208 GR Hornady ELD Match ladder test Pics included.

Lead hammer said:
How do you find the rattle in the mag when in the gun? Is it quiet when its loaded up?
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With the stock mag that came with it, there is a rattle... I purchased a few after market 5rd mags ( pMag ) and they don't rattle... both MDT and MAGPUL cycle rounds perfectly but less noise with the pMag
Rounders
 
I use 208 ELD's for my 28" custom. My best load is 42.0gr of Varget and the bullet seated .005" off the lands. Which makes for a physically long combination (no mag feeding here). It chrono's at 2575fps and stays supersonic just past 1100m. Accuracy is wonderful at around 1/2moa for this average shooter:) It makes consistant hits at 1k and not so consistant hits out to 1.2k. But after all, it is a .308.

It looks like the OP is on the right path.
 
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Mystic Precision said:
Shooter937, first off CONGRATS on some very good shooting. The rest and rifle combo and YOU are working very well. The group pattern is exactly as I would expect to see so you are breaking your shots very consistently with precise POA.... nice.

And your scale is giving you precise charges. What scale are you using? Good thing you didn't stop tuning after 100yds

You are close but not done yet. Assuming you can get similar weather, test 41.5, 41.6, 41.7 and 41.8 at the same distance, in the same way. maybe 2x3 rds.

We know the barrel has no issue handling 3 rds so try 4rds per step... 5 if you aren't getting tired. Plot where each shot lands cause you want to see if shots 4 and 5 expand the group significantly.... and make sure you are still making good breaks. Make note of any shooting error.

What you are now tuning for is the least amount of vertical possible. If the top right is 41.4gr and the top left is 41.5gr, you can see the massive change in vertical displacement that 0.1gr can make. 41.5gr is a small group but there is still quite a bit of vertical (assume it is not you). Somewhere between 41.5 and 41.8gr the group ORIENTATION is going to change. The group shape is going to CLOCK 90deg where the vast majority of shots land on a flat plane. If all goes to plan, it will look like a football on its side or a flat line of bullet holes.

The group size will be the same as the 41.5gr but the group shape will be flat. Yes, you can have a group which is 1 bullet hole tall.... just a string of bullet holes across your target.

When you increase powder charge 0.1 to 0.4gr above optimal, the group shape will change again... first it will open up to be roundish, then it will open up more with kind of a star shape to it, then it will just be big with shots going into the "corners"... pressure signs will also start to show up.

When you find the optimum flat load, repeat in 3X3 or 3X4 or 3X5rds and make sure the groups average as expected (yes, you can have 2 loads separated by 0.1gr that for now, look pretty much the same... they will diverge at 500 or 600yds so it will be easy to tell which you want to shoot to 1000yds).

If all is well, this is the time to see when your barrel will overheat cause you know the load works. Just start shooting plotting where each shot lands and if the barrel is going to warp, you will start to see the group string or expand or toss flyers but the majority of the shots still land where you are expecting.

My factory barrels have warped in 2 ways... tight groups open up alot but return to being tight as soon as the barrel cools .... or the bullets start to land in a curve away from the group center and this can be in any direction. One of my barrels would make a picture that looked like any eyeball with an eyelash curving off to the high right.

Look forward to your next range day... you have a great combo going on and if the load vertical can be controlled, 1000yds will be alot of fun for you.

0.1gr of powder change does matter....if the system is up to it.

Jerry

PS.. once all this is done, note all load specs cause you will need to adjust as both the barrel wears and the ambient conditions change.
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Ok so I don't have much invested in my reloading setup .... lee turret press with lee dies....using a lee trickle charger to dispense my powder... varget meters perfectly from it 9/10... I always weigh the charge on a set of balance scales ( I want to get digital but I've just yet to spend the $$$ on it )

So far there have been no overpressure signs at 41.5 grains of varget so I will continue to ramp up some test loads at a 10th of a grain and test again !

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses the wealth of information has been a lot of real estate to sift through but I think I am getting something out of everyone's posts !

Cheers !

Here's the bench / desk setup... it's not high tech and it's not exactly tidy looking.... but it's what I got

RofQDp.jpg
 
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You might find this article on Long Range Load Development from Sierra of interest. He picked the "sweet spot" based on powder weight. When you have individual velocities I like to base it on velocity. Here is a graph of his POI elevation vs velocity. I believe he selected 54.8 grains. I would select 2800 fps, which probably takes a touch more powder than that, probably around 54.6 grains. Small difference, but when you go to another bullet of similar weight, I would try 2800 fps first before going through the ladder again.

SierraLadder.JPG
 
Nice to see another happy Lee balance beam scale user... they are slow to use but can work. From the groups, your process is working just fine.

The Lee powder measure does a very good job of dispensing extruded powder... Some will poo poo it cause it doesn't cost a fortune or made from exotic metals but it works.... and better then some. Certainly no worst then the pricey ones I have purchased.

Keep adding powder and find the other side of this node. You are really close to finding THE load.

After firing the cases 3 to 4 times, do consider finding a way to properly anneal them. When the necks work harden too much, the tension will change and that will affect your load tuning.

I hope the next range trip will be as rewarding as the last... then retest in larger number of groups to nail down the load... then turn the elevation dial and reach out as far as you want.

The hard work is done...

Jerry

PS, I use the same press (Lee Challenger breech lock press) and find it offers many benefits over larger units... for 308 length cartridges.
 
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