H335 and 308 precision loads- how is it?
- Thread starter cueball
- Start date
I have a few 8 pound containers of the military equivalent that works very well. Sub MOA load with 168 gr bullets, at 2600 fps, and change. - dan
rnbra-shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Brunswick
I haven't used H335 in .308 in a long time, but I have recently been using an "H335-like" powder, WC845. I've found that I can't get the velocity to be any more uniform than about 100fps, in both .308 and .223. Other than that, it is fine (I hear that WC735 also has 100fps-ish spreads).
Perhaps real H335 is capable of more uniform velocities; even if it isn't, it might still be acceptable, depending on what distance you intend to shoot.
A 100fps extreme spread would be lousy for 1000y shooting, but at 600 yards a 100fps velocity difference makes a difference of about ten inches in vertical impact. For many uses, this is more than good enough. (And at 300 yards, the difference is only 1.8").
For a number of years I shot a very accurate, but somewhat mild and erratic (75fps extreme spread, if I recall correctly) .308 load using Lapua 155 bullets, in F-Class competition at 300y, 500y and 600y, and was quite competitive. The load was as utterly hopeless at 900m as you might expect from running the numbers (15-shot groups that were about 2.8-3.0 minutes tall; pretty discouragin when you're shooting at a 2.4MOA bullseye!)
Perhaps real H335 is capable of more uniform velocities; even if it isn't, it might still be acceptable, depending on what distance you intend to shoot.
A 100fps extreme spread would be lousy for 1000y shooting, but at 600 yards a 100fps velocity difference makes a difference of about ten inches in vertical impact. For many uses, this is more than good enough. (And at 300 yards, the difference is only 1.8").
For a number of years I shot a very accurate, but somewhat mild and erratic (75fps extreme spread, if I recall correctly) .308 load using Lapua 155 bullets, in F-Class competition at 300y, 500y and 600y, and was quite competitive. The load was as utterly hopeless at 900m as you might expect from running the numbers (15-shot groups that were about 2.8-3.0 minutes tall; pretty discouragin when you're shooting at a 2.4MOA bullseye!)
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Can shoot very well. Just be prepared to adj. the load as seasons change.
The powder is temp sensitive so never use a winter load in the summer especially if toasty.
I would suggest moving 1/2 gr changes for every 20 to 30F temp change. A real pain if used in competition.
Also, you may find that magnum primers give lower velocity variations. The deterent coatings used are more difficult to ignite.
Will also foul more then new gen extruded powders but that is not that big a deal.
Dirt cheap too. Go have fun and when you burn it all up consider switching to Benchmark. Pretty much the same burn rate with non of the hassles.
Jerry
The powder is temp sensitive so never use a winter load in the summer especially if toasty.
I would suggest moving 1/2 gr changes for every 20 to 30F temp change. A real pain if used in competition.
Also, you may find that magnum primers give lower velocity variations. The deterent coatings used are more difficult to ignite.
Will also foul more then new gen extruded powders but that is not that big a deal.
Dirt cheap too. Go have fun and when you burn it all up consider switching to Benchmark. Pretty much the same burn rate with non of the hassles.
Jerry
I have used it quite a bit for a variety of calibers. Got pretty good results, too.
I loaded about 100,000 roudn of match 308 with it. Here are three things that will help.
Use virgin military Berdan brass. or:
Try the standard Winchester primer. It is hotter - intended for Winchester ball powder. Also try a CCI or Fed magnum primer. Use whatever gets best SD.
Run your brass through a neck sizer or 90% of a full length die with the decapping pin removed or the expander ball removed when you decap. This will increase the neck tension and get better pressure build up on the ball powder.
I loaded about 100,000 roudn of match 308 with it. Here are three things that will help.
Use virgin military Berdan brass. or:
Try the standard Winchester primer. It is hotter - intended for Winchester ball powder. Also try a CCI or Fed magnum primer. Use whatever gets best SD.
Run your brass through a neck sizer or 90% of a full length die with the decapping pin removed or the expander ball removed when you decap. This will increase the neck tension and get better pressure build up on the ball powder.
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Surely, you mean boxer primed brass?
rnbra-shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Brunswick
Nope, what he wrote.
Berdan primers can be quite a bit hotter than boxer primers, because there is room in the primer cup for a greater volume of priming compound. Also, the combinaed cross-sectional area of the smaller flash holes in Berdan-primed brass is smaller than the single larger flash hole in Boxer brass - this produces a longer flame.
What he's getting at is that powders that are more difficult to ignite (such as ball powders) can be lit more uniformly using one or more of the following tricks:
- a hotter primer (Berdan; or a Winchester boxer primer; or a magnum Boxer primer)
- more neck tension
Ya, like he said. That cross section area flash hole stuff.
SD is invsersly proportional to flash hole size. Berdan holes are tiny.
There are other tricks, but I can't tell you unless you agree to not use them against me...
SD is invsersly proportional to flash hole size. Berdan holes are tiny.
There are other tricks, but I can't tell you unless you agree to not use them against me...
