13 replies to this topic

[Recon]

Aww'ight, I'm about to try loading my own for the first time. This is my plan, in .308:Lapua brass with CCI primers.Hornady 150 grain #3031 SP bulletsIMR 4064.... thinking 40 grains?My data book recommends COL of 2.735"... what's gonna happen if my COL is 2.75?And if I make a dummy round to ensure 2.75" is acceptable, is that a wasted case and bullet or can I salvage the case? Probably a stupid question since I'll probably mess up a few anyway. Probably just the beginning of the stupid questions....

[ehd]

you can save the brass, and bullet with either a kinetic puller or collet die puller. I am a novice at reloading but there is some expert help on here about reloading.FRANK will have your barrel melting in no time. He likes to see flame in broad daylight!!

[Bisley]

Aww'ight, I'm about to try loading my own for the first time. This is my plan, in .308:Lapua brass with CCI primers.Hornady 150 grain #3031 SP bulletsIMR 4064.... thinking 40 grains?

Change that 4 to a 5 and make 50 and you will be good. I was pretty sure that most powders in the 150gr range for the 06 are around 50 grains, and a quick trip to the Hodgdon website confirmed it. They list the min/max 47gr & 51gr, so I would definitely not start at 40. Just out of curiosity, where did you get 40 from? I only ask so we can figure out how it was (incorrectly) attained so we can help try and not have it happen for ya again.

My data book recommends COL of 2.735"... what's gonna happen if my COL is 2.75?

May be fine, may not fit into your magazine (especially if detachable). Also depends on the throat of your specific rifle. If you have a short throat, it may make it hard to close the bolt. If it is a larger theoat, it will just be putting the olgive of the bullet closer to the lands. Although 0.015 is not much, personally, I would start at the recommended COL with a handful of rounds just to see if and how they shoot. Then, if need be, I would start seating it up or dowm .010 until the magical spot is hit.

And if I make a dummy round to ensure 2.75" is acceptable, is that a wasted case and bullet or can I salvage the case? Probably a stupid question since I'll probably mess up a few anyway. Probably just the beginning of the stupid questions....

Not a stupid question, and actually a great idea if you are just starting out and do not know about dimensions of your rifle. Sure as heck beats finding out the hard way at a range that your rounds don't fit . And as mentioned previously, you can always pull the bullet later. And if you don't have a bullet puller, get one! You will need it, we all end up needing one . Good luck.

[OrneryOlMofo357]

You can make a reuseable dummy round by putting a slice in the neck of the case. Squeese it back together and then you can see what length will actually fit. However if your rifle has a removeable Mag, thats the length you are limited to. Good luck.

[tawnoper]

Change that 4 to a 5 and make 50 and you will be good. I was pretty sure that most powders in the 150gr range for the 06 are around 50 grains, and a quick trip to the Hodgdon website confirmed it. They list the min/max 47gr & 51gr, so I would definitely not start at 40. Just out of curiosity, where did you get 40 from? I only ask so we can figure out how it was (incorrectly) attained so we can help try and not have it happen for ya again.

pretty sure he's asking about 308....not 06But yeah, 40 is light. I think book is about 43-47 grs.Personally I wouldn't maim any of that nice Lapua brass...good stuff.I'd pick a load in the recommended range, load the bullets deep enough to fit your magazine and go shoot them.

[ratassassin]

Not sure what data book you're using. But the Hornady manual (7th ed.) says that for .308 Winchester and the #3031 SP, COL is 2.735". IMR 4064 load range is:38.4 gr (2300 fps)40.0 gr (2400 fps)41.7 gr (2500 fps)43.3 (2600 fps)44.9 (2700) maximum loadHodgdon's published data is usually a bit hotter, from what I've seen. But stay within the range published by Hornady and you'll be safe especially when you're starting out. Work up to a maximum load, don't start there, and watch for pressure signs. While 40.0 is a bit slow, it is a reasonable starting place. Personally, I'd start at 41.0 grains and work up to 44.9.For overall length, I usually just load to the spec in the book and see how accurate a load I can get. If you find an accurate load using the book's standard recommended maximum length, you're good to go and don't have to worry about whether your rounds will chamber or feed from a magazine.For what it's worth, my .308 tests with 150 grain bullets (Nosler, Hornady) never produced great results. The best I got was about .90 MOA primarily using Varget; but I think I was running them too slow so I have more work to do. My .308 really likes the 168 grain A-Max, 110 grain Sierra Varminter HP and 125 grain Speer TNT bullets and Barnes tipped TSX 130 grain much better -- producing repeatable groups in the .50 MOA range using standard recommended COAL. But your rifle might like the 150's. Every rifle is different.Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[tawnoper]

As said before...variables. Yet another one.Different manuals will give different min/max...why? because of the variables they dealt with while testing. Too many to list.I own quite a few different manuals and most give a pretty wide variance between starting loads...especially the larger the case. Once you get into fast burning pistol powders they'll get more consistent between them.I've gone by the Hodgdon manual a lot...usually pretty good info.For 308 Win and a 150gr BT with IMR4064 they call 43.0 to start and 47.7c as max.As stated by Rat...if it were me and giving this info I'd start at 41 and work up (load 5 at 41, 5 at 42, 5 at 43) and watch for pressure signs...if it sticks a bolt at 42 don't shoot the 43's. Once you get in the ballpark you can start with the 1/2gr or 1/10 gr increment adjustments. On a large case,.2gr adjustments on a soft load is a waste of components IMO.

[Recon]

Bisley, I am loading 308 Win, not 06, which I think may be where we get different charge weights. I got mine from the book that came with my kit, Hornady 7th edition reloading manual, page 447. It recommends between 38.4 gr and 44.9 gr with IMR 4064. So I thought 40 seemed like an easy beginners number. The rifle that these will be fired from is a Remington 700...Luckily, I live in the boonies, so "the range" is about 10 steps from the reloading bench as long as the neighbors aren't hunting easter eggs with their grandkids! It's not an ideal range but it is 100 yards.

[Frank]

FRANK will have your barrel melting in no time. He likes to see flame in broad daylight!!

But very true! Although may be a bit more of a challenge for me with a 308? :lol:Well, all great advise for sure. I've owned a number of 308 dia calibers, but only 1, 308 about 150 yrs ago. Ugh! With that said, I agree with Mike in that the 165/168 gr bullets were always the most accurate bullets in every one of my rifles. Although I did little to no testing with the 180 gr stuff. Wasn't hunting elephants anyhow, so saw no need for the heavy weights, especially in a 308 IMO. And then there IS the speed thing, or lack of with the 180's. :smiley-innocent-halo-yellow:I also like Ed's (tawnoper) loading steps. I have never seen an advantage in working up loads with grains under .5. In other words, once your close, 1/2 grain increments is as good as it will get. A powder's LOT # could have more effect on a load than sub.5 grs of powder will. So, 43.5, 44, 44.5 grs for example will be perfect... for the majority of calibers. The .17's can be another story.Now this next part may be scary (for me), as IF my non existent memory serves me right, somewhere around 44-45 grs of IMR 4064 with a 165gr bullet produced bug hole groups. I "think"? Start lower however.For your 150gr bullets... I personally would NOT start around the 40 or even 41 gr mark with 4064. It is border line (almost) hazardously too light IMO. From several of my manuals 43-49 grs appears more like it. With a good possibility that both the 43 & 49 grain levels can also be ruled out. Possibly?? Ok, those are MY opinions and are worth exactly what one paid for it. BE CAREFUL, keep us posted, and Good Luck

[Bisley]

Yup, I saw the .308 and have 06 on the mind since I have been up til midnight the last two nights loading hundreds of .40cal and 06 for the nephew so we can shoot them all next week in Yo-Yo county during spring break, . Also glad to see I'm not the only one not upping my loads in 1/10 or 2/10 increments from the get go. I usually use .5 increments on pistol and 1 full grain on rifle.The only problem I have had using a case with a split neck to test COL is the fact that it will let the bullet slide down if too long not letting you know how tight the bolt really is. It can also allow the bullet to be pulled out of the case and stick in the barrekl if it is too long at times, but they push out easy enough.Being able to shoot that close to home will be a huge advantage for you. You will be able to load only a few new rounds with different variables instead of a bunch of them (that you may not like later) for fear of running out while at thr range .Good luck, and sorry again about the confusion.

[docskinner]

You aren't crimping .308, so you can do a longer round and see if it fits 1) your magazine(!) and then if it will chamber. If it won't quite chamber you can back it down a bit. Teh big issue is that loading touching the rifling can seriously increase pressures as opposed to just off the rifling. Not a bad way to find exactrly what that distance is for any given bullet. (the little shape changes that gice little BC changes will definitely alter this.) Generally loads assume just a tiny free jump before riflings, but every rifle and load (and person reloading) varies.Do be careful with light loads. If you are going below minimums, check after each shot to be sure the bullets clear the muzzle.

[rpeterson243]

My go to .308 is:168gr Nosler etip42grs. H4895CCI large rifle primer2.800 coal.2600-2700 fps Been looking into a 125-140 gr pill for yotes.

[Recon]

If it wasn't for living in California, I'd say yesterday, the day I finally made ammo, should probably be a holiday for everyone. I looked at that dang kit my wife got me sit on the shelf for WAY to long.I used the 150 grain spire point Hornady bullets, despite people saying there are more accurate choices because I got 500 of them with the kit for free! So I figure I'd rather practice and gain experience with the free stuff.I used the IMR 4064 because that's what I bought months ago at Scheels when I had no idea how to reload but knew I wanted to, and knew I wanted to reload .308 so I read that it worked in .308. I wasn't impressed with how it metered through my manual powder measure, as I mentioned in the other thread. I will try other powders. Will Varget meter better?I did 5 rounds each of 40gr, 41gr, 42gr, 43gr. I didn't do 44gr but probably will before I shoot it all.From the written instructions in the die box, I couldn't figure out how to seat and crimp all in one step. So I seated all my bullets, then went back and crimped them all. Now that I slept all night on it, I think I got it and could set it up to do it in one step.I went out and bought a gauge to measure my OAL before I started, so I know my lengths are pretty close to perfect.While I was working at my bench in the barn, my oldest son (almost 13) came up and started watching. He was into it. Since my idea of having powder meter easily into a case didn't work out, I set him up with a funnel over the cases while I made sure my powder measurements were within .1 grain. Then I gave him the powder bowl and let him put it in the cases. He was into it. (I visually inspected all the charged cases to make sure he didn't give me a double anywhere and actually weighed the first few so I had an idea of what a double would look like.) He also did some seating and crimping once I got those aspects adjusted. Pretty cool. That happened a little quicker than I anticipated. I thought I would have a few sessions by myself before we loaded together, but he was into it. I seriously cannot wait for him to shoot a deer with a cartridge he built.

[ratassassin]

Congrats, it's very rewarded when you load your own. You don't have to separately crimp rifle rounds if you're loading for a bolt gun. I think the seating dies lightly crimp the bullet automatically on the seating stroke, because I sure can't pull any of my seated bullets out by hand.Neat that you could load with your son. My son's too little now but one day when he's older, I'll teach him.