Cast Boolits and a bolt 308 win, What loads ?

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

Well i finally figured out my LAM 2 and got my alu. gas checks today and i'm ready to start loading them for testing but need some starting loads and OAL
My gun is a Tikka T3 hunter with 1-11 twist and 22 7/16th barrel
My Boolits are from a lyman 311291 170 gn mold with my lead mix water dropped and bhn of about 18-20
I have Unique, 231, Bullseye, WSF, Ramshot Enforcer, and W748 that i use for J-words
Would like to ues the Unique or WSF if possable since i have the most of those
I would like to shoot them in the higher range around 1800-2000 fps if possable and am looking for mostly target loads from 200+300 yards
What are your thoughts and recomendations

Thanks, Steve

[dragon813gt]

Use the starting loads for jacketed and work up. OAL is going to be dependent on what your rifle likes. I use W748 exclusively for rifle loads with more than adequate results.

[Larry Gibson]

Would like to ues the Unique or WSF if possable since i have the most of those
I would like to shoot them in the higher range around 1800-2000 fps if possable and am looking for mostly target loads from 200+300 yards

Neither of those powders will be effective with a 311291 at 1800 - 2000 fps. You might get close to 1800 with Unique but it will be a top end load and pushing that bullet awful hard. You really need to try the 748 or find some 3031, RL7, 4895, Varget or 4064. If you come across some 5744 , 4198 or 4759 they will work also.

Larry Gibson

[HARRYMPOPE]

i agree with Larry.With Unique and the 308 accuracy tops out at about 1500-1600 for me.I use 12g of the stuff in the 308.I like 5744 and 4895 as well for the the higher velocity stuff.The 311291 will shoot very well but at 200 and 300 the wind will kill it.I used it in a 30 caliber cast BR gun about 15 years back.At 100 i was top dog,the wind picked up a bit at 200 and i couldnt believe how much it got blown around.I was driving it 2000 fps.

[Airman Basic]

Many moons ago, I used an RCBS 180 grain FN with a case full of H4831, because I had lbs and lbs of it. This was a Remington 788. Back in the cannon fodder days. Didn't know what a chronograph was, but they were accurate, and tore up whatever I shot at.

[cbrick]

As usual Larry is correct. Your desired velocity range is very doable but not with those fast powders. My 308 does really well with a variety of boolits in the 170-180 gr range. My normal loading is 18-19 gr SR 4759 with a standard primer and I get good accuracy at 1800-1900 fps. I use COWW +2% Sn air cooled and zero leading.

I've played around recently with Vihtavouri N-133 & 160 gr boolits & Viht N-135 & 180 gr boolits & from what I've seen so far it looks very promising, very consistent burning.

You can get good accuracy at your desired velocity with you 170 gr boolits with the 748 but at or near top end loads, 748 like the ball powder it is doesn't do well when reduced.

All this just to show you the fast powders in a case that large & boolits that heavy aren't the way to go, will cause you much frustration.

Rick

[helice]

I have worked with the Lee 170 gr 30-30 copy, the 311334, and the 311284 in the 308. I have found that my best results were with Re-Loder 7. I believe I started with 21 grains and worked up from there. Accuracy with the 311334 was quite amazing at lower velocities but went to "patterns" as opposed to "groups" before I got to 2000'/s.

[Bill*B]

In my 24" k98, 7.62 X 51 NATO
Accurate Molds 31-170H GC sized to 0.309" - weighs 165 grains with my alloy, about BHN 16
Lake City military cases, Rem 9 1/2 primer
IMR 4227, measured by a Little Dandy #25 rotor - RCBS says this is 20.5 grains
1860 fps, decent accuracy, very clean burn