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308 Winchester AR Only

Using sierra 155s I have Ar Comp and Varget. GRT showing Varget would be a little less pressure and more velocity. Any idea where to start with a gas gun? Looking at 45ish gr of Varget and 43ish gr of AR COMP.
 
Using sierra 155s I have Ar Comp and Varget. GRT showing Varget would be a little less pressure and more velocity. Any idea where to start with a gas gun? Looking at 45ish gr of Varget and 43ish gr of AR COMP.
What brass? Because there's a world of difference between Lake City and Winchester brass.

For Varget, Hodgdon's .308 Service Rifle data shows a starting load of 43.0 and 44.0 max charge.

IME gas guns are just different and won't handle the same charges as your bolt guns. The service rifle data is geared more toward the M1 and M14 rifles... But probably a good place to start with an AR-10/.308

Can't help you with AR-Comp. But I bet someone else can chime in.

Mike
 
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I think 45gr Varget is top end; wouldn't start there. Not sure if that's what you meant. I topped out at 43.5gr in LC brass as previously mentioned. Varget is kinda slow honestly. I tried StaBall Match yesterday. 47gr was the max I could fit in a case. Book max is 48.7(C)
 
What brass? Because there's a world of difference between Lake City and Winchester brass.

For Varget, Hodgdon's .308 Service Rifle data shows a starting load of 43.0 and 44.0 max charge.

IME gas guns are just different and won't handle the same charges as your bolt guns. The service rifle data is geared more toward the M1 and M14 rifles... But probably a good place to start with an AR-10/.308

Can't help you with AR-Comp. But I bet someone else can chime in.

Mike
Federal brass
 
I think 45gr Varget is top end; wouldn't start there. Not sure if that's what you meant. I topped out at 43.5gr in LC brass as previously mentioned. Varget is kinda slow honestly. I tried StaBall Match yesterday. 47gr was the max I could fit in a case. Book max is 48.7(C)
I have loaded 46-47 with 155s in a bolt gun figured 45 would be ok, maybe I'll start lower
 
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I will have to check my loads in my book. Ar comp does much better with lighter bullets like the 155 than heavier bullets.
 
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I think 45gr Varget is top end; wouldn't start there. Not sure if that's what you meant. I topped out at 43.5gr in LC brass as previously mentioned. Varget is kinda slow honestly. I tried StaBall Match yesterday. 47gr was the max I could fit in a case. Book max is 48.7(C)
Are you shooting that staball match load in a gas gun? What bullet, and group size? I've got a few pounds of the staball match that I'd like to try under 175-178 gr a-max's or eldm's.
 
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Are you shooting that staball match load in a gas gun? What bullet, and group size? I've got a few pounds of the staball match that I'd like to try under 175-178 gr a-max's or eldm's.
Yes. 155gr SMKs. I should caveat that I'm using LC brass so I don't think I got full utility out of it. If you look at Hodgdon's load data StaBall Match provides some of the highest velocities but I wasn't able to fit the book max in the case. I loaded 46.5gr and 47gr. 46.5 shot about .7" and 26-something fps. About like Varget. 47 was definitely compressed and it showed. The group opened up and SDs where all over the place. It's kind of like StaBall 6.5. That powder needs to be close to 100% fill for accuracy and good SDs. But it gets wild when compressed.

I think StaBall Match could be a great 308 gas gun powder but you need the right brand of case to use it. As weird as it sounds I think Hornady and Winchester are probably the best options to get the max capacity to use this powder. I'm just not using the right brass for it.
 
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Using sierra 155s I have Ar Comp and Varget. GRT showing Varget would be a little less pressure and more velocity. Any idea where to start with a gas gun? Looking at 45ish gr of Varget and 43ish gr of AR COMP.
...some pressure test results I obtained. Brass was assorted year LC. Environment is tropical island, avg year round temp ~85F, Relative humidity ranges from 65-80% during daylight hours to 85-100% at night. AR-10 build w/16" CLGS tube & SLR AGB, standard carbine buffer system. YMMV

1715838446675.png
 
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.308 16" 1:11.25 (Seekins)
125gr Speer TNT
Starline SRP brass
CCI 450
50.0gr 8208 XBR
3030 fps

Very accurate, but I don't measure groups with this gun as it wears a thermal 100% of the time. Extremely effective on hogs and yotes.
 
.308 16" 1:11.25 (Seekins)
125gr Speer TNT
Starline SRP brass
CCI 450
50.0gr 8208 XBR
3030 fps

Very accurate, but I don't measure groups with this gun as it wears a thermal 100% of the time. Extremely effective on hogs and yotes.
I like the sound of that.
 
Has anyone used Tac with 150-155 gr stuff? Looks like I might get more velocity with Varget but not sure.
 
Has anyone used Tac with 150-155 gr stuff? Looks like I might get more velocity with Varget but not sure.
These 5-shot groups are from a 16” bolt gun. 1:11 twist.

Peterson SRP, CCI450, Berger 155 VLD, Ramshot TAC

Grains - Avg FPS, SD, ES

44.4 - 2654, 10.6, 26.5
44.7 - 2677, 13.7, 42.0
45.0 - 2687, 10.5, 26.0
45.3 - 2704, 9.1, 25.0
45.6 - 2733, 1.7, 4.0, (4 shot group)

All the groups were sub-MOA but the first one was one hole.

Factory Federal GM 155gr SMK ran at 2600 fps from the same barrel.
 
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These 5-shot groups are from a 16” bolt gun. 1:11 twist.

Peterson SRP, CCI450, Berger 155 VLD, Ramshot TAC

Grains - Avg FPS, SD, ES

44.4 - 2654, 10.6, 26.5
44.7 - 2677, 13.7, 42.0
45.0 - 2687, 10.5, 26.0
45.3 - 2704, 9.1, 25.0
45.6 - 2733, 1.7, 4.0, (4 shot group)

All the groups were sub-MOA but the first one was one hole.

Factory Federal GM 155gr SMK ran at 2600 fps from the same barrel.
Any pressure signs on the top load??
 
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Nope. I’m gonna load some more at the low end and top end and see if results are reproduced. Shot this last week.
Just finished my 16" 8T Poor-arue build and have some 155TMK's on the way. Was already thinking Tac. Hopefully I'll make it to the range next weekend. Might try some 174 VT's for kicks
 
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These 5-shot groups are from a 16” bolt gun. 1:11 twist.

Peterson SRP, CCI450, Berger 155 VLD, Ramshot TAC

Grains - Avg FPS, SD, ES

44.4 - 2654, 10.6, 26.5
44.7 - 2677, 13.7, 42.0
45.0 - 2687, 10.5, 26.0
45.3 - 2704, 9.1, 25.0
45.6 - 2733, 1.7, 4.0, (4 shot group)

All the groups were sub-MOA but the first one was one hole.

Factory Federal GM 155gr SMK ran at 2600 fps from the same barrel.

I use 42.5gr with 147 FMJ bullets and LC brass in my AR10 it's great for plinking about 2550-2600fps from a 16". You can use it in 30-06 too it loads very much like IMR4895.
 
I bought some Hornady 150gr fmjs, gonna attempt to get something shooting with Varget. Just returned a Rainier match barrel that shot like shit, bought a BA on sale for 120$ on memorial day just to try before I buy something truly expensive. Shot 1.3-1.5 moa with Nosler 175s and Varget 42.5gr. Alot better than the 380$ Rainier ironically. Gas port was way cleaner on the BA too. Mustve lucked out because I dont really like BA barrels. Just loaded up to get the gun broken in. I'll be happy if I can get the fmjs to do that consistently.
 
Took two loads with Hornady 150 fmjs w/ cannelure (loaded long, case not touching cannelure) two charges of Varget. 46 and 46.2, shot just under 3 MOA tried a shorter seating depth as well, didn't make much difference. Got them to 2800 though with a 18" barrel, super sonic past 1k. Wouldn't go any higher charge wise. Brass looks good but primers were just barely starting to flatten @46.2.

I had some Hornady 155 bthps laying around, loaded some of those @ 45.2 Varget, mag length. Shot well, 2725 out of the 18". I have some 155 SMKs and more Hornadys I am going to try.

I am hoping to get the 150 fmjs down to around 1.5 moa because they are cheap and nice to shoot recoil wise. I might try Tac or AR Comp next. Also run a seating depth test.

Side note, AR10 barrels get hot fast. I spent a lot of time waiting for it to cool.

Happy with the 120$ memorial day sale Ballistic Advantage so far.
 

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Confirmed the Hornady 155s, shot better than the 155 SMKs which seems odd but I won't complain.
 

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I think IMR 4895 is going to do the trick for the 150 FMJs. Took it from 3 to 2 moa and gave a nice little bump in velocity. 2819 out of a 18". Hopefully I can tune it down a little more but for plinking at 21c per bullet this will work for me.
 

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