223 and 308 loads

243win

243win

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SW Ontario
Just started reloading and I'm looking for recipes to try for the 308 and 223. So far I like 26 gr of H4895 pushing a 55 gr V max at 3315 for Coyotes out of my Rem VTR. Its shooting just over an inch and a half at 200 yards. Not bad for me as its all stock with no modifications.
My 308 is not that good. Its a model seven with a 1 and 10 twist. I can't get it to shoot 180 grains. The best I have found so far (in my limited amount of testing) is one inch groups at 100 yards with 42.6 grains of Varget pushing a 150 grain Hornady interlock SP at 2600 fps. At 200 yards it really opens up. Again its all stock. Just wondering if its worth sanding down the pressure boints to free float the barrel. I know its a thin barrel so it heats up fast as well. I bought it with the intensions of using it for deer hunting and for moose when I'm chasing because its a nice small gun. I have no intensions of using it for moose unless I can get it to shoot the heavier bullets, even a 165 grain bullet would make me feel better.
Looking for some help.
 
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I'd try a few different types/brands of 180 gr. bullets, when you find which shoots the best, play with the powder types/amounts.
 
I would give a 165 a try, they always shot well for me in 308 and a good compromise size. You might also try your H4895 usually a good performer in 308.
 
If your 180s have been spitzer boat tails, try a flat based round nose. The longer bearing surface might allow the bullet to enter the rifling straighter.

You might try getting rid of the pressure point, then if no improvement is observed, you can experiment with the addition of brass shims to find the sweet spot. That could require a great deal of patience and ammunition.
 
I am using 44.5gr of varget pushing 168 gr bullets out of a 308 1/12 twist and getting 1/2 moa accuracy. Haven't developed a .223 load yet.
 
Interlock SP is a hunting bullet and most likely You will not get same results as with match bullets that are unfortunately not suitable for hunting I have used same bullet (150 Gr) and got 1inch groups with custom rifle, match bullets 5 shoots .5 inch so with hunting bullets this is most likely best You can get
Paul.W
 
For your 180 gr. loads, try IMR-4064 with Nosler Accubonds or Partitions. Start around 41.5 gr. and you should hit a sweet spot around 42.5 or 43 gr. If it's not acting "hot", you can go all the way to 44 gr. - that's where WW 180 gr. Power Points shoot well for me.

My Model 7 also likes 180 gr. R.N. Hornadys with 43 gr. of IMR-4064, or 48 gr. of WW760.

Work up to those loads carefully, however - this early Model 7 of mine seems to be able to digest a lot of powder; much more than my other .308s. Those loads would give my Sako AII a hernia!

Second note - any time you're getting MOA groups out of a Model 7, you're doing "about as well as can be expected", as the doctors will tell you. They're good, but they're not bench rest rifles.

Floating your barrel...I tried that, and it shot worse. I ended up with the barrel floated, the action bedded, and a dime-sized leather shim (cut from an old work glove) at the fore end tip to provide firm upward pressure. Crude but effective. Just make sure there's no pressure from side to side. I had to sand a quite a bit of wood from one side of the fore end barrel channel to even things up.

With your .223; I've had good luck with 55 gr. JSP and (around) 26 gr. of IMR-4064. Work up in tenths of a grain with this one; the sweet spots seem to be 'narrow'. One of mine likes 26.1 gr. in WW brass, the other like 26.3 gr. in WW brass with most 55 gr. bullets, but especially with el-cheapo WW bulk JSPs. Lucky me!

One big point, however. No two rifles are the same, and there are no cast-in-stone recipes that will guarantee you performance out of any particular rifle.
 
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