178 A-max load help. .308

[dmiller369]

just got all my equipment. press and all.

for my first load i have

IMR 4895 powder
178 gr amax
and once used SMK casings

the hornady reloading book only has 175 and 180.

can any one give me the starting and ending grain amount.

 

[Rob01]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

Use the 175 data and also pick up some Varget.

 

[GhostFace]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

I use 4895 in my .308 loads with the 178 AMAX and it shoots better than Varget. It's hammer out to 730 yards which is the longest I have access to. I don't don't have my notes with me but I believe I started at 40.5 and worked up in .3 graind intervals until I reached 2630 FPS in a 22 inch barrel around 70 degrees. I went through three kegs and all ended at different charges to reach 2630 FPS...

ETA do you have a chrony? If not go buy one because you will be pissing in the wind with out it. Like I said three different lots of powder needed three different charges to get to the same speed.

 

[Pusher591]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

PM Fastex500 for some info. He runs a Savage and the 178 Amax's.

He runs RL15 43.x grains seated at 2.8 something. His rifle is very accurate with that load.

 

[0311@LAR]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

178 Amax
Lapua brass
44.5 grains of Varget
CCI 200 primers
2750 FPS
work up to that and you should be good to go.

 

[A1para]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

I load the 178's over 42gr of Re15 in Lapua cases and Fed 210M primers.

Above 42gr of Re15 and I started to see pressure signs on chronograph.

Chronographs at an Avg. 2675 fps. This load in my rifle is still supersonic at 1k yds and is also very accurate.

Sim

 

[Bob 964]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

The Hodgdon manual lists a maximum of 45.0 (compressed) for IMR 4895 and the 175 SMK. Muzzle velocity is around 2700 fps. I like the Incremental Load Development Method (ladder test) for load development. If it were me, I would load my foulers at 39.0 gr. I would load 20 rounds, beginning at 39.3 gr. and working up in 0.3 gr. increments until I got to 45.0. Then do a ladder test and look for one or more nodes and pressure signs along the way

I shoot the 178 Amax using 46.5 gr. of PowerPro 2000 MR powder, seated to a depth of 2.276 in. measured to the ogive. The rifle is a Savage 110FP with 24" barrel and 1:10 twist. My muzzle velocity is about 2650 fps, and I get 0.4 MOA @ 300 yds. Works great in my gun.

Bob

 

[TenZero]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

178 AMAX over 42.5 gr Varget 210M primer in FGM brass, 2.81 OAL (mag length) here. These do well in a 24" LR308 gas gun and a 26" R700, and they are well below pressure signs.

 

[targaflorio]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

44.8 grs varget win brass 2700 fps 22" tube .5 moa @ 600 yds.

 

[2clicks]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

Love that IMR4895!!! Probably 42-43 grains will rock that 178 well. Although I do have & use Varget it is not the only powder that works. RL-15 is very good too. All these powders are pretty close in burn rate I use the powder that I can get the best deal on... 16$ a pound is all the reason I need to chose one over another.

 

[Coyotejunki]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

So far my best two loads using the 178 AMAX are with Lapua brass, and Fed primers are 44 grs Varget and 42.5 grs of RL-15 in a 28" barrel on my FTR setup.

 

[WillAdams]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

I won't give my personal load data since is hotter than listed max ... however for some additional reading I suggest this and take it FWIW, especially the AF load.
http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2012/02/cartridges-762-nato-long-range-match_04.html

Apply the changes to fit YOUR RIFLE !!

 

[WillAdams]

Re: 178 A-max load help. .308

BTW, I have over 20# of IMR 4895 that I use & I use only 178 0R 185 almost exclusively . Tried 155 and others and wasn't a happy camper. Now that is all I have in stock next to 168 AMAX for <600 match.