.308 win reloading on budget, big question mark
- Thread starter isartw
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I did experiment with cast loads in a Norc M14S/M305 I used to own and managed to find some that would cycle without leading. I was using 185gr .311" GC'ed bullets, pure WW alloy, water dropped, lubed with Lee alox. According to my records I had success with H4895, IMR4895, and H4198. Loads of 33gr, 34gr, and 34gr respectively are marked as decently accurate with 100% reliability for cycling. I never chronied any of them but if memory serves they were pretty light on the recoil.
185gr is "too heavy" and H4198 is "too fast" for the M14/M1A action with conventional full-house loads but for reduced, cast loads I can't see the op-rod getting bent or anything.
x2
Me and a buddy bought 3 cases of Norc 5.56 and it was 3-4" groups at 140 meters BEST case from a sturdy rest with a 14x optic (and a 9x optic cause I am cheeeep
)I just kept all the brass, spend a few hours watching tv and trimming the once fired stuff on my power trimmer, then reload MUCH better ammo with XBR 8028 powder and Hornaday bulk 55 gr or bulk match 75 gr bullets..
Norc stuff stretches pretty good so maybe only 2-3 reloads.. but that is still like 10,000 rounds for me
I will not use steel/aluminum cased ammo in my rifles.. other than sks obviously.. It sux and is hard on the gun IMHO
For .308 I use Hornaday bulk 150 gr bullets and IMR 4064 from Higginsons
Higginsons has the bulk surplus powder to if you wanna save a few bucks.. though the price went up a lot since the last stock... IMO use good quality powder fresh off the shelf
OP, for your stated shooting activity, deer hunting with a 308 and iron sights, I would strongly recommend you just completely forget about reloading.
Just buy a box of well known factory ammunition, like Remington, Winchester or Federal, in the bullet weight of your choice. Take a shot or two at something like a mark on a stump at 50 to a hundred yards. If it hits about where you aimed, go hunting. If it hits a few inches off your aiming mark, and you thought you were holding steady, adjust the sights and try again.
The iron sights that come with your rifle when you bought it are hard to adjust. If it shoots to the left you will want to tap the front sight to the left a bit.
If it shoots low, you will want to raise the rear sight.
In real life, back in the great depression era when rural people shot wild game year around to live on, 99 percent of their rifles had the simple open iron sights that came with their Winchester and similar rifles. When a homesteader checked his sights and found it shot a bit higher than he liked, he would likely remark, "I'll just take a finer bead," meaning he would hold so the front sight was lower in the rear notch.
Whatever it took, those people killed nearly all of the animals they shot at.
Just buy a box of well known factory ammunition, like Remington, Winchester or Federal, in the bullet weight of your choice. Take a shot or two at something like a mark on a stump at 50 to a hundred yards. If it hits about where you aimed, go hunting. If it hits a few inches off your aiming mark, and you thought you were holding steady, adjust the sights and try again.
The iron sights that come with your rifle when you bought it are hard to adjust. If it shoots to the left you will want to tap the front sight to the left a bit.
If it shoots low, you will want to raise the rear sight.
In real life, back in the great depression era when rural people shot wild game year around to live on, 99 percent of their rifles had the simple open iron sights that came with their Winchester and similar rifles. When a homesteader checked his sights and found it shot a bit higher than he liked, he would likely remark, "I'll just take a finer bead," meaning he would hold so the front sight was lower in the rear notch.
Whatever it took, those people killed nearly all of the animals they shot at.
This is what I'm doing for hunting with my M1A and Win 94. But I also need some practise as well. As for parer punching on the range, I use cheap tula and andbarnaul. As for 30-30, this is reloading for the long time. Every time I buy new case of cheap Russian ammo, I'm thinking if I can reload and save even more. Campro bullets looks way to go for me.
Unless you have a specific factory hunting round that shoots to the same POI/POA as the cheap Russian crap, then you aren't really practicing....
But if you have a Nork M14, and the typical Nork headspace, reloading is a bit of an adventure anyways as brass life is measured in dog years.
If it's a Springfield, it would be worth looking into loading.
x2.
boltonscouter
CGN frequent flyer
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You can probably get down in the under 5 cent range fairly easily buying 1000 pack .......... don't necessarily need 5000 to make that price point (unless you want them!)
Not sure where you are exactly in Ont but check this out ........ http://www.bullseyelondon.com/selli...s-10-boxes-1000-primers-reloading-canada.html
boltonscouter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- parts unknown
An excellent option if he's combining it with some other goodies maybe!
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
H4831's advice is sound. If you just want to put a couple of animals in the freezer every year, it's not worth getting into reloading; buy 1-2 boxes of standard grade big game ammunition per year and just forget the whole reloading thing.
Cast bullets work fine in most every semi-auto rifle out there, including the M-14/M305 platform, if you want to go that way for cheaper plinking ammo. An internet search will show you guys shooting cast in SKS's, AK's, M14's, Garand's, you name it. Again though, if you only plink a little, just skip casting and reloading and buy the cheapest pre-made you can find and use that.
I say all this as someone who is heavily invested in both reloading and casting.
Cast bullets work fine in most every semi-auto rifle out there, including the M-14/M305 platform, if you want to go that way for cheaper plinking ammo. An internet search will show you guys shooting cast in SKS's, AK's, M14's, Garand's, you name it. Again though, if you only plink a little, just skip casting and reloading and buy the cheapest pre-made you can find and use that.
I say all this as someone who is heavily invested in both reloading and casting.
migrant hunter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
Lee 160 gr .312, sized and gas checked at .311, on 30 gr h4895. The bullets cost me nothing, about 10 cents for a gas check and primer. What does 30 gr powder cost? Runs my M305 and I shot 3 deer with that load in my cz .308 bolt.
Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing your wisdom, knowledge and experience with me, really appreciate that CGN spirit. Canam and Campro looks like the way to go. I will also try H4831 and bullet casting.
The only thing is powder, will really appreciate if you give me some idea who would sell 25 lb kegs. Never seen more than 8lb in retail.
The only thing is powder, will really appreciate if you give me some idea who would sell 25 lb kegs. Never seen more than 8lb in retail.
I think the only place to buy in that big of volume is Higginsons. I think they ship it in 7 lb bags packaged in cardboard boxes? And they offer free shipping when buying 21 lbs or more. Personally I like the idea of keeping large lots segregated and sealed so you dont have a huge lot of powder that will be open to moisture and oxygen (does oxygen affect powder too?) To keep it fresh until you need it.
