Ive loaded with LC brass for years on an M1A platform but now that Ive begun playing more with 308 ARs I thought that revisiting various loads using LC brass was a good idea and I was hoping to see what others have been having good luck with on the AR platform when using LC brass.
I'm not interested in loads or development using commercial brass because its not as heavy/thick as the LC brass and I have no intention of using it because I have tons of LC brass.
The standard load that Ive used for years on the M1a platform consisted of: LC brass, #34 primer, 168gr projectile and 40.5-41.7 of IMR 4895 depending on the gun/powder lot. This load still performs well on the AR platform BUT..... Im not constrained by the gas port pressure curve on the 308 AR that I have to worry about with the op-rod/piston/gas plug system on the M1a, so I want to see whats working for others.
At this point I have 2 308ARs; one with a 20" Bartlein, the other a 1-10 twist 16" CMMG with rifle gas. The 20" Bartlein is very accurate with several loads Ive tried including the stuff Ive got loaded for the M1a, Im not worried about loading for it because its easy.......Im more interested in playing with the load development on the 16" gun.
So far both guns shoot great with M118 however, the 16" gun was very picky accuracy wise and preferred the 168-175 gr loads. Accuracy with ball ammo using the 16" gun was blahhh, about 3~4 MOA, the M118 and the 168gr M1a handloads were .75-1.25 MOA.
thus far, my 16" gun has (of course) performed well with surplus 4895 and IMR4895 using LC brass and 168-175gr projectiles. Im thinking of trying a variety of powder load workups in order to get the best velocity/accuracy combination I can find. The powders I have on hand that I believe are best suited are 4895 of many varieties, Varget, AR-Comp, TAC, 8208xbr, H335....
Anyway, without droning on too much longer... what have you had luck with when using a shorter 308 AR and LC brass?
I'm not interested in loads or development using commercial brass because its not as heavy/thick as the LC brass and I have no intention of using it because I have tons of LC brass.
The standard load that Ive used for years on the M1a platform consisted of: LC brass, #34 primer, 168gr projectile and 40.5-41.7 of IMR 4895 depending on the gun/powder lot. This load still performs well on the AR platform BUT..... Im not constrained by the gas port pressure curve on the 308 AR that I have to worry about with the op-rod/piston/gas plug system on the M1a, so I want to see whats working for others.
At this point I have 2 308ARs; one with a 20" Bartlein, the other a 1-10 twist 16" CMMG with rifle gas. The 20" Bartlein is very accurate with several loads Ive tried including the stuff Ive got loaded for the M1a, Im not worried about loading for it because its easy.......Im more interested in playing with the load development on the 16" gun.
So far both guns shoot great with M118 however, the 16" gun was very picky accuracy wise and preferred the 168-175 gr loads. Accuracy with ball ammo using the 16" gun was blahhh, about 3~4 MOA, the M118 and the 168gr M1a handloads were .75-1.25 MOA.
thus far, my 16" gun has (of course) performed well with surplus 4895 and IMR4895 using LC brass and 168-175gr projectiles. Im thinking of trying a variety of powder load workups in order to get the best velocity/accuracy combination I can find. The powders I have on hand that I believe are best suited are 4895 of many varieties, Varget, AR-Comp, TAC, 8208xbr, H335....
Anyway, without droning on too much longer... what have you had luck with when using a shorter 308 AR and LC brass?
