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reloading .308
- Thread starter Supermoto
- Start date
I would stick to extruded powders like IMR 4895 or 4064 if you are trying to duplicate Fed. Gold Medal’s 168gr loading. Use Sierra 168s or if you are shooting over 800 Yds. use 175s
Don’t shoot stiff loads with the Federal cases, as the web is substantially less strong than military cases like LC or even commercial Winchester or Lapua.
I lifted this off of another forum that I couldn’t link to.
http://www.nationalmatch.us/
Use a solid press not something wimpy. Full length resize the cases even if they are new cases. Make sure to lube the outside of the case as well as the inside of the mouth of the case. Use a good lube like Imperial Sizing Die wax. The spray on stuff is ok, but does not lube as good.
Use a good benchrest seating die that supports the bullet as it is being seated. Forester and Reading have nice ones.
Use a tool like this to debur the inside of the case. The ones you can get that are 45º don’t do a real good job on the inside of the mouth but are ok on the outside, and make sure to trim them to 2.000
Use benchrest primers like Fed. 210M or CCI Benchrest primers.
Load them to 2.80 if you want them to fit in the magazine.
The old standby for duplicating M852 was 41.5 Gr. of IMR 4895. New lots of powder may be different so you should consult a recent reloading manual.
B
Don’t shoot stiff loads with the Federal cases, as the web is substantially less strong than military cases like LC or even commercial Winchester or Lapua.
I lifted this off of another forum that I couldn’t link to.
http://www.nationalmatch.us/
Use a solid press not something wimpy. Full length resize the cases even if they are new cases. Make sure to lube the outside of the case as well as the inside of the mouth of the case. Use a good lube like Imperial Sizing Die wax. The spray on stuff is ok, but does not lube as good.
Use a good benchrest seating die that supports the bullet as it is being seated. Forester and Reading have nice ones.
Use a tool like this to debur the inside of the case. The ones you can get that are 45º don’t do a real good job on the inside of the mouth but are ok on the outside, and make sure to trim them to 2.000
Use benchrest primers like Fed. 210M or CCI Benchrest primers.
Load them to 2.80 if you want them to fit in the magazine.
The old standby for duplicating M852 was 41.5 Gr. of IMR 4895. New lots of powder may be different so you should consult a recent reloading manual.
B
I have a thread about this here.
http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5238
I like the 168gr Sierra HPBT bullets, over 41.7 gr of IMR 4895 and Winchester primers. LC Brass. Though I have successfully loaded to a higher charge in both Federal, and Winchester brass with no ill effects.
Seating will depend on your rifle. An long time reloader at the range told me a trick for getting your chamber length, and it worked like a charm.
First, you get a case that was fired in that particular rifle, you neck size that case ONLY enough to get it to hold a bullet without it dropping out. Gently chamber that round (no powder or primer) into your rifle. When the round is chambered, the rifling of your barrel, will contact the bullet, and push it back into the case. You then very gently extract that cartridge not letting the extractor flip the cartridge out, and measure it. You now have the exact length of your chamber to the rifling. You can now seat your reloads at aprox .050-.10 shy of that, and you have the perfect OAL for the chamber in that rifle.
Hope this helps.
Adam
http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5238
I like the 168gr Sierra HPBT bullets, over 41.7 gr of IMR 4895 and Winchester primers. LC Brass. Though I have successfully loaded to a higher charge in both Federal, and Winchester brass with no ill effects.
Seating will depend on your rifle. An long time reloader at the range told me a trick for getting your chamber length, and it worked like a charm.
First, you get a case that was fired in that particular rifle, you neck size that case ONLY enough to get it to hold a bullet without it dropping out. Gently chamber that round (no powder or primer) into your rifle. When the round is chambered, the rifling of your barrel, will contact the bullet, and push it back into the case. You then very gently extract that cartridge not letting the extractor flip the cartridge out, and measure it. You now have the exact length of your chamber to the rifling. You can now seat your reloads at aprox .050-.10 shy of that, and you have the perfect OAL for the chamber in that rifle.
Hope this helps.
Adam
Supermoto,
What rifle are you using? Remington's have an ungodly long throat, or did in the past. If the Federal match works, by all means use Sierra 168's and the 40 to 42 grains of 4895. I've used both Hodgdon and IMR with good success. I might be inclined to use Winchester or Remington brass over Federal, since Federal's reputation of late is softer brass. Primers....Federal match. Make sure you deburr the case mouth. Primer pocket uniforming won't hurt.
That will get you in the ball park.
Dan
What rifle are you using? Remington's have an ungodly long throat, or did in the past. If the Federal match works, by all means use Sierra 168's and the 40 to 42 grains of 4895. I've used both Hodgdon and IMR with good success. I might be inclined to use Winchester or Remington brass over Federal, since Federal's reputation of late is softer brass. Primers....Federal match. Make sure you deburr the case mouth. Primer pocket uniforming won't hurt.
That will get you in the ball park.
Dan
Dan,
I'm shooting a 700p LTR
I went with Varget powder and for right now WLR primers, federal cases and 168gr and 175gr sierra
I got a Lee single stage and lee dies along with a case trimmer and accessories
we'll see how it goes
I'm shooting a 700p LTR
I went with Varget powder and for right now WLR primers, federal cases and 168gr and 175gr sierra
I got a Lee single stage and lee dies along with a case trimmer and accessories
we'll see how it goes
That's the 20 inch barrel if I remember correctly. If you seat them so they fit the magazine, you'll probably have a long bullet jump. With the Sierra's, that doesn't seem to have much effect. Hornaday bullets with the secant ogive, seem to be a bit fussier.
Keep us posted on the results.
PS, are you shooting the Area 7 3 gun?
Keep us posted on the results.
PS, are you shooting the Area 7 3 gun?
I'm not overall worried if the don't fit the mag, since I load one at a time anyways, but will see what happens. Right now I plan to match the length of the Federal Gold Match
I may shoot the the 3 gun, need to get another upper for the AR
I'm very partial to 42 gr of either H4895 or Surplus 4895 (or WC 846), the Sierra 168 MK Bullet (I actually use the 165 HPBT Game King for deer), with LC 65 Match Brass (any USGI works) and Win WLR Primers. Use the Winchester primers if you're loading for a military semi-auto.
DO NOT REUSE INDIAN AMMO BRASS. REPEAT, DO NOT REUSE INDIAN AMMO BRASS. It's marked OFV. The case head may blow out, causing serious damage to your gun and you face or hands. BTDT, won't use the crap again, ever.
DO NOT REUSE INDIAN AMMO BRASS. REPEAT, DO NOT REUSE INDIAN AMMO BRASS. It's marked OFV. The case head may blow out, causing serious damage to your gun and you face or hands. BTDT, won't use the crap again, ever.
I'm very partial to Lapua brass, CCI BR primers, 44.5gr Varget and 175gr SMK to top it off.
It runs 2706fps out of my 22" Savage 10FP, with a SD of 6fps. It has cleaned the 3x600...maybe thats why I'm partial to it.
DD
It runs 2706fps out of my 22" Savage 10FP, with a SD of 6fps. It has cleaned the 3x600...maybe thats why I'm partial to it.
DD
