Reloading 308

Gunsmithing Ammo | Reloading
21

Palma brass is .308 brass that uses small rifle primers.

I just picked my Rem 700 SPS from the gunsmith. He installed a muzzle brake/tuner from Erik Cortina. we discussed the trigger when I dropped it off. Neither one of us liked the factory trigger. I called him at 12:30 this afternoon told him I would be there to pick it up at in an hour and a half. I got there in an hour and he still had the action out of the stock, fiddling with the trigger. He said he couldn’t do anything for it and offered to put a Timny trigger Remington 700 HIT Trigger - Timney Triggers in it for 100 bucks. I said, “go for it”, 20 minutes later he was done. What a sweet deal all for $267.00.

The deal was too good so on the way home I picked up a box of Berger 185 grain VLD target bullets for 69 bucks. They aught to work good. I wanted 175 grain bullets but he was out of those.

Time to start loading some test rounds.

6 Likes
22

In a bolt action? My thoughts are do it!. Cutting edge seems to be that combo with Leverevolution.

Unfortunately by the time I learned about it was after Lapua stopped making the Palma brass. I bought Peterson SRP and CCI 450 after I found out the Peterson was lasting 30 plus firings with ‘full house’ loads and the 450s are very close to the 41s.

Still haven’t tried it yet, I am still deciding on and acquiring bullets I’m going to use. The goal is to push our hunting bolt action 308s to 700-800 yards on game.

5 Likes
23

Ahhh I see, cool stuff.

Nice upgrades on the rifle :+1:

5 Likes
24

Loading for a Rimington 700 SPS, 26" barell 1/10 twist with EC tuner brake. This is what I have on hand, new Lapua brass, a chioce of Berger bullets in 168 gr hybred target, Berger 185gr VLD target or Honady 168gr amax. My choice of powders are Win 748, AR Plus and Hogden Varget. Primers CCI 200 and Federal 210.

It seems that my powders have a simaler burn rates on the slower side on the burn rate chart, which I think should work well in the barell.

I have noticed that differet bullets have a veriety of charge weights/volumes. The AR Plus max charge for a .308 is 40 grs, 748 is not listed and varget is 46grs max. There is no mention of bullet weights, types or manufactures.

6 Likes
25

I loaded 20rds of 168gr BTHP at 2.80 OAL using Varget and starting at 42.2 grs stepping up .2gr up to 46grs. to find the flat spots in the velocities. I will shoot 3 fowlers of factory loads and chrono them also just for comparison.

The jump to the lands is 1.104", to get closer I will need longer heavier bullets.

Hopefully my chrono will be here before saturday so I can get started.

7 Likes
26

Closer ? To increase velocity ?

5 Likes
27

The closer to the lands the less chance the bullet isn’t exactly square with the bore. The farther away the more chance the bullet yaws a bit and isn’t square with the bore.

5 Likes
28

Isn’t 1.104" a lot? I don’t think you could get close no matter what bullet you used.

6 Likes
29

:laughing: pretty sure it was a finger stutter…

5 Likes
30

Yeah that’s a lot but I also miscalculated the freebore length it aint nere that long. After rechecking it I was way off, I forgot to deduct the tip to bearing surface on 168gr bullet. With that duducted, it’s more like a .154 from the lands with the 168gr. To get any cloer to the lands Ii would have te seat the bullet bearing surface half way into the throat.

5 Likes
31

.154 would probably be about right for an autoloader.

4 Likes
32

This Ruger seems to be showing COL at 2.908 is touching the lands. The manual says COL with sierras 168,s at 2.775 and hornady 168’s at 2.800. That is still fitting the magazine with room to spare. I feel pretty good even with the sierra’s. Again I haven’t tried heavier long styles and I am rough and crude on my measurements.

4 Likes
33

My 6.5x300 when loaded to the lands can’t be loaded in blind mag, probably over 1/16 to long so it’s a single shot now, but man it shoots good with 143 Hornady ELD’s…

7 Likes
34

Went to the range with the Remington 700 SPS for load testing last Saturday. Started with some Berger 168gr hybred target bullets using Varget starting with 42.2gr up to 46gr of Varget. I got three powder charge nodes. The first was 44.2gr @ 2815fps and 44.4gr @ 2815fps and the next one at 44.8gr at 2858fps and 45gr at 2859fps and the last node at 45.4gr @ 3187fps and 45.6gr @ 3187fps.

Then the185gr Bergers VLD target bullets with 43 gr of N550 stepping up .2gr up to max advertized charge of 46.8grs. I found two powder charge nodes one at 45.8gr and 46gr both @ 2712fps and the next node at 46gr @ 2799fps and 26.2gr at 2799fps.

All rounds loaded in virgin Lapua brass with Federal 210 primers.

6 Likes
35

Any pressure signs?

4 Likes
36

Not yet, but I plan on going a little hotter to find out how hot I can go.

5 Likes
37

I also need to do some load developement for my Rem 700 BDL.

4 Likes
38

My most accurate loads for my bolt gun w/a 165gr bullets are in the 2650fps range.
No heard of many running 308’s at over 3000fps.

5 Likes
39

I have 200 Lapua LRP Virgins I probably I probably won’t be banging to hard. The Palma brass became Unobtanium just as I was literally buying it on online.

The good news is I found about Peterson’s .308 +SRP Match brass.

The small primer brass is supposed to take pressure better. I need to get playing in the load room soon. Time, money, and always dealing with something gets in the way.

4 Likes
40

I would agree with that. Best accuracy with 308 (as with a lot of calibers) is middle of the road up to 75-80% published. More velocity does not equate to more accuracy. You can have a flat shooting 3 MOA or a rainbow 1 MOA.
A heck of a lot of work required to max velocity out and maintain tightest group. My opinion anyway.

7 Likes