PC accuracy loads for 303 and 308

[pastorcurtis]

I have benefited greatly from guys posting their pet loads online...so I'm returning the favor.

Based on my skill level, what I'm looking for in a cast boolit load is a 5 shot, 50 yards, 1 inch group, preferably all hits touching. I've achieved that with the following calibers and loads now that I have powder coating!

308 Winchester
Rifle: Savage Model 11 Trophy Hunter
Scope: Nikon BTC reticle 9x
Bullet: Lee C309-170-F
Alloy: softish (WW, range scrape, whatever, drops at 174 gr)
Gas check: Hornady gas check affixed with Lee 311 sizer before powder coating. no lube used for sizing.
Powder coat: Then shake and baked with Powder by the Pound's Steele Blue 5011-s TGIC-free powder. Ice cream tub shake, 400 degrees for 20 minutes bake, then sized again with the 311 Lee push through sizer
Brass: Mixed, neck sized after fired from this rifle.
Primer: S&B Large Rifle
Powder: H4895
Charge: 32.0 grains
Velocity: 1985 fps (chronograph average)
Notes: Ladder test showed 32 as the clear winner. Accuracy quickly falls at 34, also worse but not terrible at 30. Easy to hit the 1/2 scale ram at 350 yards all day long (with a rest for me: you might be able to do it standing!)

303 Brit
Rifle: Fazakerley Enfield, 1948 vintage, wearing a sporting stock
Scope mount: ATI .303 Enfield #4, Mk1/Mk2/Mk5 Scope Mount
Scope: Simmons 9x
Bullet: Lee C312-185
Alloy: softish (WW, range scrape, whatever, drops at 185 gr)
Gas check: Hornady gas check affixed with Lee 314 sizer before powder coating. no lube used for sizing.
Powder coat: Then shake and baked with Powder by the Pound's Steele Blue 5011-s TGIC-free powder. Ice cream tub shake, 400 degrees for 20 minutes bake, then sized again with the 314 Lee push through sizer
Brass: Mixed, neck sized after fired from this rifle.
Primer: S&B Large Rifle
Powder: H4895
Charge: 29.3 grains
Velocity: 1858 fps
Notes: Most dramatic ladder test I've ever done! Terrible group at 28.5 then it zooms right down to all touching at 29.0. Still a great group at 29.7, falling off at 30.2 but still decent. Back to terrible at 31. So I settled on 29.3 as a good middle ground that will allow me some +/- with each powder throw.

Pastor Curtis

[gunfan2]

Thanks for the info, nice to see someone willing to share the results of hard work and working up a load for a cast bullet is just that, hard work. I have a 308 in a Ruger American Predator, gonna try your load in mine and see what happens. I see that your refer to yourself as Pastor, I am a pastor also. Know a lot of brothers that are shooters!

[pastorcurtis]

Update....now using lee custom 311041 mold from shooting sports seller on eBay. Seats more deeply, feeds better in short throats. Redid ladder in 308 and 303. All else above is the same.

30.5 grains now works best in 308. Same velocity! .41" 5-shot group at 50 yards.
28 now best for 303.

Pastor Curtis

[pastorcurtis]

The 308 load is holding 2 MOA groups at 200 yards...which I'm sure would be better with someone more skilled behind the trigger!

[Kraschenbirn]

Your .308 numbers match up pretty well with what I'm getting using an Arsenal 190 gr. bore-rider, PC'd with Smoke's Clear. 32.5 gr. H4895 produces 2026 fps (avg. for 10-shot string) and 1 1/2 MOA (10-shot group) from my Savage M10FCP.

[Rainier]

Good work and thank you for sharing!

So far for me with the .308 (Model 70 Featherweight) the Lee C309-170-F, at 178 grains with my alloy, sized to .310 with a push through die, seem to shoot best with 26.4 grains of IMR 4227 at a velocity of about 2040 fps for a 1.70 group @ 115 yards. My process is pretty close to yours except I use HF black and spray it on. A load of 24.2 grains of IMR 4227 at 1935 fps came in a very close second.