tips for 308 reloading

[futureranger]

i have purchased a savage arms 10fp in 308 and topped it with a Millet trs-1 scope. I have fired it at 100 and 200 yards and am impressed with the accuracy... but i want more (it holds 5/8" at 100 yards and 1.2" at 200 with 168gr federal match) i very quickly realized that im the most inaccurate part if the set up, but i cant afford to shoot those shiny federals as much as id like to get better. my uncle suggested reloading but id like to get some suggested bullet powder combos before i start, he is going to let me use his equipment but he doesn't reload 308, any advice would be great. oh and im still in high school and cant get a job until wrestling is over so i wont be able to start till march. thanks 4 the help

 

[dakotasin]

168 hornady a-max, varget, winchester cases, cci 200 primer, and you're in. rcbs or redding dies, too.

if your gun doesn't like varget, another good 308 powder is rl-15.

 

[Shawnee]

Hi Dakotasin...

LOLOLOL !

I've never used that 168gr Hornady A-max but it sure looks like a "Git 'er Done" bullet fersure !!

 

[dakotasin]

i really like it. i ran some through my 1920's vintage savage 99 takedown in 300 savage w/ an old lyman alaskan scope at 100 yards just to test accuracy potential of the rifle and was rewarded w/ 10 3-shot groups that were all under 1", and a couple that were under a half inch.

its an extremely long bullet (so seating, powder cap interference, mag lengths, etc all apply), but it will tell you right away if your rifle has any accuracy potential or not. that is the bullet i use in my 308 for 1000 yard prairie doggin'.

 

[futureranger]

ive read a lot about the sierra matchkings are they all their cracked up to be? oh and my savage is 1 in 10" twist so is there any real performance difference between the 168 gr and the 180 or 190 at less than 600 yards or will I have to find that out my-self? I just don’t want to end up wasting money on bullets that don’t shoot well.

 

[futureranger]

oh and thanks for the advice and sites

 

[dakotasin]

i've never run 308 mk's, but have run them in my 22 centerfires and they are excellent for accuracy.

 

[Smokey Joe]

.308 load

Futureranger--I don't shoot .308 Win, but I whipped up a load for a bud, using 165 grain Sierra Gamekings and H380 powder. (The powder meters VERY well!) He is very happy w/the accuracy, as well as the effect on deer.

BTW, you'll have to spring for a reloading manual for recipies. Don't depend on anonymous I'net yahoos. Including me. We're dealing here with fierce pressures, and fiendish hot gases--no place for using anonymous advice, which is worth what you paid for it.

If I could suggest a manual, it'd be Lyman's 48th edition. But there are several good ones out there. Also, the powder and the bullet manufacturers all have websites, often with recipies. Now there, you can place some trust, as these sites are identified with specific companies that could be sued, so you know that they will be careful with their recommendations. A published, paper, manual by a recognized company, is your MOST reliable source. (Even there, there can be errors, so it is well to have 2 or more manuals, and cross-check the recipie when working up a new load.)

Glad you have a mentor for learning reloading--It's not really hard, but there are a LOT of details. For more how-to, and why-and-why-not-to, you might consider getting The ABC's of Reloading put out by Krause Publishing, www.krause.com Great resource for the details!

Oh, and welcome to The Magnificent Obsession--Reloading!!

 

[DnPRK]

168 Sierra Matchking over 41.5 IMR 4895, LC case (sorted by weight), Fed 210M primer

168 SMK over 42 gr Varget, Lapua case, WLR primer

 

[db_tanker]

You can't go wrong with the Match Kings.

my rifle loves the 168 and 175's. I am wanting to try out some of the others.


ESPECIALLY the 220 and 240 gr MK's. I have a mauser long-action so seating the bullets right will not be an issue with that.


As an aside, the Pro Hunter bullets Sierra makes aren't exactly a slouch either in accuracy.

D

 

[hsiddall]

Matchkings, put it this way I believe theyare used in your shiny federal Gold Medal Match ammo. How u like dem apples???

 

[futureranger]

thanks Smokey Joe for the heads up, ill keep that im mind. i have a oldder hornady reloading book and a high power rifle accuracy book, I'll get the Lyman book next chance i get, but any additional advice is more than welcome. my uncle found some standard 308 dies (RCBS) in his realoding closet, but i have read about competition ones with the seating depths on the head, from Redding or RCBS. Are the competition dies over-kill for some one like me starting out? they cost about $70

 

[telecaster1981]

Well, a buddy of mine and I were out shooting his brother's 10fp in .308, also with a Millett TRS scope at about 475 yards yesterday. Average groups were around 4 to 4.5inches, with a low around 3 inches and a high around 6", and fighting a lot of wind.

The load was 168 grain Sierra Match Kings over 42.5gr IMR-4064. Federal 210Match primers and match prepped Winchester brass. OAL 2.8"

 

[ma96782]

M14 Loads.....

………..try this clone load of LC Match M852. Gi Brass trimmed too 2.005, Win LRP, 41.5grs H4895, capped off with any 168 COAL 2.80, M/v about 2600fs.(my rifle loves this load) if you need or want a clone load of M118LR up the charge too 42.grs and swap in the 175 Sierra or 178 A-Max the rest of the case prep is the same.(I seat these out too 2.82 oal)

and.......

*You could try my load: 168 gr. BTHP, 42 gr. Win 748, Fed. 210 LR primer. OAL, 2.80.

I like Win 748 cause it meters well........I don't get the "Ka-chunk," like when loading with a "stick powder."

PROBLEM IS....it's not all in just getting a load.....it's also in how you do your re-loading (technique). Then.....Your mileage will vary.

Aloha, Mark

 

[WyrTwister]

168 grain Serirra Match Kings

My .308 Win Remington likes winchester 748

God bless
Wyr

 

[WyrTwister]

168 grain Serirra Match Kings

168 grain " red tips " are not bad either

My .308 Win Remington likes winchester 748

I use government surplus 4895 in my .30-06 & 7.62 NATO / .308 Win semi-autos , because I am cheap

God bless
Wyr

 

[Smokey Joe]

Expenses...

Futureranger--Given that you're in HS, and having (I take it) not much spare cash, I'd definitely not spring for the competition dies. Standard RCBS dies can be adjusted for seating depth just fine, it simply takes a little more horsing around. FWIW, most of my dies are standard RCBS's. Once you have that depth adjusted and locked in, with any seating die, you're good to go.

So here, as is often the case, you ought to "use what ya got," IMHO.

Yr handle is interesting--Are you planning on an Army career, or one with the USFS, or USNPS??

 

[futureranger]

thanks Smokey Joe I'll stick to the RCBS dies till i get the hang of things, and money is a big thing for me (used up all my spending cash on the savage and scope) so that's why i wont be able to start reloading until march, when i can get a job. I do plan on a Army career, i have been given a 4 year ROTC scholarship to Virginia Tech, but after that i hope to go ranger and see where I'm at, i might even try to go special forces depending on how i can handle being a ranger. but i have a while to make up my mind

 

[Smokey Joe]

Well...

Futureranger, good luck in all your prospects! (Tho', as my Grandfather used to say, good luck seems to favor those who work real hard preparing!)

Guess that's just as true in wrestling as it is in reloading for accuracy as it is in doing well in college as it is in the military!

And VA Tech of course enjoys a fine reputation.

Don't know how many famous military figures have come out of Virginia over the years, but it's a bunch!

Perhaps you'll favor us old coots here on THR with periodic progress reports.

 

[kBob]

futureranger,

Get where you can score 95% or better on each portion of the PT test. Once at VT ask if it is possible, as you are a contract student, to attend Airborne or Air Assault schools during a summer break or one after Senior Camp. FInd out if as a student you may take correspondce course offered by the US Army. There used to be one available for Special FOrces Operations that was an over view of SF just as it implies. Don't laugh but you might even consider NCO development courses.

Just make certain you keep your grades up every where else and get a degree in a field you might find useful if you get asked to leave in two years or four or you deside the Army life is not for you and you have not found a home.

Mean while back to reloading. Yes, go with proven bullets and powder and primers. Oddly my Savage 110 did not shoot the Federal 168 match stuff whenit first came out as your basic old Remington 150 grain factory soft points. Consider that when working up loads, what is best for most won't be best for everybody. Just a warning.

If you are reloading little things to remember are doing a good case inspection. For the best shooting all cases must be from the same lot and weigh as close as possible to the same weight. Inspect to see if the primer vent on all cases is clear and that the "chad" from the punch is not hanging on. Trim cases to the same length after sizing. Keep in mind that each time you fire a cartridge case it will be come a bit more brittle and so release the bullet a bit differently with the same die setting than new or once used brass.

inspect each bullet before you load it. make sure it has no deofmaties such as a wrinkle in the jacket or extruding core if it has an open base or oply shaped point if a SP design. You may want to weigh a few individual bullets to see how much variation there is from bullet to bullet if it gets over about 2 percent differnce in bullets you may want to do a larger sample and then figure out standard deviations and sort you bullets based on how over or under are acceptable (to you and the target) and place the unders or overs in seperate groups for similar testing when you have a batch of them.

I know it isnt as cool as a center fire, but given what you have in the rifle and scope and the dies and trimmer bullt cost primer and powder cost you could do a lot of training with a decent .22LR and target or training grade (one step down from match) ammunition that cost less than the bullet alone of the .308 load and no time out in the shop.

I personally feel it is the act of shooting rather than the caliber that makes the difference in shooting you can do a lot more shooting and observe you results a lot more times with a .22LR than a .308.

As an ROTC student what are the odds tha you will be commissioned and put is a slot where marksman ship with a scoped high power rifle will be a plus?

You may very well show such an amount of skill aat Infantry stuff that the Special Warfare Center and the First Ranger Battalion instructors at ROTC Advanced Camp and the Camp cadre recommend you for and you recieve a Direct Commision post dated to the same date the West Point class of that year graduatesand based on those recommendations get your Regular Army COmmission.....and thanks to the needs of the Army find yourself stuck in the red leged Artillery and flying a desk.

Ask me how I know.....

You may be mister physical fitness and get assigned to be a Finance Officer.

You may be best guy on your ROTC/NCAA rifle team and be commissioned in the transportation corps.

Besides experiencing the first I knew examples of the other two.

IF I were looking at an ROTC Scholarship/Comitment I would be looking at shooting to get me ready to shoot the M-16a whatever and iron sights the ones that might make a difference on how you are graded at camp (though I shot Expert and you saw what happened to me anyway. did I mention three years as an Enlisted Infantry man, the Expert Infantry badge and the demo course?) Needs of the Army right then and in the future.

Your young and it seems like you have all the time in the world. Spend the time effort and money you have already spent or will to make you more rounded officer of whatever they make you. The skill you showed that you reported already is not going to completely dissapear in four years.

Drive on.

-Bob Hollingsworth

 

[futureranger]

Mr Hollingsworth thank you for the advice, i have asked at one of my trips to VT about attending air assault school and ranger school but they told me that as a senior i could get my jump wings but had to be active duty to go to ranger school. i cant wait for both, as for PT, i don't know the requirements yet but to get the scholarship i did a Physical Fitness test and i got a 5:17 mile i did 60 push-ups in a minute (the form rules were kinda lax) and 63 sit-ups in a minute. i hope that is adequate but i have a few years to work on it.

Back to the 308 i have once fired Federal brass, some people have told me it stretches the neck out too fast but, will work for learning.

i do shoot my .22lr a lot to try and help my form but the trigger put and weight very so much from my 308, i don't know if it is doing much good but i guess any trigger time helps. my uncle has a AR-15 with a 20" barrel but we live in different area's so i cant shoot it much. id like to get involved with some shooting competition teams but just don't have the time or resources. but at Tech ill be able to join their team.

 

[futureranger]

Smokey Joe ill keep those words of wisdom in mind, when the going gets tough thanks

 

[Fumbler]

ive read a lot about the sierra matchkings are they all their cracked up to be?

I can say the Match Kings are all they're cracked up to be iin most guns. There are better bullets, but factor in the cost and it's hard to beat them.

I took the 168gr SMKs, full length resized federal brass, Fed match primers, and the starting load of Varget and shot it through my Tikka T3 Lite.
The first 5 shot group measured 0.73" at 100 yards. It shot less than 1MOA and I hadn't even figured out how much Varget worked best.

I've tried Hornady 165gr SSTs and couldn't shoot them. Best group was 1.2", so I thought my reloading technique plain sucked.