Short range .308 load

D

dmg308

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 25, 2005
1,550
35
Manassas Va,USA
#1
Unfortunatly where I live I only have a 100yd range close by.So if I want to run out in the afternoon and just get some trigger time or shoot one of the SH drill targets thats my option.

Spending a lot of time prepping and weighing LR loads was killing me to just use at 100yds. So for awhile I've been working on a fast to produce suitable 100yd load.

This is what I settled on.

Federal Brass (I get alot for free so I use it)
Fed 210m primer
43.2 gr Ramshot TAC (43-43.4 out of the Dillon thrower)
175gr SMK
2.800 oal

As stated the goal was a relatively fast round to produce.All of this was done on a Dillon 550 using their thrower with no weighing other then to check every 20 rds or so.

The cases are tumbled then FL sized and trimmed as needed.I full length these as they may be fired in several different guns.

Then on to the loading I have no die in the first station all I do is prime.Then station number two throws the charge.Then the third seats the bullet to 2.800.I use Redding dies for everything.

As you can see nothing fancy I didn't even mess with the primer pockets(They may need attention the second time around)
I did chamfer the case mouths though.


So far this seems to be suitable I will shoot them at longer distance just to see what happens.These groups were fired from
a custom built FN action with a 1-12 Hart barrel and a 10x Leupold m3.It was about 40 degrees today no wind. I dont have the velocity yet but point of impact is the same as my Lapua brass with 44 grs of Varget with the 175 SMKs.I will try to chrono it soon.

turd019.jpg

turd020.jpg


The top group was .804 outside to outside or .496 right at half moa.The second opened up to .505 not bad for quicky stuff.
 
#2
Re: Short range .308 load

Your situation sounds like mine, with regards to only a 100 yrd range. Your process is just what I need to do; I use an RCBS Comp Die set in my 550.

I'll be using TAC, for the first time in a few days, so your load is of benefit to me, as a work around. Surprised that the spead from the Dillon is as much as .4; as TAC seemed to be a very fluid powder.

Sure hope my results are as good as yours. That sems to be a "no excuse gun" you have. That's the way I feel about my AR-10. It'll be awhile before I think I need custom barrels or other work on it. I just need to shoot more, with good ammo.

Darn, 40*, that's cold for me now. Lived in Newport News, in the 80's seldom have been in anything cooler than the low 50's in a long time.
 
#3
Re: Short range .308 load

The Dillon typically throws one tenth 99% of the time but every once in awhile I'll get one two tenths either way.But the point is even with a .4 grain swing it is still consistent enough not to matter much in this application.

The TAC seems to be very forgiving.I'll be curious to see how it holds up out to 3-400 yds.This will be a work in progress and I will continue to fine tune it.
 
#4
Re: Short range .308 load

175's are utterly wasted at 100yd. Match primers, too.

I would suggest the newer 135SMK, with Ramshot X-Terminator or TAC.

Heck, at that distance; even surplus 147gr FMJ's or 150gr Core-Lokts would make more sense, loaded with reasonable care. Rem does make a 125gr Corelokt and a 123gr FMJ.

I just think that consuming match grade components for 100yd practice is a horrid waste. The bore life consumption alone makes little sense to me. Do you have a reliable .22LR?

Greg
 
#6
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">175's are utterly wasted at 100yd. Match primers, too.

I would suggest the newer 135SMK, with Ramshot X-Terminator or TAC.

Heck, at that distance; even surplus 147gr FMJ's or 150gr Core-Lokts would make more sense, loaded with reasonable care. Rem does make a 125gr Corelokt and a 123gr FMJ.

I just think that consuming match grade components for 100yd practice is a horrid waste. The bore life consumption alone makes little sense to me. Do you have a reliable .22LR?

Greg </div></div>

Greg there is only a $10 difference per 500 between the 175 and the 135 smks so to me thats a complete wash.I use the match primers because I have alot of them and any lg rifle primers are tough to come by.The cheap bullets produce random fliers and again the savings is only marginal.

I do have a .22 but its still not the same. I shoot my .308 with LLs dot drill target in multiple positions prone,sitting ,kneeling,standing and improvised to me this is sound practice.Shooting half inch dots under these circumstances has helped me.

The whole point of this was to find an easy relatively labor simple accurate load.Through trial and error I have gotten pretty close.
 
#7
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">168smk or Hornady BTHP

42gr of varget, RL15, IMR4895, or H4895

shoots well.... </div></div>

I have a great Varget load but it does not throw well through the Dillon measure.My main goal was a fast progressive loaded accurate round.
 
#8
Re: Short range .308 load

Get into a Rem 504T 22LR. TONS of fun and cheap. I shoot mine out to 200 all the time. Get some scaled steel targets and bang away. The 504T feels like a centerfire.
 
#9
Re: Short range .308 load

Been shooting a good bit of TAC with Wolf primers in my 308s. I've duplicated the performance my Varget/BR2 loads gave me...all pushing 175s.
 
#10
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dmg308</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">175's are utterly wasted at 100yd. Match primers, too.

I would suggest the newer 135SMK, with Ramshot X-Terminator or TAC.

Heck, at that distance; even surplus 147gr FMJ's or 150gr Core-Lokts would make more sense, loaded with reasonable care. Rem does make a 125gr Corelokt and a 123gr FMJ.

I just think that consuming match grade components for 100yd practice is a horrid waste. The bore life consumption alone makes little sense to me. Do you have a reliable .22LR?

Greg </div></div>

Greg there is only a $10 difference per 500 between the 175 and the 135 smks so to me thats a complete wash.I use the match primers because I have alot of them and any lg rifle primers are tough to come by.The cheap bullets produce random fliers and again the savings is only marginal.

I do have a .22 but its still not the same. I shoot my .308 with LLs dot drill target in multiple positions prone,sitting ,kneeling,standing and improvised to me this is sound practice.Shooting half inch dots under these circumstances has helped me.

The whole point of this was to find an easy relatively labor simple accurate load.Through trial and error I have gotten pretty close. </div></div>

I don't want to get a war started here. I think what greg is getting at is that 175smk and other bullets alike being long boatails do not stablize until 300yrds. If Im shooting from 200yrds in I do shoot flat base bullets. A flat base bullet stablizies quicker than a boatail. try some of sierra's prohunter bullets. I have shot some great groups at 100yrds with them. With that being said. your groups look pretty good. Take your group size that you posted and subtract the cal. of the bullet (.308) this will give you your ture group size.

The 175smk are good bullets. I have shot 175smk at 500yrds with 2" 5 shot groups and this was with winchester brass. the same load would just barely hold 3/4" at 100yrds. Then turn around and shoot 5 shot groups at a 100yrds with the 150 prohunter and shot a Dang 1/4" group. This is when I started to ask questions and ask why? After talking to ppl that have many years of experience and reading what the experts say. Es and Sd in volicites, poor brass prep and boatail bullets will not make that big of a differance at 100yrds.
 
#12
Re: Short range .308 load

I bought a large quantity of Hornady 155 amax's a couple of years ago when Midway was running a "2'nds" sale. I shoot 155 Scenars with a full throttle load of Varget for my LR load, and have a slightly loaded down version with the amax's that give me an exact same point of impact @100 yards, and GREAT 100 yard accuracy for working on dot drill targets. The amax's give me BETTER 100 yard accuracy[slightly] than the Scenars, but I can't get accuracy and speed like I can with the Scenars.
 
#14
Re: Short range .308 load

Agreed. My intent was gleaned accurately above.

The shorter, lighter bullets simply work better at distances of around 100yd, and the 168/175's are not providing any advantages within 200-300yd. I use W748 and the Ramshot ball powders in my Dillon RL550B, and find that for practice grade ammo, the powder measure is close enough with them.

Another approach is to use lighter bullets with microloads of pistol powders. Unique is recommended by the maker for just such applications. I used 7gr in the .223 with a 52gr SMK, and 9gr with the same in the .22-250. The results were similar to 'gallery loads' and were accurate indoors and also outdoors in a a steady calm. No wind bucking capacity whatsoever. I'm thinking that somewhere along that line lies a .308 gallery load.

Personally, I would not go that way.

Like you, I want something closer to the more 'normal' loadings.

I wasn't joking when I suggested the 125/150gr Core-Lokts. Relatively less expensive, the flat base has accuracy advantages at shorter distances, as is demonstrated by traditional BR bullets.

Finding an inexpensive bullet that shoots well is an honest dilemma.

If your requirements run to BR grade accuracy, then I suppose it's wiser do what you suggested in the first place.

Other approaches might include Wideners. They front for IMI in the USA, and IMI makes components that are both affordable and have relatively high quality.

Greg
 
#15
Re: Short range .308 load

I basicly have the same situation as you.

My 100 yd load
hornady match brass
168smk
42 gn of bullseye
br2 primers

load gives ragged holes and over 30 loadings on brass
 
#16
Re: Short range .308 load

Goodmornig Professors. More great info here. I shoot Berger 168 hpbt. moly's at 100yrds. Trying a recomended range load from Professor Wil, with RL-15. Was surprised that the Powder didn't meter better, as I was told it would meter better than Varget. Loaded 15 rounds with the press set to throw 43.0 grains, then started to check. Charges ranged from 42.7 to 43.3. First thing I thought was how important it would have been to use the load from an OCW development process. Then I wondered, how much difference it was going to make in 3-five shot groups, through an AR-10? So I trickeled five more rounds to see.

1. Is this spead about right for the press powder combination?
2. For an AR-10, should I expect to see the differences in the spread within the three five shot groups?
3. For the short range I shoot, is the flat base bullet a better option?


Clearly I could save the Bergers 168's and go to a 110 for the short ranges I shoot. Have a few 110 soft-point used for my 30-30 Contender Pistol, and a box of Speer 130 FPHP's form my 30-30 rifle days. Also looks like I would be better off accuracy wise, to shoot a flat base bullet at the 100?

Sorry, read the thread again and my questions were answered. Now I do have a Ruger 10-22, never thought much about shooting 100 yrds with it. Any rec on ammo for this practice? This could be another chase the ammo your gun likes senario??

 
#17
Re: Short range .308 load

Thanks Greg I will visit the core lokts. The micro loads dont realy interest me either.It seems most of the import stuff from weidners is now the eastern european I tried both their 168/175 bullets with very poor results.

As with yours my Dillon is throwing the Ramshot good enough and that was at the core of this experiment.Doing away with weighing each charge and loading progressively lets me kick out 100 rds reletively quick.
 
#18
Re: Short range .308 load

dmg308, tried that TAC in an AR-10 from my 550, 42.9 grs. with Berger moly 168 hpbt. Hotter than I like, and need at 100 yrds. but was working sub moa for three shots before my range time expired. I'll back it off a grain and see what it groups like in a day or so. The speed of loading was exceptional and the expected results for the time spent, outstanding.

It beat the heck out of throwing and trickling 42.5 of 4064. That load does shoot sub moa, 5 shot groups at 100,when I do my part.
 
#19
Re: Short range .308 load

I have had some fun and good accuracy with the 125 gr Speer TNT bullets.
I didn't do anything besides basic reloading procedure.
125gr TNT
44gr IMR4895
Winchester brass and primers.
Worked great out to 200 yards on paper and I did get a chance to put one on fur, what a mess that made.
 
#20
Re: Short range .308 load

I like the 100g Sierra Varminters. Man, they are accurate in a .308 or 30-06. I started playing with them to get a plinking load for a 7.5# 30-06 that kicked the gravy out of me with 150s and up.

I don't have my load data nearby, but try the Sierra accuracy load. I had to by the powder just for this load, but it was worth it.
 
#21
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Quicky06</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I basicly have the same situation as you.

My 100 yd load
hornady match brass
168smk
42 gn of bullseye
br2 primers

load gives ragged holes and over 30 loadings on brass
</div></div>

42gr Bullseye?
 
#22
Re: Short range .308 load

42 gr. Bullseye.
confused.gif
I know that can't be what he meant; but I don't load pistol powder in a rifle, so I paid no attention to it. Hope no one tries it!
cry.gif


I rather like the idea of a lighter pill for short range, but MidSouth has Noslers 168 and 69 Competitions on sale for way less than my retailer, so I just changed from Berger to Nosler.

Besides, 100 is all the range I have access to.
 
#23
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Quicky06</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I basicly have the same situation as you.

My 100 yd load
hornady match brass
168smk
42 gn of bullseye
br2 primers

load gives ragged holes and over 30 loadings on brass
</div></div>

For crying out load, delete or edit this post.

Someone could get seriously injured or worse.
 
#24
Re: Short range .308 load

I know if it can go wrong, it will, and often does; but only an FNG would try that load. Short loads are for guys who know what they're doing, and after all the years I have been loading, not me. I stick to the basics from a manual. I even check a manual or two, plus the website before I try any loads posted here.
 
#25
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Quicky06</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I basicly have the same situation as you.

My 100 yd load
hornady match brass
168smk
42 gn of bullseye
br2 primers

load gives ragged holes and over 30 loadings on brass
</div></div> I THINK THIS IS A MISPRINT. 42 GR OF BULLSEYE CAN'T BE RIGHT. IS A DECIMAL POINT MISSING SOMEWHERE???
 
#26
Re: Short range .308 load

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jdgray</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Quicky06</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I basicly have the same situation as you.

My 100 yd load
hornady match brass
168smk
42 gn of bullseye
br2 primers

load gives ragged holes and over 30 loadings on brass
</div></div>

42gr Bullseye? </div></div>

GOOD EYE, JD
 
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