Reloading for my .308 model 700 vsf

mouse

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Long post and improper gramar allert first off!

I finaly got my rington back from the gun smiths, and pictures will be comming soon, but in the meantime i have put 15 rounds of "match" hornady 168gr BTHP through it, and i have to say i am liking the results. With a steady shot and controlled breathing i can get 1/2 moa at 100 yards. I have reddings competition bushing neck sizing die set, and a k&m neck turned with and i through on an extra mitutoyo dial i have, and K&M's flashole uniformer, and primer pocket dealy from them as well. Is it worth my time turning the necks in a factory remington 700 barrel (26inch tube). I havent loaded match stuff before, and need some advice. I set my seater for an oal of 2.800 (i know people like to seat into the lands on remingtons with long throats, and i am impartial to it though i dont feed through the mag anyhow). I have hear its better when you fire form to only partialy neck size and then turn the brass back to the shoulder so the unsized portion allignes the cartridge in your chamber (makes sence?). Then uniform blah blah blah (and or get lapua when i get serious). Whats some good brass in the meantime? Hornady stuff is thick. I am thinking of remington or winchester brass. I have a .336 bushing. So my plans or turn the brass to .016-.015 thick, and then have a good .002 interfearance fit which is recomened, and totaly feesable with win or remington brass thickness safely. Any good hints or tips are welcome. I plan on using 168gr BTHP (SMK?) and varget anyone got a good primer suggestion or loads hook a brother up:D

Peace
 
I'm using Norma brass and LC Match brass too.

I only trim the length when needed (once only) and I full length size using Bonanza Competition Dies, and, if I do my part, can get .250" groups and sometimes better.

My 700 has the original barrel (chrome moly) on it and my wife bought it for me as an engagement prezzie (it was used). I have put in excess of 5000rds through it.

AFAIC the theory that a barrel lasts 5000rds is the barrel/gun makers BS.

RePete.
 
Depends on the distance you plan on shooting, the 168's are made for 300m shooting. They will work out to 800yards but 155 Lapua, SMK, A-Max or Noslers would be a better choice for long range.
Neck turning, in my opinion would be a waste of time for a factory or even a match chamber unless it is a tight neck BR chamber. Any brass will work, but why put yourself through the frustration, just get some Lapua brass to start with.
Loading to 2.800 will feed through a mag, but if you don't use it why not seat the bullets out farther. Some bullet/rifle cominations like to be seated out to touch the lands, other may like as much as .050 jump. Testing your loads will determine what your rifle likes with that bullet/load.
My pet load for long range 300-1000 yards is 155 SMK(Nosler or Lapua) in a Lapua case with 46 grains of Varget and a Fed210M primer. All bullets seated .005 off the lands. This load runs about 2940 Fps out of a 30 inch barrel.
 
well with 168 gr Hornady A-Max i have found 46.3 gr of varget and WLR Primers worked really well with a OAL of 2.928" outta my Rem. 700 PSS with 26" barrel... i had velocety's of 2688 fps and it grouped 0.151" try it out and let me know how it works for u

"Slainte"
Will
 
Thanks pals! Anyone have a load for 155 gr using varget? I am split between hornadys amax or sierras match kings. I have only put 168gr hornady match which is amax moly, and I dont think my remington barrel likes them. I know its all about experimenting but point me the right way (I am gona try amax without molly and smk) but wana know from other remington owners if the amax is decent in a remmy barrel. How are the 155gr for all around close in 100 yarder's as well. Something well rounded since this rifle isnt intended on "putting" anything down. Unless the unlikely event of..... What do you guys think of bench rest primers? Good if they cut down on fliers in the event of them? or all around worth it.
 
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mouse said:
With a steady shot and controlled breathing i can get 1/2 moa at 100 yards.

Something is working for you.

mouse said:
I have reddings competition bushing neck sizing die set, and a k&m neck turned with and i through on an extra mitutoyo dial i have, and K&M's flashole uniformer, and primer pocket dealy from them as well.

Name dropper!

mouse said:
Is it worth my time turning the necks in a factory remington 700 barrel (26inch tube). I havent loaded match stuff before, and need some advice. I set my seater for an oal of 2.800 (i know people like to seat into the lands on remingtons with long throats, and i am impartial to it though i dont feed through the mag anyhow).

The chamber is the critical factor for neck adjustments. If the factory chamber is set so long that bullets seated to touch length won't feed, it almost worth considering rechambering. It is an easy job on a Rem 700. But shoot the gun until you aren't getting the accuracy you want before going down that road.

mouse said:
I have hear its better when you fire form to only partialy neck size and then turn the brass back to the shoulder so the unsized portion allignes the cartridge in your chamber (makes sence?). Then uniform blah blah blah (and or get lapua when i get serious).

Benchrest guys have the rifles to get full advantage from that kind of obsessive detailing of a cartridge case. Refer to my point about the factory chamber, then add a cautious manufacturer and a lawyer.

mouse said:
Whats some good brass in the meantime? Hornady stuff is thick. I am thinking of remington or winchester brass. I have a .336 bushing. So my plans or turn the brass to .016-.015 thick, and then have a good .002 interfearance fit which is recomened, and totaly feesable with win or remington brass thickness safely.

You should one brand you like and can afford. The tolerances between production lots are enough to negate your analogy.

mouse said:
Any good hints or tips are welcome. I plan on using 168gr BTHP (SMK?) and varget anyone got a good primer suggestion or loads hook a brother up:D

Sierra Match Kings are one of 4 or 5 155gr target bullets. These bullets are optimized to stay supersonic at 1000yds for hitting paper targets. The 168gr bullets were designed to shoot bullseyes at 300yds.
 
A-Max Bullets like to be seated out to the lands. Moly will not make a difference in accuracy, it just means less cleaning. I always use Fed 210M (match primers). My SD is around 10-12 fps. I don't think BR primers would make much difference.

For 100 yard shooting flat base match bullets may be the ticket. Boat tailed bullets are better for long range.
 
Well i mean a well suited round. The rifle is going to be used for long range shooting, but my range is 200 yards max. So I dont always get the time to go out on crown land and blast away. I only realy put say 10-15 round threw the thing in a sitting at the range to have fun and keep in practice. So I dont mind overkilling it and just loading using a few well selected components.
 
contact Hirsch Precision and pick up some Lapua 154 gr Scenars and get some Lapua brass too while you're at it.

the BC on the Scenar is .508, a real screamer

brass is 58 cents a piece, and the boolit is 34 cents a piece, 38 if moly. not bad at all

that's how I'd do it, with match primers of course, CCI BR-2 or F210M :)
 
Whats a good trim to length routine? Thinking about it the variation in length would change the contact surface of the brass and bullet, but I suppose that would only be significant if you had a realy smoking tight match chamber and your brass was on the thick side?
 
Measure the dia. of the neck of a fired case from your rifle. There is a good chance with a factory chamber, that even the thickest of casings will fit.
Trim to length when you start with new cases, then check them after about 5 loadings, trim when they get stretched out of spec.
 
Anybody have a good load using varget, win LR primers, and 155 grain smk/a-max? I stumbled upon this one

So far 46.5grain of varget
smk seirra match king 155grain
federal benchrest primers
lapua brass
COL 2.800

and here's a link that every reloader can drool over. I dono if you have already seen it or not so hopefully not a re post.

http://forums.sixgunner.com/One_example_of_reloading_setup/m_27446/tm.htm
 
mouse said:
Anybody have a good load using varget, win LR primers, and 155 grain smk/a-max? I stumbled upon this one]

Did you read post #3 all the way through? I gave you the load that works. Any velocity over 2900fps should still be super sonic at 1000 yards.
I know at least 10 other 1000 yard shooters that use this same load using Varget and 155's in .308 target rifles.

There was a poll a while back on another long range shooting forum. Of those that answered the poll, Varget, Lapua brass, and Fed210m where at the top for most shooters. Opinions on bullets were mixed between Sierra and Lapua being the first choice, then Noslers not far behind. A-Max running 4th place.
 
I was hopping to get someone with a 26" tube... I think federal 210M are hotter burning than the WLR primers? Its just I couldnt find any federal 210M around here. So it was either WLR or CCI. Your load sounds about right to match it out of a 26 inch tube with a little bit more powder because I found that above load on a remmy forum board. Thats rifleman 700 for the load out of a remmy. I am gona start some development soon. I wish I got a button to turn and fix some dented necks because i bushing neck size:( I guess I gotta seat and have a crap bullet for that and then pull it to fix the few cases and then i can deal with them otherwise they are gona fug up my bushing.
 
How are the necks getting dented? Are you use range pick up brass fired from a semi-auto? I have never had dented necks from neck sizing.
 
I just worked up an oal for my remington 700 with 155 gr amax's. I seated them with my redding competition seater and use my verier to verify that it was seating properly continualy. I rammed them into the lands and then seated a new round back so it wouldnt touch in .005 incriments untill it disapeared to get it right on and set back a bit (a few tho is good leeway). So anyone with a m700 a rough ballpark is 2.870" which is what mine is. I loaded 10 rounds at 41.4gr varget and am gona chrono it so I can work up without an explosion and will keep you guys posted. Thanks maynard for the tips, and its new winchester brass I got that had some dented, but I am just gona machine a tapered expanderball when I have the time.
 
A-Max bullets like to be seated into the lands or just touching. I don't shoot A-Max bullets but that's all my shooting buddy uses for 800 to 1000 yard shooting. 41.4 gr of Varget seems a bit light, at one time I was up at 47 gr with 155 SMK. It was a hot load but worked OK in my 40X without any pressure signs. Now 46 gr seems to work better, but that could just be this lot of powder.
You are going about it the right way, start low and work up. You may find the groups shrink with a certain powder charge, then open back up when loaded .2 gr more.
The load stated above is safe in my rifle and caution should be used when approaching max loads.
 
Almost all of the competitors I see on the line use between 46 and 47 grains of Varget with a 155 (though a number of them go between 45 and 46 grains). These days I'm using 47.0 grains in a Winchester case with 155 Noslers. I've also used 46.5 grains with a 155 Sierra in the same rifle.

AMAXes are excellent, but they are finicky with seating depth. I've found the Nosler Competition to be somewhat less finicky and very consistent (AND cheaper than all the other bullets). Two weeks ago I chatted with Gary Rasmussen, one of the top U.S. shooters and the highest-profile user of Nosler Competition bullets in major competitions. His experience is also that those bullets are somewhat more forgiving of seating depth issues than the others.

The bottom line is try them all, use match primers and decent brass, neck-size your brass, and settle on the one that works the best. Many people try to out-think themselves when working up a match load. The truth is, if the rifle is tuned properly and is capapble of good accuracy, the really good loads will be readily apparent, as long as you do things properly.
 
Hmm anyone have the Hornady manual? I am poor and only have lyman and sierras but I tried hornadys and love them which I wasnt expecting...... Whats the recommended COAL for 155 gr amax's in 308 with max and min varget and the components. I would really appreciate it, and am not trying to be a cheap bugger I just dont have the damn cash flow now apprentacing.
 
2.8" OAL 155 Amax

Varget min 32.6 grs (2100 fps) Max 44.0 grs (2600 fps)

22" 1:12 twist, Hornady case, Federal 210 primer


also they list the 7.62x51mm Nato

2.8" OAL 155 Amax

Varget min 37.6 grs (2200 fps) Max 43.2 grs (2700 fps)

22" 1:10 twist, Hornady case, Winchester WLR primer
 
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