jmorris
Member
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- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,211
Well, the good news is you have enough of them you can have lots of trys.
I’m nearly at the end of my rope with my 308.
- Thread starter thump_rrr
- Start date
Well, the good news is you have enough of them you can have lots of trys.
thump_rrr
Member
I do have a boroscope and it was cleaned last week.
This barrel doesn’t copper foul much at all.
I just use wipeout then I wet patch with Butch’s and brush back and forth 5 times.
Dry patch and that’s it.
I then clean the chamber and make sure there is no carbon near the case necks.
The 8 rounds of 185 Juggernauts were the first rounds through it since it was cleaned.
The 10 rounds of H4895 with the 178 HPBT’s were next.
JFrank
Member
H4895 is a fast powder for those 178’s , VV N150 powder would be a good choice or use a lighter bullet like a 155 Scenar or 165/168 class bullet.
Nature Boy
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- Apr 21, 2015
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- 8,256
Did you clean between switching?
For reasons unknown to me, not cleaning between a change in components will unsettle things and you’ll get erratic results on your 2nd load test
thump_rrr
Member
I have IMR 4064, 4166, 8208 XBR and Varget.
Certainly one of those powders should be good for that application.
My friend and shooting partner is running a 5R Milspec with 175SMK’s and XBR out to 1,000y successfully.
thump_rrr
Member
I did not but the 168SMK’s didn’t seem to mind.
Nature Boy
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- 8,256
JFrank
Member
IMR 4064 under a 168 is very good around 44. ish for myself.
XBR sounds good for those heavies
My FTR friends shoot 200.20x bergers over N150 to 1000 yards
thump_rrr
Member
I never said I know Best I simply stated what I did.Well, you know best. Good luck to you
I will clean it again before I test my lower charge weights.
My experience with 4166 in .308 was pretty "meh". Only good accuracy I found was very low in the charge weight range (like mid range in service rifle data) and it wasn't very consistent. I'm extremely surprised that you didn't find something with Varget or 4895. I know my rifles have been kinda picky with the Hornady bullets, they seem to LOVE the 155bthps and 165 btsp, not really much of anything else though.
JFrank
Member
Charlie98
Member
That stinks. I didn't realize they bolo'ed those. Not to axe bad questions, but is ownership prohibited, or just shooting the silly things?
With 168grn SMK's, in the 24" Savage 10TAC... charge weights were quite similar to equivalent loads with IMR4064...
43.1grn TAC gave 2750fps, but the 42.5grn load was more accurate (I don't have a chrono reading for that, for some reason.) 43.1grn IMR4064 gave me just a hair over 2700fps.
FWIW, 168grn FGMM clocks at 2710fps from the Savage, if I was a gambling man (I am...) I would guess the 42.5grn TAC load was about the same.
I don't shoot a lot of 168's in my M1a... it's a 16" Socom16. I'm not going to waste good bullets on that. I have shot them, however... 39.5grn IMR3031 gave me some good results with the 168grn NCC; I also have velocity data with the NCC using IMR's 4895 and 4064, but no accuracy information other than 'good' for the 41.5grn IMR4895 load.
The 169grn SMK's are a little tricky... they are as long as 175-178grn bullets. Sierra told me to seat them out to 2.820", but I saw instant pressure signs with that COL with starting loads. I reseated them to a more traditional 2.800" and reduced another 1.0grn, and got some good results. I've got to do some measuring and see if I can dummy up QuickLoad a little to try and replicate my loads.
thump_rrr
Member
No the want to do us a favor and buy them back.
look how generous they are.
I have 2 Noveske AR's alone that each cost me 3 times that, not to mention all the accessories you buy for them.
A couple of other AR's, M1A's and other stuff.
I didn't start early when you could find all kinds of things for cheap.
I have a friend who has a McMillan Tac 50, a Serbu semi auto 50, a 20MM Lahti, Simmonov PTRS-41, a TNW M2HB and a bunch of stuff I'm forgetting.
This was at 600M with my M1A 11 years ago.
With the National Match peep sights.
Not 1 MOA but sucessful for a hooded peep sight.
I scoped the rifle for about 1 month and couldn't stand it.
Still have the Sadlak Airborne mount.
thump_rrr
Member
I agree with you on the 4166.
I only bought it because there was no Varget and it took me close to 18 months to find any.
thump_rrr
Member
The 168 SMK's are 0.010 off the lands at 2.860 in my rifle.
The 178 BTHP's at magazine length, 2.880 are already 0.040" off the lands.
I'm sure that the SMK's will shoot.
Same with the Juggernauts.
thump_rrr
Member
I can't even find Juggernauts and you expect me to find pixie dust?IMR 4064 under a 168 is very good around 44. ish for myself.
XBR sounds good for those heavies
My FTR friends shoot 200.20x bergers over N150 to 1000 yards
Edit: I just found a box of 208gr A-Max that was going to be for a 300Blackout that never happened since the AR ban came into law (Canada).
Maybe I'll load those as well.
Last edited:
Charlie98
Member
bigpower491
Member
I reckon I'd be reaching for the Varget. I loaded 308 for quite a few yrs for an LR308 and my FALs, those rifles had/have a preference for 168gr, SMKs, AMax, whatever HPBT. I always used IMR4064 and Varget with very good results in all.
I find myself in a somewhat similar situation as you, as I've got a bunch of 180 SST I'm gonna try and work with in a New Vanguard 308, whenever it finally shows up. Varget is where I'm going to start. I'm not too concerned with max velocity as much as I want it to at least be able to hit MOA or less. If it does that and I can only get 2200fps out of it, we'll, is what it is. It can be tough when got alot of one kind and limited propellant choices. And maybe your rifle doesn't particularly care for that one bullet as mentioned by others. My 300 Winchester and Savage 110 30-06 shoot the 180 SST lights out, but who knows with the Vanguard yet. I really don't want to spend another couple hundred 30 cal bullets if I don't have to.
I'd say Varget would be the propellant you should take a good long look at, as it generally yields the highest velocity numbers when working 308 with the 175-180gr range of all suitable propellants. Never ran IMR4064 on anything heavier than 168, but I might be tempted. I had a Mosin Sniper that just loved .311 -174gr SMK over 46.5gr
I have seen some similar things, always clean between powder changes for sure
JFrank
Member
No don’t expect anything, I think your 168’s shoot just fine. I was just expanding the conversation on heavy bullets and slower powders because you keep reffering to heavier bullets.
You have Varget and Imr 4064 and 168’s , both will shoot well, I know this to be a fact from my own targets.
I’ve done a little testing lately and what I’ve found is that just because a powder is said to be temp sensitive doesn’t mean it looses accuracy.
thump_rrr
Member
I’m simply trying to keep my 168SMK’s for my M1 Garand and since I foolishly bought 2,000 178’s without trying them first I may as well try to find a load.
If I find more 168 SMK’s, 175 SMK’s or 185 Juggernauts you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be picking them up.
AJC1
Member
In a run what you have I'd be running groups and ladders with imr 4064 and your bullet till I got er figured. Because I am range weak I don't get out past 200 often but 160 class run well right at 45 grains. My ladder would include 41-42.5 and if pressure looked good and groups improving I'd go a few tenths more.
thump_rrr
Member
I cleaned the rifle as soon as I got home today.
thump_rrr
Member
I’ll elaborate a little more.
I was always looking at 2600fps and more.
MarshallDodge
Member
The Hornady has a different ogive which may need adjustments in seating depth. In my experience, changing powders will help remove the random shot or two but you should still be seeing some kind of grouping.
