Here's a pic of some of my first batch of .308 reloads. These are Lapua brass, 168SMK, 43gr Varget, CCI LR primers. I also made some at 40gr and 42gr. This way when I finally do get to go shoot (weather stops dumping on us), I'll see which charges the rifle likes best.

 

Big thanks for Pizza Bob coming down last weekend and teaching me the ropes!

 

Congratulations! Welcome to the hobby within a hobby.

Here's a pic of some of my first batch of .308 reloads. These are Lapua brass, 168SMK, 43gr Varget, CCI LR primers. I also made some at 40gr and 42gr. This way when I finally do get to go shoot (weather stops dumping on us), I'll see which charges the rifle likes best.

 

Big thanks for Pizza Bob coming down last weekend and teaching me the ropes!

 

 

And what if it likes 41gr? You don't have any...

 

Question? Large or small primer cases? Nice looking stuff.

 

I'm sure Bob showed you well!

Dan,

 

Congrats! Nice shiny ammo!

I'm sure you can't wait to shoot these babies! Let us know how it goes when you do.

And what if it likes 41gr? You don't have any...

 

Question? Large or small primer cases? Nice looking stuff.

 

I'm sure Bob showed you well!

 

You got me there. I'm going to make a batch of 41gr's as well. I was so consumed with online recipes that others use for the same rifle, and the were in the 42.5-45gr range. I'm still going to do 41 and 44gr batches.

 

The primers are "Large Rifle".

Dan,

 

Congrats! Nice shiny ammo!

I'm sure you can't wait to shoot these babies! Let us know how it goes when you do.

 

Thanks Tony, will definitely report on how they perform!

You got me there. I'm going to make a batch of 41gr's as well. I was so consumed with online recipes that others use for the same rifle, and the were in the 42.5-45gr range. I'm still going to do 41 and 44gr batches.

 

The primers are "Large Rifle".

 

Way cool! I'm sure Bob talked to you about reading primers. Read everyone from the bottom of the range on up. Varget is nice stuff expensive to shoot in .308 but nice. What rifle are you shooting it in?

 

Those cases are also available in small rifle primer. I have a benchrest buddy that swears by them.

 

Welcome to the cult.

Way cool! I'm sure Bob talked to you about reading primers. Read everyone from the bottom of the range on up. Varget is nice stuff expensive to shoot in .308 but nice. What rifle are you shooting it in?

 

Those cases are also available in small rifle primer. I have a benchrest buddy that swears by them.

 

Welcome to the cult.

 

I'm not getting the reading primers part. Bob showed me quite a bit, but I know he said he was holding back on the more advanced stuff!

 

The Varget wasn't bad price-wise, and was similar to the various 4895 powders that most .308'ers seem to use. Would you have other suggestions in mind? I'd be curious to research them.

 

I'm shooting this in a Rem 700 Milspec 5R. Here's a good writeup on it 700 milspec 5R

 

I'll have to look into the small primer shells. Probably would be after I run the ones I bought in bulk through to their limits.

Way cool! I'm sure Bob talked to you about reading primers. Read everyone from the bottom of the range on up.

 

Those cases are also available in small rifle primer. I have a benchrest buddy that swears by them.

 

 

He's got me stumped on that one too. Frank do you mean the cartridge primers and looking for signs of excessive pressure, or primers, like the book - i.e. read the reloading manual.

 

Is your buddy using those .308 SP cases for .308? I think Remington introduced them for benchresters to use as parent cases for wildcats. Much of the success for the 6mm PPC and .22 PPC was creditied to the fact that they used SP's - so when Remington came out with their answer to those cartridges, they based the case on the .308, but gave it SP pockets. I don't think they were intended to be used in their full-length configuration. Could be wrong - wouldn't be the first time.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

He's got me stumped on that one too. Frank do you mean the cartridge primers and looking for signs of excessive pressure, or primers, like the book - i.e. read the reloading manual.

 

Is your buddy using those .308 SP cases for .308? I think Remington introduced them for benchresters to use as parent cases for wildcats. Much of the success for the 6mm PPC and .22 PPC was creditied to the fact that they used SP's - so when Remington came out with their answer to those cartridges, they based the case on the .308, but gave it SP pockets. I don't think they were intended to be used in their full-length configuration. Could be wrong - wouldn't be the first time.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

Yeah Bob, I was referring to reading the primers for signs of pressure. Pete uses the small rifle primers for 308. The thought is you get a more progressive burn. Internal balistics. You know how these benchrest guys are...lol

Went to the range this morning on a last minute decision. Weather just happened to agree for once and it was a warm 38F.

 

My 42 and 43 grain loads performed the best. I'll be making some 42.5gr loads next trip, as that seems like a good sweet spot from my testing.

 

I couldn't believe how much of a difference on the paper the different charges made. From 41-43, we're talking inches different between groups with the same scope zero.

 

Also, I had the scope set on 178gr hornaday match commercial ammo. With the reloads using 168gr SMK's, wow they were about 5 inches higher than the 178gr hornadays. I had to re-zero the scope for the 168's. Fortunately I had 20 test rounds to get it sighted in before I started serious testing.

 

I'm addicted for sure!