Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

blboyd

blboyd

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#1
I've been shooting my Rem700PSS for a couple years - Still on the factory tube. It's been digesting a steady diet of 168gr Sierra HPBT Matchking's.

Well I've done alot of reading on here and there's plenty of people running .308 / 168gr Sierra's / VARGET and most people are quoting loads around 45-45.5grs. Some people have even mentioned near max of 46grs. The max on Hodgdon's site is 46grs.

Well I've loaded 44.2grs and got signs of high pressure. Even loaded 44.5 and have a cratered primer while shooting in the shade. The sun came out, heated things up and I lost a primer at 44.5. I've backed off to 44.0grs and I'm getting a consistent 2720fps.

Well I purchased a new Sierra loading manual since my latest was a couple years old. Well they have backed the max load down to 43.5grs! A full 2.5grs off of everyone else's published max. Talk about a shocker.

Well I just thought I wanted to see if anyone else has seen anything like this?

Thanks,
Brandon
 
#3
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: STP</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess on my part...
Federal brass, eh? </div></div>

Lucky guess or educated guess?

You are correct, Sir.
 
#4
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Whisper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been shooting my Rem700PSS for a couple years - Still on the factory tube. It's been digesting a steady diet of 168gr Sierra HPBT Matchking's.

Well I've done alot of reading on here and there's plenty of people running .308 / 168gr Sierra's / VARGET and most people are quoting loads around 45-45.5grs. Some people have even mentioned near max of 46grs. The max on Hodgdon's site is 46grs.

Well I've loaded 44.2grs and got signs of high pressure. Even loaded 44.5 and have a cratered primer while shooting in the shade. The sun came out, heated things up and I lost a primer at 44.5. I've backed off to 44.0grs and I'm getting a consistent 2720fps.

Well I purchased a new Sierra loading manual since my latest was a couple years old. Well they have backed the max load down to 43.5grs! A full 2.5grs off of everyone else's published max. Talk about a shocker.

Well I just thought I wanted to see if anyone else has seen anything like this?

Thanks,
Brandon</div></div>

Hi Brandon

I have been useing 44grs of Varget in my Tikkatactical308 with Hornady 168gr match bullets ever since I bought the gun, I'm only getting 2666 fps out of this load, I guess I need to bump it up a little.No preasure sighns at all.
Cheers.
 
#5
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

I've been shooting some rounds with 46 grs of Varget with 168 gr SMK's out of my SSG 3000 with no overpressure signs at all, but also not using Federal brass either with that amount of powder. R&P and Winchester brass was fine.
 
#7
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

Using black hills brass, which is Winchester Match, I run 45.0 gr of Varget for a 175 and 45.5 to 46.0 for a 165.

The 155 can go as high as 47 I believe.
 
#9
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

Thanks for all the comments and load data analysis. It nice to see a short concise list of where everyone is with his load.

I'm trying to get a load to work that is fine once the barrel heats up but I have signs of pressure alot earlier than most. I loaded some at 43.8gr to see how they act.

I still find it very curious that most places list 46grs at max where Sierra says 43.5gr. That's a huge difference!

Brandon
 
#11
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

runnin 47.4gr Varget under a 155 Scenar... no pressure in ANY temps so far...

ran it all the way up to 48.4 before I got ejector swipe


each gun is different... different types of brass have different internal capacities... hell sometimes even different lots of brass can differ...

you just gotta work up a load that shoots well & IS SAFE in your gun... the rest is a SWAG to be used as a guideline only...


enjoy!
 
#12
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: badshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use 43.0 gr of Varget with a 175SMK and get 2690fps out of my SPS. </div></div>

Are you SURE your chrony is ACCURATE??
 
#13
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Insert Name Here</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: badshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use 43.0 gr of Varget with a 175SMK and get 2690fps out of my SPS. </div></div>

Are you SURE your chrony is ACCURATE?? </div></div>


I'm running 175 SMK's over 44 grains of Varget in BHA brass. Been getting consistent 2700 fps so far.
 
#14
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flagg888</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Insert Name Here</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: badshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use 43.0 gr of Varget with a 175SMK and get 2690fps out of my SPS. </div></div>

Are you SURE your chrony is ACCURATE?? </div></div>


I'm running 175 SMK's over 44 grains of Varget in BHA brass. Been getting consistent 2700 fps so far. </div></div>
Using 44.2 grains of Varget, new Lapua brass, CCI BR2's, and 175 SMK's set at 2.80" COL I get an average of 2,651 FPS from my Remington R5. I shoot at 1,000' ASL.
 
#16
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Insert Name Here</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: badshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use 43.0 gr of Varget with a 175SMK and get 2690fps out of my SPS. </div></div>

Are you SURE your chrony is ACCURATE?? </div></div>

I am not sure. I only loaded 3 rounds at the time. I am still working out the receipe. It may be off since 44.0gr only got 2700fps or maybe the overcharge was just wasting powder. I just wasn't comfortable with a 44gr charge. I usually check the chrony with a .22 pistol before I start, but I forgot that day.
 
#18
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

Here's my load that I think I'm settled on. If I got any higher then I get signs of pressure.

== CALIBER ==
.308 Winchester

== LOAD ==
168gr Sierra HPBT Matchking
43.8grs Hodgdon VARGET
Federal Gold Metal Primers
Federal Match-Prepped Brass
OAL: 2.820"

== DATA ==
Avg Velocity: 2705fps
Extreme Spread: 30fps
 
#19
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

whisper
part of the problem would be the federal brass when i used to use it i had nonstop problems with primers backing out or little to no pressure needed to seat primers after the 3-4th reload since i have switched to lapua and wont look back
 
#20
Re: Not your average .308/SMK/VARGET thread

Federal brass is a bit soft and good for only a few reloads. Whisper, you might try the same load in some Winchester brass and see whether you get the same signs.
 
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