155 Palma loads

Jamie

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I think I might try the 155gr SMK out of my LTR for out to 700Meters

I was getting 2800FPS out of the LTR with the 154grScenar so I should be able to get about the same speed

I would have stayed with the Scenar but Never could get it to shoot well

I am using IMR 4895,Federal 210M primers and have lots of Winchetsre and Lapua brass on hand

Jamie
 
I use 155 SMK's out of a 30" barrel. Getting 2940 fps with 46.0 gr of Varget, 210M primers and Lapua brass. Moly coated of course. When I used 4895 a few years back the load was 44.7 gr. at around 2960 fps.
I personally like 155 Nosler J4's better the SMK, but buy whatever I can get at the time. Not sure how many SMK I have left, but Noslers will be the next purchase this time around.
 
46 Varget, give or take a few tenths seems to be just about a standard load with 154/155 bullets. I also use 210Ms, and Lapua brass. Velocity is almost identical, but with bare bullets.
44/4064 is another load worth trying.
Worth trying Sierra, Nosler and Hornady bullets, see if the rifle has a preference.
 
My Palma load (for my CIL 950T with a McLennan 30" .3070, 1-13 twist) uses Winchester cases, Fed 210M primers 155-grain Noslers and 47.0 grains of Varget. I'm getting about 2,980. This is what I'm going to use in the Washington State Palma in May and will hopefully be taking to Ottawa this August.
 
cool with my short little barrel IMR 4895 is the powder I will try first

do the 155 SMK or J4's mind a little jump?
 
Jamie said:
cool with my short little barrel IMR 4895 is the powder I will try first

do the 155 SMK or J4's mind a little jump?

I have seated up to .050" off the lands. They still work OK around 1 MOA. I have found my rifle likes about .005"-.010" off the lands the best, about 1/2 MOA.

I have taken ammo loaded for 3 different .308's that I have with slightly different seating depth. Bullets where all 155's, some Lapua, some Noslers and some SMK's. These were all the boxes were you have 2-3-7 rounds leftover from matches. Some chambered no problem, some I used a little more force then I should have. Brass weight was different with about 3 gr spread. I fired all of them in a single string at 100 yards. The 27 round group was under 1 inch. I don't think I would shoot this assortment at long range but it was OK at 100 yards.
 
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The Sierra and the Nosler have a reputation for being VERY forgiving with seating depth. Indeed, I understand that this was one of the parameters of their design. The AMAX is much more sensitive to seating depth, and the Lapua Scnear is CRAZY sensitive to seating depth -- to the point where many are actually giving zero jump to .010 engagement.

Personally, I'm happy with the Nosler, but the Sierra is outstanding, too, and works in the widest variety of different rifles.
 
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