jmr40]

If you want to get anywhere near the potential performance out of a 308 bolt gun you'll not be able to use the same loads. In my mind it is easier,and far more effective to just have 2 different cartridges. Jump on the 6.5 bandwagon for the precision rifle. It does everything better than 308. Although other than significantly less recoil that advantage isn't significant until you get past 400 yards. But it is still there.

 

[Nature Boy]

I try to keep things simple

Me too. It’s a losing battle.

Started my reloading journey trying to make an M1A more accurate. Reached the limit and got an FN SPR in .308 to further the process of making more accuracy and hone my skill. Then I got my first custom rifle...in .308 and learned a lot more.

Bottom line: none of them shared a common load

 

[mavracer]

Max effort probably not. Very good is pretty easy though.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I tried doing that too. Found a load the gas guns all seem to enjoy.
My only "manual" 308 is a winchester mdl 88, and it did ok with that load, but it definitely perked up with a different powder, and heavier bullet.
Ironically enough, I used a faster powder in the lever action mdl 88 to get really fine accuracy.

 

[Charlie98]

I have both a Socom16 and a Savage bolt gun. For that matter, I have a .308 Savage 99 lever action, too... just to make it interesting. No, I do not load the same brass for each rifle.... for a number of reasons.

1) The violent extraction of the M1a action dictates I use military brass (LC, for example.) Those fired cases are full-length resized, and then probed with a wire to check for case head separation. Because of the short case life, the Socom gets it's own lot of brass.

2) The accuracy potential of my Savage bolt gun dictates I load separate, commercial brass for it. Not only do I not full-length resize for this rifle, I use different bullets and powder... In my case, I've found the Savage does not like IMR3031 or IMR4895, nor does it like 150grn'ish bullets... which is what I use for the Socom, generally. I have a separate lot of RP brass I only load for this rifle.

3) My Savage 99 lever gun gets cast bullets, and a completely different loading technique. As a matter of course, I use a Lyman M-die to expand the case neck for the cast bullets, but these cases, used with very low pressure loads, require little else beyond a full-length resize, and a check of the case neck for splits (generally due to the working with the M-die.)

The short answer is... Yes, you can load the same brass for both rifles. Would I? ... do I? No. The M1a in particular requires special attention to that brass. Generically speaking, I just shoot cheap 150grn FMJ factory in my Socom, I save the limited time I have for reloading for the Savages. If you are looking for the accuracy potential in any bolt gun, it is very unlikely you will find it with the same ammo you are burning through the Socom. Granted, you can find good accuracy using premium components in the Socom... but that really isn't what that rifle is intended for, unless that is how you shoot it.

 

[JRadice45]

I can and have used the same load in my bolt gun as my m1a. Both loads use a 168gr Sierra matchking or Hornady match bullet. They are loaded with reloder 15 or imr 4064 and closely duplicate the accuracy of federal gold medal match 168 gr8. The only difference is i keep the brass I shoot in the bolt gun and discard the brass i use in the m1a.

 

[Slamfire]

I try to keep things simple and I still have too many calibers. I have an M1A SOCOM that I started shooting a lot. Now I have pile of brass. I'm also interested in buying a long range precision bolt gun. I was thinking instead of following the 6.5 Creedmoor bandwagon, stick with the tried and true .308 and reload for both. Can the same load work in both rifles? Obviously I want the match accuracy out of the bolt gun, but will it feed an M1A? Or will the M1A destroy my brass and I'd be better off shooting surplus out of it and just reloading 6.5CM?

I already load for .300AAC Blackout, but that means I have a large selection of 110gr and 220gr bullets, neither of which works well for .308. I think I need 168gr SMK's for accuracy.

Thoughts?

I used a lot of my M1a match ammunition in my match Bolt rifles out to 600 yards in NRA competition. The gas system of a M1a really limits how fast you can push a bullet, but I don't think that is all that much of an issue out to 600 yards, however, at 1000 yards, M1a ammunition was slow. I used 168's or 175 SMK out to 600 yards. Beyond 600 yards I used the 175 gr SMK as the 168 will tumble at 1000 yards. I used to compare my MOA up at 1000 yards to the Palma shooters, and I had a lot more elevation with my 175 grain loads.

The real good sling shooters were using Palma Rifles, pushing 155's out of 30" barrels around 3100 fps, which is way too fast for an M1a, and the F Class guys were using 185 Bergers at charges and velocities that will cause malfunctions in a M1a.