Works in my Alpha mag (good up to 2.975) for my RPR. Am not sure they're made anymore, but there are others:
www.anarchyoutdoors.com
For all the .308 Federal brass that I've used have been thicker than my Lapua brass. Best course to take would be to measure the brass he has, then decide on which bushings to use to get the desired neck tension. Whether Federal or Lapua brass, there can be significant variations from one lot of brass to the next, which is one reason I like to turn my necks for my no-turn chambers. Of course, he can always get a set of bushings to handle the variances.
Yes. I wouldn't confuse the accuracy of factory federal gold medal match ammo with a quality of the brass. Which is sounds like what you're getting at. I've gotten good accuracy out of some lower quality brass but it doesn't hold up. It's neck thickness is annoying. Primer pockets, loosen etc.
It's a Lyman .30 cal "M" die. The mandrel measures .306". I sized a couple of different range pickup, once-fired head stamps with a neck only sizer(button removed) and then ran the mandrel through them. Measured the neck diameter and then seated a bullet and measured. Left and right columns.
If your brass has been fired a lot without annealing it could be experiencing some spring back
Interesting observation on spring back too. Use a bushing and the spring back goes outwards. Use a mandrel and the spring back goes inwards...
Dissecting 168FGMM to see what makes it tic I came upon three very consistent values of the ammo. Two of which direct measurements and the third some relative value. So, the CBTO and the shoulders were spot on with only .002" variance on the CBTO and .001 on the shoulders. The neck tension was LIGHT. This was a relative measurement because I loaded bullets to match the "smack out" by a kinetic bullet puller. FGMM factory bullets released with one smack of the puller. To match that first smack with reloads, in virgin brass, I had to be .001" possibly .0015" that's the relative measurement downfall, but either way works for the shit I do.
You know what you're doing. I experimented with wet & dry case neck lube and found "wet" case lube opened up the groups. Dry graphite I couldn't see a just noticeable difference. I alcohol swab the fired necks to rid of any case lube from the mandrel and use the remaining fired residue for the cold weld preventative.
Here you go . . . (note I used QL's default burn rate, but use temperature of 50°F to get the velocities you showed):
Thanks Straight Shooter. Looks like Quick load agrees with GRT pretty well for the 15.5.
Alpha is about the only 308 brass I don't have.
Look at the "powder in stock" thread, it includes primers.
I would play with seating depth first. Watch Eric Cortinas video on finding the lands. Super cool rifle and welcome.As a newbie to both the Forum and reloading, I would like to consult forum members on a few issues related to reloading the 308.
First of all, I am an amateur shooter, so far shooting rather with calibers: 7.62x54r, 7.62x39, 5.45x39 - using factory ammunition.
By chance, quite fortunately I recently bought a Russian Izhmash Record-1-308 rifle in .308 Win caliber. This is my first encounter with that caliber. Factory ammo is quite expensive ( I live in Europe, EU, Poland ), after shooting I am left with a factory shells, so I thought that I might try to use them and reload .308 for my rifle. Because the scale of reloading was to be rather small – after a net study and watched several YouTube videos on reloading ( I know now, it is not enough, and with a such tiny background I should not take that step – but it is too late ) – I bought a Lee Loader, thinking that it would be an inexpensive way to get a cheaper ammo.
And with a Lee Loader in one hand and a hammer in the other I’m stuck
I did not prepare the classic “ladder” of powder charges – I just focused on one, based on GRT Reloading software callculation. The first attempt to prepare ammunition, with only one powder charge selected, brought me 5-shots group of the size of 0,85 MOA at 100m. Not bad but not very good either. The problem is that having almost no knowledge of reloading, now I don't know if I should increase or decrease the powder load to make the group even tighter.
Working with a Lee Loader is not an easy task, so before I start to use the hammer again I'd like to know at least the direction - incerase or decrease the powder load?
Parameters: bullet : Hornady ELD-M 178gr, powder Lovex 73.6 - an equivalent let's say of Accurate 2520 - load : 41,15 gr, COAL : 72 mm = 2,83 inch. Shooting distance : 100 m, rifle rested on bipod, optics : PS-07 - magnification x7
View attachment 8119661
GRT software data for my "load": pressure : 3200 bar, muzzle velocity : 778 m/s, energy : 3495 J.
The rifle : Izhmash Record-1-308, cal. 308 Win, barrel : 650 mm, barrel twist 320 mm.
View attachment 8119662
www.powdervalley.com
38 grs IMR-4064 behind that 220 gr pill should be plenty safe, even in higher temperatures . . . though it appears in my QL that pressure is very close to max. For H-4895, it looks like you might need 40grs to get an equivalent performance as the 38 grs of IMR-4064.
