what should I try next

[mzvarner]

A few months ago I began working up 2 loads for my 20 inch 1:10 twist rem 700 308. Im using 178gr Amax, CCI LR primers, and Hornady match brass COAL 2.810 (not off ogive). the first is using 4064, the other is Varget. I ran an OCW for each powder. I ended up going with 43.5 gr of 4064 and 43.8gr in varget. I chose these loads because they were between increments that were shooting under .5 inch at 100 yards. I went out the other day and finally chronographed them and below are the results

Varget (13 shots total)

max- 2624
min- 2598
avg- 2610
SD- 8

4064 (30 shots)

max- 2644
min-2569
avg- 2610
SD- 16

My Varget load was shooting about MOA at 200 yards and the 4064 load opened up to about 3-4 inches. This is upsetting because I had high hopes for the 4064 load as it was shooting .464 inches at 100 yards. Now I will admit I wasnt really going for the best groups but going from half MOA to 1-2 MOA is not what I was hoping for. I know that it could have been my technique, but I had some one else shoot a few rounds and he is a very qualified shooter. His group was not much better, but we were both able to shoot the head of a steel chicken (about 2inchs in width) at 200 yards.

Should i mess with OAL? load up some more and focus more on consistent basic markmanship? It seems odd that my group would open up to ~4 inches yet I could still consistently hit a 2 inch object at 200 yards. I was also able to consistently hit steel at 480 yards and 1000 yards.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Double check that parallax is not your issue. Always do the head bob drill for each yardage until you learn/know your scope

 

[Ultraman550]

Load some long about .0015 off the lands measuring ogive to base and see if your groups change. I did some testing with Norma 203-B which is supposed to be identical to RL 15 and loaded 10 rounds jumped and 10 rounds jammed. Used 175 SMK, LC 11 brass, CCI primers, 41.3 grain and the results were completely different. The longer rounds shot much better and had a lower ES and SD. MV was average 2700 for the shorter and 2670 for the long.

 

[mzvarner]

Load some long about .0015 off the lands measuring ogive to base and see if your groups change. I did some testing with Norma 203-B which is supposed to be identical to RL 15 and loaded 10 rounds jumped and 10 rounds jammed. Used 175 SMK, LC 11 brass, CCI primers, 41.3 grain and the results were completely different. The longer rounds shot much better and had a lower ES and SD. MV was average 2700 for the shorter and 2670 for the long.

I have loaded up another 20 rounds so far and loaded them to mag length (stock remington BDL mag) which puts them at 2.835. is this to long or you think longer? I dont want to have to hand feed each load as i dont think thats very realistic.

also what is meant by "head bob test"

 

[Thumper580]

Head bob.... Say at 100 yards, back your had away from the scope until sight picture through the scope begins to close alittle. Look at the cross hair on the target. Slightly move your head up and down, left and right. If the parallax is correct the crosshairs will not appear to move. If the parallax if off the cross hair will move around when you "head bob".

 

[Ultraman550]

If you haven't done it already I would check your chamber length. If your internal mag length is 2.835 then I agree, theres no point loading longer because then you'll have to single feed.

 

[bruddah]

My Varget load was shooting about MOA at 200 yards and the 4064 load opened up to about 3-4 inches. This is upsetting because I had high hopes for the 4064 load as it was shooting .464 inches at 100 yards. Now I will admit I wasnt really going for the best groups but going from half MOA to 1-2 MOA is not what I was hoping for. I know that it could have been my technique, but I had some one else shoot a few rounds and he is a very qualified shooter. His group was not much better, but we were both able to shoot the head of a steel chicken (about 2inchs in width) at 200 yards.

Should i mess with OAL? load up some more and focus more on consistent basic markmanship? It seems odd that my group would open up to ~4 inches yet I could still consistently hit a 2 inch object at 200 yards. I was also able to consistently hit steel at 480 yards and 1000 yards.

Sounds like you've got technique issues. You're focusing more on the chicken head and using better technique than you are on paper.