.308 reloads info request

[edadmartin]

Ive been bitten by long range .308 shooting. I want to shoot and reload for target. maybe a savage or rem 700-sps .probable a 20-22" barrel. Id like suggestions on powder and projectiles for reloading. for target shooting 100-300 yards. My club is building a new 100yd indoor range so Id start there. Powder in the springs area has been hard to find.On hand I have 700x and some 800x.Also have access to some Reddot. All suggestions welcome.

[histed]

Ed - Varget, W748, and RL-15 work well for me. Some guys claim H335 is good, but I've not had the greatest success with it. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorites. As for bullets, if your're using jwords, my favorite has always been Sierra. I don't cast for rifles - yet - sot I'll leave that discussion to those who do.

[waco]

Jacketed bullets, or boolits?
Long range in .308 I shoot 175gr Sierra Match kings.
Most swear by Varget or RL15. I use IMR4064. 44 grains with the 175 run at 2600fps out of my 22" rem. 700 I shot an 18"x24" steel plate this morning at 900 yards and got a 7 shot group that measured 16"
Cast in the .308 I like the Lee 312-155 over either 2400 or SR4759
Sized to .311" my rifle shoots very small groups at 50 yards. Have not tried longer ranges yet.
Hope this helps.
Waco

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

AA2520 with mid-weight J-words

[45 2.1]

With cast, any of the Lyman book loads will do fine at 100 yards.... provided the cast boolit fits your rifles throat/chamber neck well. For 300 yards and under, you probably need to pick a load that stays above 1200 fps impact velocity. Unique does quite well for these type of loads, but the charge depends on the boolit and rifle. Some very fine work can be done in the range you specified, but that isn't long range either.

[True.grit]

I have found unique is great for 150-180 gr cast. I currently am loading 165gr (sized to .311) over 12.9 gr unique. The load data came from Lyman 49th ad. It groups 1" at 75 yrds. I am shooting it out of a Ruger scout rifle ,1-10 twist 18" barrel. No recoil at all. I have not tried it at longer range but plan to try at 200 yds when I can get some range time.

[Scharfschuetze]

For longer ranges with jacketed bullets, the classic National Match (200 to 600 yards) load for the service rifle (works well in a bolt rifle too) in 7.62/308 has been the 168 grain Match King or similar brand bullet and 41 to 42 grains of 4895 (work up to it as there are a couple of 4895s that work well) with Lake City cases and a Federal match primer with an overall length of 2.8." The 168 grain MK was originally designed for 300 meter international matches, but it will hold well to 800 yards at a MV of 2,550 fps. This load will hold the 10 ring easy at 600 yards from a good M14/M1A. A 1 in 12 twist is more than enough to stabilize this bullet. This load is basically a duplicate of the military's M852 loading that has worked very well in the M21 and M24 rifles.

For longer ranges, say to 1,000 yards the 175 grain Sierra Match King (with its higher BC) is a better bullet and is about optimum weight wise for the necessary velocity to stay supersonic to 1,000 yards. In its GI nomenclature, it is called the M118LR but it is easily duplicated with RL 15 or 4895 with the above mentioned components. While I haven't used the Hornady match bullets in comparable weights, they look like they would also work very well.

For cast boolits and longer ranges, the heavier projectiles like the Lyman 311332 launched at 1,800 fps or slightly faster will do well out to your stated goal of 300 yards and stay supersonic to that range. Again, I'd use a powder similar to 4895 or RL 15. Lots of powders out there though so tailor the load to your needs or intended range. For shorter ranges, the faster pistol powders as noted above do very well out to a few hundred yards with their moderate velocities.

[winelover]

AA2520 with mid-weight J-words

I also like AA2520 with j-words in 308W. Jon, have you ever tried it with cast?

Winelover

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I also like AA2520 with j-words in 308W. Jon, have you ever tried it with cast?
Winelover
No...I have lots to learn, and stuff like that is on the list.

[detox]

IMO Remington is best looking rifle and best platform to upgrade later to a better barrel, tighter chamber, and shorter throat. Get a good 24 power target scope (these can cost more than the factory rifle). Learn how to load concentric ammo (seat gas checks square). Purchase a Harris Swivel Bipod and learn to to use it.

Here is good info for jacketed: http://www.6mmbr.com/308Win.html

RedDot lead bullet loads: http://members.shaw.ca/cronhelm/TheLoad.html

I use the long Lyman 311299 or 314299 with Remington's factory long throat. 30.5 grs of N133 will push this bullet to about 2000fps. 33grs of Varget will push this bullet to about 2000fps.

[Mk42gunner]

Ive been bitten by long range .308 shooting. I want to shoot and reload for target. maybe a savage or rem 700-sps .probable a 20-22" barrel. Id like suggestions on powder and projectiles for reloading. for target shooting 100-300 yards. My club is building a new 100yd indoor range so Id start there. Powder in the springs area has been hard to find.On hand I have 700x and some 800x.Also have access to some Reddot. All suggestions welcome.

A full charge jacketed load for the .308 will be brutal at an indoor range. Double (plugs and muffs) hearing protection will be mandatory, and it still won't be much fun. The reason I know this is that I used to run M-14 rifle quals at the JDSF indoor range in Sasebo, Japan.

On the other hand, a decent cast load with somewhere around 16 grains of 2400 shouldn't be too bad on the ears.

If I were you, I would use reduced cast loads on the indoor range, and save the full snort stuff for outdoors. Your ears will thank you.

Robert

[tygar]

A lot of variables. Each rifle is different & if you want to shoot small groups at long range you need the proper equipment to do it.

My tactical 308 is a custom 700, Hart barrel, 25", 1 in 10 twist. Mcmillan stock, Nightforce scope. Now it shoots under 2" 5shot groups at 500 & better than a minute at 1k. To do that expect to write a fairly big check.

I use Sierra 175match or Berger 175s, 43.5gr-44.5gr RL15, to just touch the L&Gs. (8208 is also one of the new favorites)

Now all that being said, a stock 700 will usually do OK but MOA at 100 is about it.

Now if you get a one of the better Savage's, like a M12, they will usually do excellent & guys are even using them to 1k but they do well at Tactical & F class. They will also cost a fraction of a custom rifle. They won't win but you sure won't be ashamed of your groups.

Above all, you will need to find the powder, primer, bullet combo that works with "your" rifle. We can give you input on what works for "our" rifles & use that as a starting point.

If your just starting, I recommend you start with one of those Savages. You can get into a good rifle for $600-1200. Get the best glass you can afford. Good rifle & good glass = good groups.
Good luck

[Larry Gibson]

Concur with tygar.

Larry Gibson

[edadmartin]

Robert thanks for the tip on reduced loads and boolits for indoors.Ill heed that advice.Detox thanks for the links Ill read them tonight.
No wonder I was able to get 4 pounds of 800 x powder cheap --no one wants it. lol

[tomme boy]

Long range to one person is not to another. Some shoot at 50 yds. and to them 100 is long range. Savage is going to be the cheapest way into what you want to do. Plus you will not have to deal with a off center chamber and throat like EVERY Remington has along with the super long oversized throats. Plus you can get premium barrels for the Savage that you can put on yourself without having to have a lathe to set the headspace.

[edadmartin]

Yea I had heard that the sav 10 has a great adjustable trigger and upgrade parts that are easy for the average amateur shooter to install and work on. Ill research boolits for indoor shooting as well .A friend said to look at nikon monarch glass as well .I guess its good glass that wont break the bank,what do you think ?

[tomme boy]

Nikon is good glass. Some of the Buckmasters have a problem of it is like looking through a tunnel. It it hard to explain, but it is annoying. Just do a little research. Vortex is another that you might want to look into. Their cheaper lines are ok, but the mid to higher end stuff is amazing.

[waco]

^^^
Plus one on Vortex.

[tygar]

Yea I had heard that the sav 10 has a great adjustable trigger and upgrade parts that are easy for the average amateur shooter to install and work on. Ill research boolits for indoor shooting as well .A friend said to look at nikon monarch glass as well .I guess its good glass that wont break the bank,what do you think ?

The good thing about the Hi end Savages is you don't need to do "anything". Guys are using them right out of the box to good effect.

As far as scopes, there are a number of mid priced scopes that are reasonably precise.

Again, it depends on what your goals are???

For "long range" shooting which would be 500-1000 yds. NONE of the mid type scopes will be that good. There is a saying that a good scope is more important than a good rifle. That is a exaggeration but it is every bit as important as the rifle. Remember these work in tandem with each other & if one is not up to par it will bring the effectiveness of the other down to it's level.

I'm not going to tell you I don't have "any" mid scopes, because I do. But they are only on mid range/level guns & I have them because I wanted to see how good they are or I got such a good deal I had to try them. I do have some Redfields that I have had for up to 40 yrs that are still mounted & still perform.

For accurate mid range hunting rifles (to 300) I use Swarovski, Leupold, Nightforce & Shepherds. For long range 3-600yds I use Nightforce or Shepherds. For all tactical & long range to 1k I only use Nightforce.

There are scopes & there are "really good" scopes. Back to what I said above, get the "best" scope you can afford! Just remember that the rifle will only shoot as good as the scope & vice versa.

Some gun writer wrote that your scope should cost "at least" as much as your rifle. Yep!

[DeanWinchester]

JohnB nailed it. AA2520 is called the Camp Perry powder. In a 10 twist barrel with 168g jacketed bullet it is awesome!
If you move into the cast boolit realm, you may find powders like 2015, RX7 & 3031 to be your friend.