The .308 plunge

Lionhill

Lionhill

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After reading seemingly endless articles about precision shooting, I have decided to buy a reloading set-up. I have settled on a RCBS Extreme kit, and would appreciate some advice for target reloading.

I am shooting a Rem 700 VS .308, and plan to shoot Lapua brass with 168 federal match or 168 sierra match. I've not settled on a powder as yet.

I am considering Gold Medal Dies from RCBS.
goldMedalDies1.jpg

Any suggestions there? Anything else I should also consider die wise? Redding?

Nothing has been purchased as yet.

Thanks

Lionhill
 
Last edited:
sunray said:
Regular dies, 168 grain match bullets and IMR4064. Good reloads don't depend on high priced dies.
Click to expand...
...or you could go with Redding bushing type neck-sizing dies and increase the life of your quality brass, and use the Redding competition seating die to increase the consistency/concentricity of your rounds. It depends on how much you want to spend, and how many variables you want to try to eliminate.
175gr match bullets are good if you're going to be shooting over 600yds. Varget powder is reliable and unaffected by temperature changes
 
If you plan on shooting over 600 yards, stay away from 168's. They might work at 800 and 900 but they are the worst bullet made for trying to shoot 1000 yards.
 
pmt said:
...or you could go with Redding bushing type neck-sizing dies and increase the life of your quality brass, and use the Redding competition seating die to increase the consistency/concentricity of your rounds. It depends on how much you want to spend, and how many variables you want to try to eliminate.
175gr match bullets are good if you're going to be shooting over 600yds. Varget powder is reliable and unaffected by temperature changes
Click to expand...

I believe in doing things right the first time, using advice and experience as a guide. So cost is not an issue. If not 175 or 168, then what weight? My range is from 100 - 500, but it would be fun to go past that distance on occasion.

LH
 
Most match shooters will agree that Varget is the powder of choice. Other excellent alternatives are Vihtavuori N140 and N540, or even N550. Reloder 15 is also known to give excellent performance in the .308, and is used in the US military long-range sniper load (with a 175 Sierra).

The Vihtavuori powders would be a good match for your Lapua brass (same parent company). These powders are expensive and harder to find, but those who use them really love them. They generally burn cleaner and cooler and give higher velocities than other powders.

Before the development of Varget powder in the 1990s, the most commonly used powder for serious accuracy shooting in the .308 was IMR (or Hodgdon) 4895. It's still a good choice, but most shooters today prefer Hodgdon's Varget for its temperature insensitivity and lower pressures. It's a little less brutal on your brass and action.

Obviously, you'll need to use match primers. I'd try both CCI BR2 and Federal 210M. Choose the one that works best. The odds are that your rifle will prefer one over the other.
 
168 gr bullet using Varget is fine for the range you mentioned. 168 federal match or 168 sierra match are accurate bullets, however, you have to try and see if your rifle likes them.

Danny
 
I have had good luck with .308's using Hornady dies / Varget Powder / CCI BR -2 primers / Federal Gold medal brass. I neck size only and with the Federal brass do not discard until I have reloaded 10 times.
 
I am assuming you are just neck sizing. Try using a Lee Collet die. I have redding dies as well but they gave me a lot runout on the case neck. If i remember correctly it was 0.005" to 0.006". I switched to the lee die and it dropped to 0.001" to 0.002".

The lee die is inexpensive and you do not need any lube (saves a whole annoying step). I get great accuracy using this with 168gr match bullets and I also use Lapua brass, fed 210M primers and Varget.

With the Lee dies and an RCBS press just make sure to screw the die in far enough.
 
For target reloading I would recommend:
Neck size only.
Match bullets (experiment to see which weight your rifle prefers).
Match grade primers.
Get a flash hole deburring tool (not expensive) to deburr the flash holes (quick & easy).

The match primers and deburred flash holes are a very important means for obtaining ignition and burn consistency, hence grouping consistency.
 
I have seen weird things happens with 168gr Bthp bullets at the 600 meter mark. I don't know exactly the physics of it but groups open up really big and crazy at 600, and then 'kind of' stabalizes out at 800m. I think the 168gr bullets were designed for SWAT shooters who were'nt going to shoot past 200meters.
I personally use 155gr Hornady Amax with Varget and Lapua brass. A Flash hole uniformer and neck sizing only is always a great idea as well. Also get an Over All Length Gauge to see what your gun prefers and measure your brass at every reloading. Good Luck!
 
Hi Lionhill. If you look in the primer pockets of brand new brass, you'll notice that the holes are all not perfectly round or even the same size. This tool (Flash hole uniformer) will make all the flash holes round and the same size, and therefore creating a more consistant ignition of the powder. You can get them anywhere you buy your reloading materials. Ardent also has a great suggestion for the 154gr Lapua Scenar bulets. A bit hard to find, but man do they shoot great. Good Luck!
 
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