1000 yard shooters.. What is your preferred node?

[CK_32]

I've been playing with my 175 SMK load for a while.

Load:

Bullet: 175 SMK
Brass: Winchester
Powder: Varget
Primer CCI
OAL: 2.800

Rifle:

Remington 700 SPS T 20" 1:12
B&C A5 stock
Bushnell 3200 5-15x mil/mil




I wanted it to be my 1000 yard go to load. But I got lazy and haven't shot 1000 for a while.


Last I did my ladder testing with this load I found 3 nodes...


First was about at 42.5gr.. Another was around 44.5 and another at 46 ish. 46 is a bit too hot for my liking (no pressure signs but I didn't see it needed to run that hot all the time) so I stayed with the lower node and it has done fine pout to 600 yards.


My question is whats the better node for the longer ranges again 1000+?


I've been using 42.7g loads for my 600 and below shooting but dont think it will fully preform at 1000. Do you guys prefer to stay with the lower nodes.. middle or high nodes when shooting at and around 1000?

Im curious to see which load should preform best at the longer ranges the lower node or higher with more FPS? So any of you guys want to school me on if I should be fine with my lower node or if I should bump it up for the longer ranges with the load?

 

[rduckwor]

You don't give us any velocity data which would be helpful. Also, you say there is a suitable node at 42.5 that you like, but you load at 42.7 for 600 and shorter.

My guess is that your 42.5 node is going to be a 2500+fps round. Get your velocity and go see what JMB or another calculator tells you.

Let us know and good luck.

 

[1lnbrdg]

The most accurate load, as long as it stays super-sonic.

 

[Dan Newberry]

With Varget, you often find that the velocity spread is too great at the lower charges (like in the 42 grain area) for good long range accuracy. Varget seems to do best with a higher load density.

I wouldn't load it at 46 grains... it'll end up loosening your primer pockets, and possibly blowing primers at some point down the line. I have found that if you're too close to the tipping point, you'll have days when the pressure runs up for whatever reason--and the brass gets ruined.

I'd run the 44.5 grain charge, which is a bit below Hodgdon's max and I think you'll do fine.

 

[CK_32]

Yea that's what I was thinking. Being its a lower charge I assumed it was still super at the ranges I was shooting but at the later distances I'd run into some issues.

Also I don't have a chrono nor access to one so my loading is limited to ladder testing followed by grouping which was how I found my nodes and go from there. But like said from reloading data that should be at about 2300 to 2500 out of my 20" barrel.

Ill probably give a better look and try to find a sweet charge for my 44.5 ish area and tune one up for that and see how that does me.

 

[Dan Newberry]

you're probably closer to 2575 from a 20" barrel with 44.5 Varget--and maybe even 2600... 24" guns run those right at or over 2700 fps in most cases with a full charge of Varget.

 

[40xs]

Don't know about the 175 however my 185 berger juggernauts with 43.8-43.9 varg. is my load out of a 29inch giving mid to high 2700's, depending on temps.

 

[Boogaloo]

I run 175MK and 178 AMAX's @ 43.5 gr of RL15 which yields 2550 FPS out of a 24" .308 barrel and I am supersonic to 1100+ yards @ 975' ASL. I have no problem with multiple back to back hits on 12" steel @ 1000 yards with that load. I started shooting Varget again last week, and honestly, I do not like it as much as RL15 for accuracy and lower ES/SD #'s over my chrono.

So far, my testing has shown that IMR4895 and RL15 give (me) better accuracy and consistency than Varget does. I also tried Varget in my 223AI and I don't really care for it at much as CFE223 in the AI.

I am finding that for me at least, Varget is much ado about nothing.... It is also a pain in the ass to load using my procedures and equipment. I may be unloading my whole lot of it after I step back and give it another chance, once I complete another go round with RL15, H4895 and IMR4895.

I waited forever to get it, and was not at all impressed with it when I got done last weekend.

So, to answer your question, 43.5 RL15 in Lapua brass, behind a 178AMAX, 210M and 2.830 COAL gives me spectacular accuracy from 100 to 1000 yards in my 24" guns.

 

[Niles Coyote]

A fellow factory Remington tactical owner here.

My load is the same as yours. 44.5 varget in win brass using CCI and/or Winchester primers and run a COAL of 2.825ish. My velocity out of the 20" barrel, as recorded by a magnetospeed chrono, is 2540-2555.

 

[CK_32]

A fellow factory Remington tactical owner here.

My load is the same as yours. 44.5 varget in win brass using CCI and/or Winchester primers and run a COAL of 2.825ish. My velocity out of the 20" barrel, as recorded by a magnetospeed chrono, is 2540-2555.

Awesome. Yea hopefully when my B&C stock shows up next week I can hit the range we have here and try some OCW testing. Im going to run +/- 1.5gr window from 44.5 and see where I get a good load.

Hows your accuracy around 800 to 1k with that load?

 

[Niles Coyote]

It just depends on what the wind is doing but my vertical typically measures around .7-1 moa at 800 opening to 1-1.4 moa at 1000 with occasionally tighter groups but they are not the norm.

FWIW, this load was my OCW about 1300+ rounds ago and it likely needs to be tuned again, but for now I found an awesome load with 168 a-max that shoots even tighter and that is what I am running most of the time now.

You may find my tactical thread useful...
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...846-308-remington-tactical-work-progress.html

I have my best loads to date listed there and some pics

 

[Aimsmall55]

47.5 grains of power pro 2000 mr. Add 100 fps to 44.5 varget. Best powder I've personally seen for shorter barreled rifles pushing big bullets. No offense to anyone as everybody has their favorite loads but I went from 2680 with 44.5 varget in a Gap Crusader with a 22" bartlein to 2775 to 2780 with 2000 mr with the 175 smk. Velocity isn't everything but it sure helps buck wind