Help with IMR 4064 and AMAX 168's

[clrems77]

Recently picked up some IMR 4064 after not being able to locate any Varget at the moment. Heard many good things about 4064/168's for .308 but cant find any good data on loads. My Hornady manual does not include 4064 for the 168's, but does have it for 178's. The IMR website has loads for 168 Sierra bullets with a max load of 45.9 grains. I tried loading a few starting at 42 grains and as I approached 44 grains, the powder started to get compressed making me nervous! I was following the Hornady C.O.L and seating at 2.800. Does anyone have any experience/loads with this set up? Im using Hornady match brass, Winchester LR primers and will be shooting out of a 20" 1/12 barrel.

Thank you in advance!

CJ

 

[mydogsmonkey]

Here's something i found over at ARFCOM,

https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=319515

Its interesting that it seems most people seem to attain good accuracy at about 42-43grs yet the manual says that 41.6gr is max, i'm tagged as i'm working with the same components and would like an answer.

 

[918v]

The Amax is .080" longer than the SMK. So you'll get a compressed load at the higher charge weights. I think 44.4grs will be max and prolly the most accurate.

 

[clrems77]

Thanks guys. At least I have a starting point!

 

[clrems77]

Here's something i found over at ARFCOM,

https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=319515

Its interesting that it seems most people seem to attain good accuracy at about 42-43grs yet the manual says that 41.6gr is max, i'm tagged as i'm working with the same components and would like an answer.

I've got 2, 3 round groups loaded from 41.5-44.5 in half grain increments. Hopefully I'll be able to get out to shoot at the beginning of the week. I'll keep you posted on results!

 

[lobo56]

tag

 

[JGorski]

Like 43grs RE15 is very accurate in my rifle with this bullet I'd bet good money 43grs IMR4064 would also be very accurate, if you happen to be using lapua brass go down 1 grain to 42. Course I now switched to 2000MR and the velocity is sooooo much better and accuracy is good, too. Side note, RE15 & IMR4064 is geared more towards the 150/155 bullets in the 308, IMHO.

 

[Warbone]

Try 42.8g imr4064 works great for me with anything 168g.

 

[briang7511]

I get one hole groups with Reloader 15, 178 horny bthp 43.2 gr, and 185 lapua scenar 42.8. Everyones rifle is different. I have also used 4064 with the 178 hornys at 43 gr with one hole groups. Don't be afraid to try.

 

[clrems77]

Here's something i found over at ARFCOM,

https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=319515

Its interesting that it seems most people seem to attain good accuracy at about 42-43grs yet the manual says that 41.6gr is max, i'm tagged as i'm working with the same components and would like an answer.

Got to shoot this today. Thanks for the help. I think its gonna be good stuff! Here the link for pictures.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-reloading/243286-please-help-my-load-testing.html

 

[LRDD]

43.0g of 4064.with a 168 over the top has always shot very good for me in both factory and custom rifle.

 

[JGorski]

I get one hole groups with Reloader 15, 178 horny bthp 43.2 gr, and 185 lapua scenar 42.8. Everyones rifle is different. I have also used 4064 with the 178 hornys at 43 gr with one hole groups. Don't be afraid to try.

Guess I was talking about more velocity with the powders I mentioned, I use CFE with 168s and 2000MR with 178s. RE15, varget & IMR4064 can't push the heavier bullets the way 2000MR does and w/o high pressure.

 

[lobo56]

New to reloading so may be a stupid question, but how do you tell when your pressures are getting to high?

 

[JGorski]

New to reloading so may be a stupid question, but how do you tell when your pressures are getting to high?

First sign is a sticky bolt, then flattened primer, pierced primer.

 

[MLC]

I've shot 44+ grains with 175's.
I don't think that you'll hit pressure at that load density.
As far as the case being full, use a drop tube and drop the powder into the funnel in a swirling motion so that it pours in fluidly instead of stacking like hourglass sand.

 

[sobrbiker883]

I'm a fan of I4895 under 168 Amax's out to 800. 42.6gr ran 2750 or so for me and shot lights out. Transonic between 800-900 though (0-1000 DA, little farther with 1500-3000 DA).

 

[Hanzerik]

Just an FYI, those pages from the Hornady manual are from the "Service Rifle" section, which is right after the normal 308 Winchester section. But yes, there are no loads listed for IMR-4064 in the regular 308 section for 168gr bullets. IMR-4895 is listed as 43.3 Max though.

Personally, I have had good performance with 168gr bullets with Service Rifle level loads (41.5gr IMR-4895) out to the max my range goes to...700yds. I do have 3lbs of 4064 that I have yet to try though, and will probably start off with 41.5 also. Also have a box of 168gr A-Max's yet to try.

 

[JGorski]

Just an FYI, those pages from the Hornady manual are from the "Service Rifle" section, which is right after the normal 308 Winchester section. But yes, there are no loads listed for IMR-4064 in the regular 308 section for 168gr bullets. IMR-4895 is listed as 43.3 Max though.

Personally, I have had good performance with 168gr bullets with Service Rifle level loads (41.5gr IMR-4895) out to the max my range goes to...700yds. I do have 3lbs of 4064 that I have yet to try though, and will probably start off with 41.5 also. Also have a box of 168gr A-Max's yet to try.

In that case I would use RE15 data for IMR4064, they're that close. FWIW, I've loaded 47grs of each with 150gr. bullets and they both shoot great. I'll be stocking up on IMR4064 from now on instead of RE15. And it flows pretty well thru my Hornady measure.

 

[briang7511]

In that case I would use RE15 data for IMR4064, they're that close. FWIW, I've loaded 47grs of each with 150gr. bullets and they both shoot great. I'll be stocking up on IMR4064 from now on instead of RE15. And it flows pretty well thru my Hornady measure.

I was unable to attach these in the pm. Both are set .030 off. Fired from Accurate Ordinance 308, 22in rock creek 1 in 11.25tw AICS 1.5 stock. bipod up front sand bag in the rear

185 L is Lapua scenar bthp

178 is hornady bthp, VG is varget

 

[fxdrider]

I've shot 44+ grains with 175's.

Yeah I'm reading the loads listed above and they seem to me like they'd be kinda light - keeping in mind of course that every rifle is different. I just worked up a nice accurate load with 4064 and Nosler Custom Competition 175 gr. BTHP that uses 25.6 gr. with the bullet seated at 0.020" off the lands. I'm getting right around 2600 fps out of a 20" barrel. I will say, however - I did have a couple of rounds from that series that were starting to get into "sticky-bolt" land. I may back it back down to 25.3 and call it good.
The gun, BTW - is a Remington 700 SPS Tactical.

I tried loading a few starting at 42 grains and as I approached 44 grains, the powder started to get compressed making me nervous!

That used to make me nervous as well. However, some loads listed on factory websites and in published manuals are listed as Compressed Loads. So it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Start shooting your lighter loads first and work up from there, keeping an eye out for signs of excess pressure. Chrono them as well if you can. If you get to an accurate charge at a velocity you're happy with before you start seeing signs of pressure, you may not need to go any further.

 

[JGorski]

View attachment 34041View attachment 34042

I was unable to attach these in the pm. Both are set .030 off. Fired from Accurate Ordinance 308, 22in rock creek 1 in 11.25tw AICS 1.5 stock. bipod up front sand bag in the rear

185 L is Lapua scenar bthp

178 is hornady bthp, VG is varget

Nice shootin'! Your velocity can't be too high with either of those powders, now try some 2000MR and watch your velocity go up 200fps, figure around 2700ish from a 26' bbl.