Well, I decided to try reloading some ammo for a recent acquisition, a Savage 10FLCP, that is a left hand .308 LE model, 24" fluted Barrel with muzzle brake and Accu-stock.
So I bought a Lee 50th anniversary reloading set (against the advice of the counter guy at Cabela's) because I didn't have a ton of cash to lay out.
I also recently got a Savage 16FLSS in .270WSM used from a guy who was having no luck getting groups with his reloads and wanted a different rifle. He threw in the WSM die set, bullets and lots of brass.
So over the last 2 weeks I have been doing some research on potential loads for the .308 intending to try some long range shooting.
175gr. Sierra Match King's were a no brainer. Varget power, highly recommended and the only powder available in Winnipeg was also an easy choice. I had some Remington and Federal Brass, and CCI BR2 primers were also all that was available in the city.
So after learning the hard way that the picture on the front of the die set Shows MAXIMUM case length, not the case length you should actually trim to.. I went about trying a few rounds with different amounts of powder. Luckily it was my 3rd batch that hit what I think is a pretty sweet load. And, it only took me 15 rounds to figure it out.
Here are some pics of what I did on this cold and windy Manitoba afternoon.
This is my "range", it was a Chicken barn, but is retired, so now cars, boats and Wood storage is handy...but at 400' long, doors at both ends and a big pile of dirt out the back, and no neighbors that direction for a mile... it makes a good indoor target range.
Here are the latest results of my 3 or 4 hours of load development.
I like this rifle and I think it likes me too!
So, why not give the WSM a try? Well low and behold, it works pretty good too when you take you time with the loads. You'll have to excuse the 1" to the right, I was only 4 shots into sighting in a new scope on this one. Vertical is where I want it, 4 clicks left ought to do it.
To say the least I am ecstatic about the results and can't wait to do some more... These are the tightest groups I have ever shot, even the Federal Gold Medal Match was giving great groups of .477 and .560 as my best, but these "roll your own" versions win hands down. Chronograph shows variation of only 18fps in 3 shot groups. Not bad for a newbie on a Lee press, I am going to show the results to the Cabela's counter guy who told me "Lee presses make sloppy cartridges".
I was very surprised to find such variations in the Sierra Match King bullets, as much as .020 by my count, most fit into 3 groups that I separated them into, that were within a couple thou, the rest will be set aside until I buy more, and hopefully find them some friends, but as it stands, from a box of 100, I got 70 usable bullets
.
I hope this doesn't come off as bragging, I am just really excited and wanted to share, and I don't have any friends around who are into shooting. The wife just says, "that looks pretty good... but if they were really perfect shouldn't they only make 1 perfect hole?"
"yes dear... I'll try harder next time".
So I bought a Lee 50th anniversary reloading set (against the advice of the counter guy at Cabela's) because I didn't have a ton of cash to lay out.
I also recently got a Savage 16FLSS in .270WSM used from a guy who was having no luck getting groups with his reloads and wanted a different rifle. He threw in the WSM die set, bullets and lots of brass.
So over the last 2 weeks I have been doing some research on potential loads for the .308 intending to try some long range shooting.
175gr. Sierra Match King's were a no brainer. Varget power, highly recommended and the only powder available in Winnipeg was also an easy choice. I had some Remington and Federal Brass, and CCI BR2 primers were also all that was available in the city.
So after learning the hard way that the picture on the front of the die set Shows MAXIMUM case length, not the case length you should actually trim to.. I went about trying a few rounds with different amounts of powder. Luckily it was my 3rd batch that hit what I think is a pretty sweet load. And, it only took me 15 rounds to figure it out.
Here are some pics of what I did on this cold and windy Manitoba afternoon.
This is my "range", it was a Chicken barn, but is retired, so now cars, boats and Wood storage is handy...but at 400' long, doors at both ends and a big pile of dirt out the back, and no neighbors that direction for a mile... it makes a good indoor target range.
Here are the latest results of my 3 or 4 hours of load development.
I like this rifle and I think it likes me too!
So, why not give the WSM a try? Well low and behold, it works pretty good too when you take you time with the loads. You'll have to excuse the 1" to the right, I was only 4 shots into sighting in a new scope on this one. Vertical is where I want it, 4 clicks left ought to do it.
To say the least I am ecstatic about the results and can't wait to do some more... These are the tightest groups I have ever shot, even the Federal Gold Medal Match was giving great groups of .477 and .560 as my best, but these "roll your own" versions win hands down. Chronograph shows variation of only 18fps in 3 shot groups. Not bad for a newbie on a Lee press, I am going to show the results to the Cabela's counter guy who told me "Lee presses make sloppy cartridges".
I was very surprised to find such variations in the Sierra Match King bullets, as much as .020 by my count, most fit into 3 groups that I separated them into, that were within a couple thou, the rest will be set aside until I buy more, and hopefully find them some friends, but as it stands, from a box of 100, I got 70 usable bullets
.I hope this doesn't come off as bragging, I am just really excited and wanted to share, and I don't have any friends around who are into shooting. The wife just says, "that looks pretty good... but if they were really perfect shouldn't they only make 1 perfect hole?"
"yes dear... I'll try harder next time".
