Had this question for a while now. My Savage 10ba makes really light loads shoot at pretty high velocities. I am currently at 46.5 gr of WIN748 under 150 grainer hornady boat tail bullet. CCI primers, not magnum, just large rifle ones. I am getting around 3000 fps, some signs of pressure like mild cratering but that is it. Friend of mine has seen numbers on my chrony and was agitated, like "holy smoks you run hot loads". WTF, loading manual suggest starting loads at 46.2 gr, I am at 46.5, had to back down from 47gr because it did look scary to see 3080fps from 308. I am asking experienced guys what is happening. Is it barrel length, tight chamber, or powder being hotter lot, or is it normal. Bullets seated fairly shallow, just off of rifling, I can see full cannelure with cases freshly trimmed to 2.08". Ideas please
308 150gr at 3000 fps is it really that hot
- Thread starter 22lr
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My guess would be really tight chamber. The Savage BA rifles are meant more for benchrest I believe and as a result I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they had really tight chambers. You could probably take 10% off the starting load and use that as the new starting load.
Yes, that is hot. I get 3000 with 155s out of a 32" barrel and N150.
A good chamber will allow you to shoot proof round pressures all day, until something breaks. There is no way to get extra velocity without more pressure or a longer barrel. You have opted for the former. With that barrel and powder, I think 2900 is a more practical velocity.
A good chamber will allow you to shoot proof round pressures all day, until something breaks. There is no way to get extra velocity without more pressure or a longer barrel. You have opted for the former. With that barrel and powder, I think 2900 is a more practical velocity.
I have that same problem with a new Savage light weight hunter in 260. Flat primers within a grain of min load with Varget and speeds that seem a bit high for the load. Could not exceed 37 grains. Seems to be improving a bit with barrel break in as the primers don't seem as flat. I attributed that to a tight chamber too.
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Which loading manual are you using? I got my bolt to stick on my 10flcp with around that much imr4895. And yes, same bullet.
YMMV, of course.
YMMV, of course.
It isn't always about what the loading manual gives you as a max load . Some rifles have tighter chambers and/or bore and get higher pressures with smaller loads. 3000 is hot, do as suggested here and double check your velocities, then back off if required. - dan
i'm getting 2900 with a 150 scirroco and rel15 in a tikka tc 308. no primer signs and i can neck size without problems. its based on your own rifle. my last ruger couldn't get any where near that without obvious signs. my t3 does have a long throat and i believe it smooths out the pressure spike. much like weatherbys long throating allows them to reach higher speeds within pressure limits.
