Help Needed - 180gr Winchester Power Point Bullets in 308 Winchester

[308Jeff]

Wasn't sure where to post this, mods please feel free to move.

I recently picked up a few hundred 180gr Winchester Power-Point bullets (and I think I have several hundred more in a box somewhere) but a google search has led me nowhere for a recommended COAL for them. I can use my Hornady tool to check my particular gun, but figured someone on here either has old data or a box of factory Winchester 308 Win 180gr PP ammo laying around?

What say you, CB'ers?

[largom]

If you are loading for your gun use the Hornady COAL tool and seat .010 to .020 under max. If loading for someone else use their gun. Thats what this tool was designed for. In checking several of my manuals [old & newer] I get COAL specs of 2.750, 2.810, 2.800, 3.089. All rifles can and will be different, that is the beauty of the Hornady tool [used to be Stoney Point].
You can also make dummy rounds and mark bullet tip with magic marker, seat long until bullet jams in rifling, remark bullet, seat deeper until no markes.
If you are loading this ammo to be shot in several guns then use short length. The overall length listed in manuals is given for the cartridge to load in the magazine. My OLD manuals do not list a loaded overall length.



Larry

[Randy C]

I don't Know Which book list Winchester Bullets I would use your Hornady tool and do what you know works. for you chamber.

[lucifers]

Don't they have a cannalure ?

[308Jeff]

Yeah I reckon I'll end up using the Hornady tool.


Don't they have a cannalure ?

They do. Would have to load them around 2.75" to touch it, and I think that's going to be quite a bit shorter than where I'll end up. Cannelure was probably designed with 30-06 in mind, just like Hornady did with their 150gr FMJBT.

On a side note, I have a box of 150gr PP ammo here. I guess I've never really looked that close at factory ammo, but those OAL's are all over the place. Not just because of deformities in the tips, you can see big differences in where the cannelure is in relation to the case mouth. I'm going to throw a bullet comparator on 'em and see if base to ogive variation is just as bad.

[1browski]

In one of my hornady reloading books(3rd edition), it lists a 180g spire point in 308 section at COAL 2.765

[Randy C]

I've seen it listed as long as 2.800 It depends on the Manufacture

[308Jeff]

After checking with the Hornady OAL tool, I was right at 2.800 touching the lands. Ended up seating them at 2.770 which was right at the bottom of the cannelure. Well, at the bottom of most of them... Quality control on these things isn't great and the cannelures are all over the place.

Loaded a few up with 42.2gr of BL-C(2). We'll see how they shoot.