Starting Over - Made A Couple of Changes.....

[gidds]

So I got a great deal on a rifle and scope. I have temporarily abandoned my previous rifle and methods to try again, fresh, as they say......

Rifle: Ruger Precision 308, 20" 1:10
Scope: Burris 4X18 LRTSi (Thanks Doug!) Seekins Rings
Brass: Virgin Lapua
Bullet: Hornady 178 ELD-M
Powder: IMR4064 (possibly try a different one depending on recommendations)
Primers: Win WLR (possibly try a different one depending on recommendations and availability)

Used Federal Factory Ammo to break in and get sighted.

I do not have any Lapua fire formed brass from this rifle.

A couple of questions to get started:

-I do not have any fire formed Lapua to use to determine my chamber length. Was hoping to generate a couple from my initial load development that I can use to thread for Hornady OAL gauge. In the mean time I will have to research recommended length so I can get some initial rounds set up. Any recommendations?

-What would be the best use of my first batch of virgin brass rounds? Ladder test, OCW, etc.....I am currently prepping brass with 21st Cent mandrel (.307). Would appreciate any recommendations. I tend to over complicate things.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

"Shit can" the WLR primers and use CCI or Federal. Winchester primers have the smallest diameter and will fuck up your bolt face from gas leakage around the primer pocket.

Find the max charge using careful consideration of all signs being guided by the reloading manual, and then back off to 1.5%-2% from that point.

Load .050-.060 off the lands and call it done.

 

[Gustav7]

You can also just buy the modified cartridge offline to use on your bullet comparator if you don't want to go through the process of threading your own out.

Do you have a chronograph? If not, then I would say OCW

 

[M1Army]

This is what I do ^^^^ as I only have about 3 calibers I use most often and they are not expensive.

 

[gidds]

I do have a chrono!

 

[Kevins750]

175 SMK and 42gr of IMR 4064 @2.820 in lapua brass with fgmm primers is magic in my rifle. 60 shots in an F class match avg. 9.1 SD, 2650 fps.

 

[Gustav7]

I do have a chrono!

Well you can do multiple variations of the same thing then. OCW takes more rounds and requires you as the shooter to make sure you slow down and take your time and shoot well for all of the shots.

You can do ladder tests for velocity and look for "nodes" in the velocity. If you do this, I HIGHLY recommend doing multiple strings. I usually do 2-3, 10 shot ladder tests. I do the first one, let the barrel cool, do the second, etc...

You can also do ladder tests at distance and look at the target and the velocity. If you're: A - not very confident in your shooting, or B - not very confident in your handloading... I probably would do one on of the shorter yardage tests using velocity...as that takes a lot more variables out of the picture.

You can also take the advice of experienced shooters and try some of their recipes and adjust up or down slightly for what suites your gun.

For example I've heard probably 20 different guys say that 23.2-23.6gr of XBR 8208 is an accurate load with 75-77gr bullets for .223/5.56... While its true that each rifle is unique, there are definitely trends and commonalities with given bullets and powder

 

[Doom]

OCW does require good consistency from the shooter as do the longer range ladders. Kevins750 has given you a FGMM load (42.1 in Lupua brass)). This is a good load and should be in the neighborhood of where the 178 node is, around 41.8. It is not a max pressure load.

If you shoot 175 FGMM to break in, you will have a good handle on accuracy, both yours and the rifle.

I do not recommend WLR primers. I personally use Federal 210 and CCI #34.

As for powders, 4064 is great, as is Varget. If you have 4064 on hand, I would start out with that.