.308 Load Development with a 100 Yard Testing Limit

[Vandy]

Hi all,

Long-time reader but rare poster here. I have a question I'm hoping you all will be able to help me with with.

I am trying to work up loads to work for mine and my brothers .308s. The problem is, we are really limited to roughly 100-125 yards on the farm we hunt/shoot. What is the most efficient way to work up loads at this short range?

I've read all about the ladder and OCW methods, but we don't have the distance to work with. I know that ideally, we should wait until we can go to a range with a longer distance, but it's really hard for me and my brother to get the time to go somewhere like Delmarva.

So, what would you recommend?

 

[Oliveralan]

Good thing is if your only shooting to that range, you don't have to worry about extreme spread or standard deviation! Just hang up a target with numerous bullseyes and shoot groups with powder charges in .4gr increments and pick what consistently shoots the smallest group. For hunting at those ranges, extensive load development is not vital. Your better off doing a short one, and then using the extra bullets and powder you saved to practice shooting from field positions.

Oliver

 

[PoPo3]

varget is hard to overlook when it comes to the 308. I use 175 nosler boat tails with 43.5 grn of varget. I also use 110 v-maxes with 48.5 grn of varget for shorter range shooting. Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but hope it helps.

 

[JamesBailey]

OCW is designed to be shot at 100yds, so you are all good to go there. Load up 5 to 7 powder charges .4 to .5 grains apart and go to town!

 

[10xclean]

I agree with PoPo3, I use 44.0 Varget over 175 match king. IMR4895 / 41.5 gr over a 168 gr bullet is a very standard loaded for high power shooters with M1A. It shoots good.

 

[pcfixer]

I agree with PoPo3, I use 44.0 Varget over 175 match king. IMR4895 / 41.5 gr over a 168 gr bullet is a very standard loaded for high power shooters with M1A. It shoots good.

A plus for Varget is that is withstandards larger temperature diviations
without affect of performance.

 

[Rockzilla]

IMR8208 also works well in .223 and .308 behind Bergers, Lapua, and Sierra


-Rock

 

[E.Shell]

Good thing is if your only shooting to that range, you don't have to worry about extreme spread or standard deviation! Just hang up a target with numerous bullseyes and shoot groups with powder charges in .4gr increments and pick what consistently shoots the smallest group. For hunting at those ranges, extensive load development is not vital. Your better off doing a short one, and then using the extra bullets and powder you saved to practice shooting from field positions.

Oliver

100%, with the emphasis on the point that if this is all the further you're shooting, you load performance and development demands are not great. Really, unless you pick something totally incompatible, it's probably going to be harder to tell when you have a bad load than a good one.

varget is hard to overlook when it comes to the 308. I use 175 nosler boat tails with 43.5 grn of varget. I also use 110 v-maxes with 48.5 grn of varget for shorter range shooting. Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but hope it helps.

Varget is a VERY good powder with a .308 and basically the "go to" for mid-weight bullets. Just work your way up to about a grain under max and expect it to shoot well.

OCW is designed to be shot at 100yds, so you are all good to go there. Load up 5 to 7 powder charges .4 to .5 grains apart and go to town!

I'd agree, you've got room to test a .308. I only go beyond 100 for certain calibers myself, and even my .260 was easy to analyze at 100 yards.

Maybe you'll find this helpful:http://www.shell-central.com/Powder1.html

 

[E.Shell]

IMR8208 also works well in .223 and .308 behind Bergers, Lapua, and Sierra


-Rock

Shot any 155 Scenars or 175 SMKs over this? How consistent has it been?

FWIW, after using them since 1971, I've pretty much given up on IMR powders for important loads. I've seen such huge pressure/velocity swings with temperature changes in IMR powders that I just can't spend that much time on the calculator trying to guess WTF it's going to do today. I do use milsurp IMR-4895 in my bulk loaded M1A ammo, but limit it to driving 150 FMJs and similar blasting ammo.

 

[Vandy]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. These are actually SPS Varmints which my brother and I have upgraded with aftermarket stocks, bipods, triggers and "decent" scopes. Our plan is to shoot long range with them and try out some matches. We just don't have convenient access to a long range set up at the moment.

I already have Varget along with Lapua brass, and 168 and 175 SMKs. Last year we worked up loads with IMR-4064 (wish I had read about OCW then - it tooks us a lot of shots to find a decent load) and the 168s, but we're hoping to improve on those results with Varget.

 

[JamesBailey]

Vandy-
I would advise you to focus on the 175gr SMK. The 168gr SMK has a poorly designed boat-tail that causes it to have trouble going thru sound barrier. The 175gr SMK is a better along match projectile. There are a few well designed bullets in the 150gr range, if you are looking for a flatter drop.

 

[Vandy]

I do plan to focus on the 175s. That said, I've got a little over a hundred of the 168s and figure I might as well find a good load for them while we shoot them up using the OCW method. I'll probably use the remaining IMR powder for the 168s and leave the Varget for the 175s and the .223.

 

[Rockzilla]

Shot any 155 Scenars or 175 SMKs over this? How consistent has it been?

FWIW, after using them since 1971, I've pretty much given up on IMR powders for important loads. I've seen such huge pressure/velocity swings with temperature changes in IMR powders that I just can't spend that much time on the calculator trying to guess WTF it's going to do today. I do use milsurp IMR-4895 in my bulk loaded M1A ammo, but limit it to driving 150 FMJs and similar blasting ammo.

Ed, I had used IMR's both 4895, 4064 along with WW-748 back in the mid 70's and on, had noticed the same issues as you (made my head hurt and like you "WTF", short of taking a weather station with you), variations in lots, loads showing pressure signs, groups changing, point of impact all over, they were okay "most" of the time. I already knew about leaving rounds in direct sunlight, hot environments, hot chambers, had that "beat" into me by Colonel Bartgis at Linganore Range (that old man got me into service rifle shooting) but started moving towards 748. Have used 168 SMK's for years, aka mexican match earlier. I still use 4895, 4064, but more aware of temperatures, so therefore use them to keep me in practice, more so now. I was into all of the precision shooting back then and just started to get really involved in the last 2 years, haven't shot any "matches" yet, have an ole habit that I must break, shot trap and skeet for a while, that habit has followed me into my rifle and pistol shooting, a very bad habit called follow through...Also want to say at this time I follow all of your posts, info, etc. some is old, some new, some gets the ole mind started, some is fresh or a different way of looking at things, so with that I thank you.

Back to reloading ... I have / used Varget it works well and have "sweet loads" with that using various bullets (Sierra MK,Bergers) but here lately have been shooting alot of Lapua Bullets mainly Scenars or the Silver Scenars 155gr-185gr in .30 and the big boys in .338, also switched to Lapua Brass in .308, ( haven't tried the Palma brass yet). Then comes 8208, read about it, managed to get some right around when it came out in the channel, some thought it was the old 8208 from years ago. I have not done any testing yet in 80's-90 degree temps, but did notice several things it is consistent within the 45-70 temp range with very little deviation in pressure (lapua cases- mic'd, primers, primer pockets) velocity spreads at that time were not extreme, along the same as Varget (need to get another Chrono broke it), it's nothing like the "other IMR's", I have read good things about temp changes in this powder, a few bad but not many, like I said I haven't been in the 80-90 range yet.

The test rifles: 24" SS Hart (1-11), Remington 700 SA, McMillan Stock, 24" SS Krieger (1-10) Rem 700 SA, same stock, Older M1A with Heavy SS Krieger, optics NF, S&B, none, in that order. The Hart barrel loads (one I shoot the most, max OAL 2.91") all using CCI-200 primers, Lapua Brass - bullets, IMR8208 (all charges weighed) are: 155gr Silver Scenar's sweet loads:
44.5grs - 2.83" OAL, 43.9grs - 2.80" OAL, 167gr Silver Scenars: 42.3grs - 2.83" OAL, 41.8grs - 2.81" OAL, - it seems this barrel likes 2.83" OAL, (ES -seems to run 35-100 fps range, please don't quote me, I dropped it, then it died, it was acting up, maybe should of used it as a target ) The temps ranged from high 40's - high 60's with 1 or 2 days in the low 70's, humidity less than 60% if you can trust the weather-person.
For the Sierra's 175gr MK I drop the load down to 40.8gr - 2.83" OAL, 40.1gr - 2.80" OAL. (all is still good) When it gets better outside I will continue to develop some more loads for these using 8208, I have a spreadsheet setup for all of this so I have to get a new chrono, then I should be good to go. I will post pictures of targets, all details (time, temps, humidity, alt., distance) in spreadsheet form.

Hornady has some new match bullets AMP, just some specs. 6.5cal - 140gr BTHP .580-BC, .30Cal - 178gr BTHP .530-BC, 208gr .620-BC, 225gr BTHP .660-BC, .338Cal - 285gr BTHP .720-BC, they "claim" the tolerances are tight, so I don't know may get a box to try out, I don't shoot many Hornady bullets, don't know why just don't. Always have been a Sierra person, with some Bergers, Lapua mixed in...

(if anybody uses these above loads, please remember this, those loads are for my guns, with that setup, please use caution, reduce charges and start, don't assume.)
-Mike