HELP: Compressed .308 loads...or not?

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KSAR TECH

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Greetings members,

Putting a question out to the masses.

Background:
I started reloading for the first time this week and have created but not fired my first round of development loads. I have the following built up for my R700 SPS tactical in .308.

Federal brass (fired once length 2.011-2.013, necked to 0.306)
165gr Nosler Accubonds seated to a length of 2.805 (mag length)

I am using varget powder (which specs 42gr-46gr but not using an accubond)
I started at 43gr as most posts I saw recommended 45gr-46gr loads.

I loaded sets at 43/43.5/44/44.5. At 43 I can hear the powder rattle clearly, 43.5 just barely, I can't hear it at 44 or 44.5. Does this mean it is compressed? If so how are guys loading up to 46 grains?? At 44.5 it looks as if the powder is at the bottom of the neck and that a large portion of the bullet will be buried in the powder.

I realize that the accubond is quite a long bullet and that seating it at my mag length has reduced the capacity of the brass but I didn't think it would make much difference. Also, the Nosler website specs a 4064 load of 42gr at 97% capacity. This seems closer to what I am seeing.

I loaded additional rounds at 41/41.5/42/42.5 based on what Nosler was indicating for 4064 which I have heard is quite close to Varget.

Questions:
Is a compressed load indicated when you cannot hear the powder any more? If I can't hear the powder rattle should I load past this? Does anyone have any Nosler reloading data for 165gr bullets using Varget? I am worried that a combination of my length of 2.805 and a long projectile is consuming too much case capacity. Also worth noting is that my chamber is measured at 2.810 where a friend with the same rifle shoots his target rounds with an OAL of 2.875. At 2.805 I am only 0.005 shorter than I could be if I fed the rifle one round at a time.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks. Love being able to get help from this site. Outstanding advice thus far.
 
Yes, it pretty much starts to become a compressed load after you can't hear the powder rattling around anymore.

This is no big deal and is not dangerous. You'd be surprised how much you can actually compress the powder. You can take a case that is full right to the top of the neck and still seat a bullet in it.

You will be able to get more powder in there and still seat the bullets, if your load development dictates that you try a bigger charge.

Your bullet is using up some case capacity but that's life. It just uses up powder space, it won't cause dangerous pressure as it can in a pistol case.

Using a long drop tube or vibrating the case can pack the powder in more tightly. I have to do this with a 30-06 load using RL-22 and a 165 Accubond.

Let us know how you make out.
 
Last edited:
KSAR TECH said:
Greetings members,

Putting a question out to the masses.

Background:
I started reloading for the first time this week and have created but not fired my first round of development loads. I have the following built up for my R700 SPS tactical in .308.

Federal brass (fired once length 2.011-2.013, necked to 0.306)
165gr Nosler Accubonds seated to a length of 2.805 (mag length)

I am using varget powder (which specs 42gr-46gr but not using an accubond)
I started at 43gr as most posts I saw recommended 45gr-46gr loads.

I loaded sets at 43/43.5/44/44.5. At 43 I can hear the powder rattle clearly, 43.5 just barely, I can't hear it at 44 or 44.5. Does this mean it is compressed? If so how are guys loading up to 46 grains?? At 44.5 it looks as if the powder is at the bottom of the neck and that a large portion of the bullet will be buried in the powder.

I realize that the accubond is quite a long bullet and that seating it at my mag length has reduced the capacity of the brass but I didn't think it would make much difference. Also, the Nosler website specs a 4064 load of 42gr at 97% capacity. This seems closer to what I am seeing.

I loaded additional rounds at 41/41.5/42/42.5 based on what Nosler was indicating for 4064 which I have heard is quite close to Varget.

Questions:
Is a compressed load indicated when you cannot hear the powder any more? If I can't hear the powder rattle should I load past this? Does anyone have any Nosler reloading data for 165gr bullets using Varget? I am worried that a combination of my length of 2.805 and a long projectile is consuming too much case capacity. Also worth noting is that my chamber is measured at 2.810 where a friend with the same rifle shoots his target rounds with an OAL of 2.875. At 2.805 I am only 0.005 shorter than I could be if I fed the rifle one round at a time.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks. Love being able to get help from this site. Outstanding advice thus far.
Click to expand...

Your doing everything right so far and continue to follow your Nosler Reloading Manual. If you look at your page for 308 165/168 grain bullet you will see a column on the right side which states "Load Density-volume". This is to indicate how much of the case is filled with that particular powder. Therefore, using 46 grains of Varget powder gives you a 103% powder volume which is 3% over the 100% volume which equals a compressed load.
I heard a few old target shooters state that "compressed loads are the most accurate loads". This could be a myth...who knows. Go to the bottom of the column and Big Game has a 114% volume density. Compressed loads are fine and safe.

I wouldn't be shooting Accubond bullets for target shooting if that is what you are doing. Those are premium bullets and it would be a waste to shoot at anything other than big game. Another tid bit to that there is alot of better brass out there than Federal, in fact Federal would be the last brass I would use. Lapua, Nosler, and Norma are your premium brass. Use Nolser ballistic tips or a match bullet for target shooting.....they are much less expensive.

Good luck and have fun!!!;)
 
track said:
...I wouldn't be shooting Accubond bullets for target shooting if that is what you are doing. Those are premium bullets and it would be a waste to shoot at anything other than big game....Use Nolser ballistic tips or a match bullet for target shooting.....they are much less expensive.
Click to expand...

On the other hand, if you plan to use this rifle for hunting at some point and want to use the excellent Nosler Accubond for that then by all means, develop a load with them and shoot as many as you can at targets so that you know that load in that rifle.

All I shoot in my 300 RUM now are 200gn Accubonds and a lot of that is at targets.

Some say that for a hunting rifle it's best to settle on one load and get really good with that rather than switching around bullets and loads all the time.

Of course half the fun (at least for me) is experimenting and developing new loads too, so I try to find a balance. I have fun finding a really good load for a new gun but then for most of them I stick with that one good load and use it.

Shoot whatever bullet you like, don't worry about 'wasting' premium hunting bullets. If you hit that game animal where you might have missed if you hadn't practiced a lot, then where's the waste?
 
"...Does this mean it is compressed?..." Yep. Compressed loads are nothing to worry about.
"...how are guys loading up to 46 grains?..." Despite appearances, there's a fair bit of air between the powder granules. The bullet literally tamps the powder down when you seat it. It just gets compressed a bit more as you increase the charge. The bullet doesn't go into the powder charge though.
 
Thanks for the advice. Accubonds are for hunting and the Fed brass is from banging away with fusions/powershocks. Figured I would start reloading for hunting and see where that takes me. I can get my rifle to group 5 round groups well under 1/2" at 100m with fusion so accuracy is something I am not willing to part with. If I can get a load to match or exceed that accuracy then I will continue reloading and likely look to better brass in the future. Appreciate your time responding.

Thanks,
 
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