308 WIN 1st Loads - Do You See Any Issues?

[peeplwtchr]

Hi All-

Been reloading .223 and 9mm for a couple years, just starting for .308 WIN. Does anyone see any flaws in my math/logic for my first 10 test round recipe (See pic) before I fire them?

Thanks!

 

[Walkalong]

Forget the lands, load to 2.800 OAL and go for it, assuming the load is within the min/max, I didn't look.

 

[peeplwtchr]

Forget the lands, load to 2.800 OAL and go for it, assuming the load is within the min/max, I didn't look.

Thanks, It's min. load. Is there any risk in 2.835? I know it's. 025 over SAAMI max.

 

[Soonerpesek]

Thanks, It's min. load. Is there any risk in 2.835? I know it's. 025 over SAAMI max.

At that COAL, will it fit in the magazine…?
If so, no issues….

 

[peeplwtchr]

At that COAL, will it fit in the magazine…?
If so, no issues….

It will, thanks.

@Walkalong - I'm still investigating the whole lands thing, I saw the Cortina video, but everybody has a different answer. I figured I'd use this as a baseline to test whether my rifle cares.

 

[Soonerpesek]

It will.

Batter up….!

 

[Walkalong]

Thanks, It's min. load. Is there any risk in 2.835? I know it's. 025 over SAAMI max.

Probably not, but the SMK doesn't mind jumping, and it just simplifies things. If the barrel is up to shooting 1/2" groups, that OAL won't stop it from doing so.

 

[AJC1]

So if they are your first rounds start at 2.800 and run ocw. Once your charge is figured out then build a seatingdepth test. This keeps you in the book to begin and then if there are issues your in known territory. I agree with Walkalong it's probably not going to matter much.

 

[Slamfire]

There are those who soft seat, that is set the bullet long and let the mechanism push it into throat, and then the cocking cams of the rifle force the bullet into the case as the bolt closes.

I don't like doing this. The first time I had to involuntarily open the bolt at Camp Perry, due to some fisherman in the impact zone, the case extracted, but the bullet was still lodged in the throat!. Oh joy!, had to find a cleaning rod to knock the bullet out and also blow a gunpowder out of the mechanism.

That was when I decided seating away from the lands was a good thing.

 

[Sofie007]

Hi All-

Been reloading .223 and 9mm for a couple years, just starting for .308 WIN. Does anyone see any flaws in my math/logic for my first 10 test round recipe (See pic) before I fire them?

Thanks!

********
1. What's the objective? Write this on top of your sheet.
2. Unless you're going to load as you shoot at the range, design a ladder trial on a form and assemble ~5 rounds/each treatment.
3. Agree as other responders, don't need to chase getting close to lands; only for refinements after all else is said and done. Only this: Suggest stay at least .040 " -.050" (to begin with) of the ogive to lands. You need to measure this with with the bullet that you're using with some tool, like Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gauge (Bolt Action or autoloader) and Overall Length Gauge Modified Case.
5. For rifle (unlike handgun) reloading, you’ll need to check straightness after seating and crimping.
Happy reloading and stay safe.

 

[peeplwtchr]

All heavyweights chimin' in here, thanks guys.

 

[peeplwtchr]

********
1. What's the objective? Write this on top of your sheet.
2. Unless you're going to load as you shoot at the range, design a ladder trial on a form and assemble ~5 rounds/each treatment.
3. Agree as other responders, don't need to chase getting close to lands; only for refinements after all else is said and done. Only this: Suggest stay at least .040 " -.050" (to begin with) of the ogive to lands. You need to measure this with with the bullet that you're using with some tool, like Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gauge (Bolt Action or autoloader) and Overall Length Gauge Modified Case.
5. For rifle (unlike handgun) reloading, you’ll need to check straightness after seating and crimping.
Happy reloading and stay safe.

Yeah I used the Hornady tool, thanks!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

There are those who soft seat, that is set the bullet long and let the mechanism push it into throat, and then the cocking cams of the rifle force the bullet into the case as the bolt closes.

I don't like doing this. The first time I had to involuntarily open the bolt at Camp Perry, due to some fisherman in the impact zone, the case extracted, but the bullet was still lodged in the throat!. Oh joy!, had to find a cleaning rod to knock the bullet out and also blow a gunpowder out of the mechanism.

That was when I decided seating away from the lands was a good thing.

For me it’s always been about hunting, not paper punching, and the one thing every hunter learns is, you clear the action when you leave the game ground. Running bullets into the lands is unsafe for a hunter because of exactly your experience. Having a bullet lodged in the throat when walking back to the truck in bear, pig, snake and gator country can be fatal.

 

[Skeptic13]

What type of shooting are you planning on doing? What type of rifle are you shooting? Why do you want to push the length over the SAAMI spec? There are obviously instances where you might want to do that and some that you don't but you haven't given us enough information to give you good advise.

 

[Nature Boy]

Since it’s your first time loading .308 I’d keep goals simple and focus your attention on round to round consistency (brass prep, charge weight, seating depth)

After all, your benchmark at this point is factory ammo.

Take the parameters you’ve outlined and make 40-50 of the most perfect rounds you can make and go shoot them. I think you’ll be impressed with the improvement in accuracy over whatever store bought ammo you’ve shot in the past.

After that, we can start to get more fancy with load development

 

[dh1633pm]

I think Nature Boy hit it on the head. You gotta start somewhere. Keep the variables to a minimum and work to be consistent and repeatable. Then venture into the unknown tweaking one variable at a time. If you do more than one at a time then you don't know which impacted what.

 

[Charlie98]

Is there any risk in 2.835?

You are losing that much more neck tension on the bullet.

Also, I've read over on the M1a forum... 8208 can get very spiky at the top of data, and jamming the lands won't help.

Since it’s your first time loading .308 I’d keep goals simple and focus your attention on round to round consistency (brass prep, charge weight, seating depth)

After all, your benchmark at this point is factory ammo.

Nature beat me to it.

When I got my .308 bolt gun, I started with Federal Gold Medal Match as a standard (168grn.) Then I attempted to load to that specification, using the SMK or NCC (what I had on hand at the time.) Granted, I was limited to 2.8" COL by the magazine... but my handloads shot well enough I didn't worry about it. Keep it simple.

 

[Kaldor]

Hi All-

Been reloading .223 and 9mm for a couple years, just starting for .308 WIN. Does anyone see any flaws in my math/logic for my first 10 test round recipe (See pic) before I fire them?

Thanks!

Run it
2.835 COAL is fine. Ive had really good luck with SMKs at 20 thou off the lands. If they fit your mag at that length, ever better.
8208 is pretty pressure resistant in both 223 and 308. Ive run thru about 18# since I started using it at close to or more than max load with almost no pressure issues. Both AR and bolt pattern guns.
My best load was 41.4gr of 8208 under a 168 SMK in a LC case at 2.80 COAL using CCI 200s. I consider that just about a max charge due to decreased LC case volume. With commercial cases, Hodgdon says 43.3gr.

 

[Nature Boy]

I haven’t used any 8208 but I see it falls between Benchmark and H4895 in burn rate.

 

[IALoder]

I see nothing wrong with the load you're starting with! As said, 168 smks don't seem to mind jumping, but if you can fit the .020 jump (2.835) in the mag, it should be fine! That said, I've had great luck with 168&175 smks right at 2.800.