Verp 308 and cast

[Mlt2]

Hello all, well I just got a verp 308 and now I am looking to see if I can get a 308 cast load to cycle the action. I have a Lee 309 160 grain bullet mold. In my savage bolt gun I like 11 grains of unquie. I know this load should not cycle the verp action, I read the verp action is built on the ak receiver. So could I start with like 18 grains of imr 4895 and still be safe?? I also have 2400 powder but unsure it will cycle the action. I am looking for 50 or so yards with a gas checked cast bullet and a 100% safe load. Any ideas?
Thanks mlt2.

[Larry Gibson]

Suggest you up that starting load to 25 gr IMR4895 and use a 1/2 - 3/4 gr dacron filler under the 160 gr cast bullet in the .308W. Work up in 1/2 gr increments until cycling is 100%. That will probably get the best accuracy also.

Larry Gibson

[HARRYMPOPE]

I shoot a Saiga .308 and 30g of 4895 or 3031 is a good load using no filler.Use hard 165-180g bullets.It will shoot 2 MOA (most of the time) with some going MOA.I had best luck with .310 dia bullets.I have had about 1000 though it with with these loads and about 3 failures to re cock the hammer.

George

these are 200 yard typical groups

Attachment 55044

[popper]

40 gr. H4895 under a 31-165B GC, .310 is good for my AR 308. 30 wouldn't cycle properly. I think 18-20 of 2400 should cycle it OK.

[ph4570]

Popper,

40 gr of H4895 is a pretty healthy charge. Do you know what velocity that gives you?

[Mlt2]

Thanks for the info. I got out to the range today and took some cast rounds with me. I had 11 grains of unquie it was a single shot but it seems to shoot ok, next I had 15 grains of 2400 and that shot ok. Still single shot..
So it's safe to use 30 grains of imr 4895 with no filler?? Just making sure I should some fmj with 38 grains and it worked sweet!
One last question. This thing is eating brass. Dents and scratches in the case sides and dents in the neck, is this just what this gun does? I am not even sure I want to reload the brass lol. I am hoping it will get better as it gets broken in?? Any thoughts?

[HARRYMPOPE]

Mine is easier on brass than my FAL but they do dent slightly.Filler isn't needed in my opinion with the 30g load.Load some up and so shoot it's not that hard to get them shooting.I had a series of five 5 shot groups at 100 yards that averaged under 1.5" last year.it never did it again but i'll take it.

George

[Mlt2]

So would this be ok to load again?

[cbrick]

Had to straighten it up, my neck was getting stiff looking at it.



Dings won't hurt and will iron right out. About anything that comes out of a semi-auto will have a ding or two. Any sharp bends where the brass may crack is a no no.

Rick

[HARRYMPOPE]

So would this be ok to load again?

if this is full powered load a cast load at 1900 fps may not beat it up as much.

George

[Larry Gibson]

For FL sizing those cases a standard RCBS X-die (SB or AR not needed) will lessen case stretch, eliminate trimming and give a lot greater case life.

Larry Gibson

[popper]

ph4570 - no, I don't have a crony so I'm guessing 2400+ from 18" bbl. All the powder burns OK. Am thinking of asking for one but haven't decided which. At 50 the POI is the same as my 168 Amax loads ( & 150 SPP factory). Scope is set to 100 with the Amax, but I haven't got to shoot the cast to check drop @ 100 or more. No leading and quite accurate. S-I-L shot a dime group @ ~40 off-hand.