Always load to maximum velocity?

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xopher

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I recently started looking into reloading some match grade ammuniciation for target shooting. Luckily, I still have my dads old reloading equipment from back in the day to play with so I don't have to burn hole in my wallet just to get started :)

I have looked at the stickied hodgdon website and it's seems like a perfect starting point as it lists standard loads and their respective maximum.

Now here's my question: what should I look for when im reloading? Should I immediately push it to the maximum to achieve maximum muzzle velocity? Of course the main outcome is to get precision match rounds but how much does velocity play into this? My understanding is I'll need maximum velocity when I'm shooting long distances (ie 700m which is what I'm aing for) because I will lose speed FAST at those distances.

I'm currently trying out the Mk316 special ball used by the us military. Based on the loading data I found, it's a relatively light load in comparison to the recommended maximum. Can an expert reloaded help me out with this?

I'm using a r700 5r milspec stainless rifle with a 24 inch barrel. If you know any great loads for this rifle please let me know :)

At the moment, I have Imr 4064, win748, h4895 and Sierra match king 175gr at my disposal.

Oh yes.. One last thing... Do benchrest primers effect accuracy? I know they are usually used for reliability
 
Firstly, buy a couple of different reloading manuals. It's always a good idea to cross reference data.

Second, load for accuracy, not maximum velocity. Using VLD bullets, you shouldn't be losing velocity terribly fast at 700m. With the loads you're talking about, with a MV of 2600fps, the bullet will remain supersonic well beyond 1000 yards. I'd recommend reading up on external ballistics and the fundamentals of reloading.

As I said before, get a real reloading manual. Actually, don't get one, get two... or your #### will fall off. The first 50-150 pages of a reloading manual covers a lot of what you are asking, and a brief synopsis of what it says conveyed over CGN does not replace actually reading up on a subject... so go read up on it.
 
Velocity does not always equal accuracy. I couldn't care less how fast the bullets get to the target. What I care about is that is hits the middle of the target.

My go to .308 load for any 155 gr moly coated bullet was 46.0 gr of Varget. This year I changed to 155 gr uncoated Barnes Match Burner bullets and found I needed an extra gr of powder. I have no idea how fast these are getting to the target( and don't care) but they did do so quite well at 1000 yards last weekend.
 
You should start well below the max and work up and see what groups the best. Often times the bullet will destabilize if its pushed too fast, and you will notice your groups opening up as you cross that boundry. Its all about finding what works well in YOUR gun. The barrel length, twist rate, etc will play into it as well. If you load so hot that your barrel heats up after a couple of shots, your accuracy will drop off.

Hope that helps
 
The Sierra 175 is a very good choice of bullet for that rifle. If I were you, I would seat the bullet to magazine length (2.800") more or less, and work up a load using thrown charges of H4895. Only if you were interested in shooting beyond 700m would I even think about weighing each individual charge.

At all distances, you want your ammo to be accurate. At longer ranges (beyond 600 yards), it also starts to matter whether or not the bullet speed from one shot to the next is consistent.

When making .308 target ammo, it often turns out that as you work up to a max load, your accuracy improves and your velocity consistency improves. If you take a look at what successful long range target shooters are shooting, they look to be max or near-max loads -- but 85% of the reason and motivation behind this is that that's what works best.

If a hot load is inaccurate, it's no good for long range shooting and it's no good for short range shooting.

Using benchrest primers usually does not improve accuracy, though *sometimes* it will (and this is the reason that they are often used).

There are a number of reasons why Mk316 ammo is relatively lightly loaded. It is reasonably good ammo, but well-made handloads can easily match or even exceed it. In your case, where you are handloading for your own rifle, most of the reasons for Mk316 being less-than-max-loaded don't apply -- so you should work up your ammo to max, observing the accuracy and pressure signs as you do so (and chrono'ing it too if possible); choose the most accurate load you find.
 
Usually you start at the safe load and work up 1/2 increments. Make up 3-5 shells per increment. Shoot each batch and watch what the grouping does. Once you see it tighten up and the next higher increment starts to expand the grouping...stop there and go to the load with the tightest grouping. This load might not be any where near the hottest load.
Accuracy and tight groups is what its all about....not speed.
 
Second, load for accuracy, not maximum velocity.
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Agree, totally.

Velocity does not always equal accuracy
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Very true.

I have a Tikka 7mm mag, ,Model 695. The older Whitetail Hunter Deluxe. I have worked up many loads with this rifle. One thing I have found regardless of the powder, bullet combo is that the gun is very accurate provided the muzzle velocity of the bullet is equal to or under 3100 fps. As soon as I am over the accuracy goes haywire. So I load a 140 grain accubond with a MV of about 3085 fps. The COL is a little longer than normal but the load is dead accurate.
 
xopher said:
looks like ill have to buy a chrono now...
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On the Hodgdon site, it gives you the velocity for safe and max loads. Anything in between would be an average. I`ve never used a chrono to see exactly what I`m at. I guess it is total personal preference I guess, I`m just happy with accurate tight loads.
 
700 yards is not long range so velocity is not an issue. Just start with 41 gr of 4895 and work up in 0.3 increments and find what groups best at 300 or more yards.

If you want velocity for long range (1000 yards) you start with a 30 to 32 inch barrel.
 
xopher said:
looks like ill have to buy a chrono now...
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Why? It's not necessary for what you're doing. The bullets will stay supersonic at the distances you're shooting, and you're reloading for accuracy, not max velocity. Get the fundamentals down before worrying about tinkering with your loads to increase velocity while maintaining accuracy.
 
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