Good .308 load for 26" barrel?

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Lucky

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I'm looking for a good load for 180gr bullets for a new 700 with 26" barrel. Range 300m-900m.

I was hoping to receive special brass, but right now I have on-hand;

-500x180gr Sierra matchking HPBT

-once-fired American Eagle .308 brass.

-CCI primers

-a lot of surplus military flake propellant with burn rate near IMR4064

I've got a store credit I'd like to spend at a local gunshop, so it's no problem changing any components. Though I'd like to use the bullets up.

Modern Reloading recommends 385. grains / 2.85 CC of 4064 to produce 2323 fps. With surplus powder, being extra careful, it would be prudent to use the lower of the two measurements if they do not correlate? Or if they don't correlate should the whole notion be reconsidered?
 
According to QuickLoad, 43.0gr IMR4064 should be at 59 kpsi and 2670 fps from a 26" barrel, with the 180 SMK. You may see differences in max load due to powder difference, true case capacity, chamber and barrel dimensions. Since you didn't post exactly what the powder was, this may be totally off.

The 175gr SMK is more popular than the 180, and a common max load for the 175 is 44 - 45gr Varget.

For long-range use, the 155 Lapua Scenar is a better bullet.
 
I have purchased a lot of surplus 4895 powder in the past. With some mystery surplus powder, I would go out and develop the loads over a chronograph.
 
+1

If all you know about it is that it has a "burn rate near IMR4064" you are flying by the seat of your pants without very careful load development & a crony.

rc
 
Absolutely will do. Out of curiosity what's the heaviest/longest bullet one could stabilize out of the relatively slow 1:12" rifling of a Remington 700? Seems I picked up the most mediocre weight of the SMK line... would explain why it was left on the shelf.
 
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