Im about to reload some Hornady 178 AMAX for my 308.. Does this bullet like to be jumped or placed on the lands? Also, where should I start the bullet grain at using Varget powder?
- Thread starter Jackalope33B
- Start date
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
what rifle? my 5R is 2.838 coal, with 44.8 gr varget, ccibr2, and Laupa Brass. dime size groups at 100, 3" at 500.
what rifle? my 5R is 2.838 coal, with 44.8 gr varget, ccibr2, and Laupa Brass. dime size groups at 100, 3" at 500.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
Its a custom rifle (cant discuss the name of here for certain reasons). I am using Win brass, Fed 210M primer.
Its a custom rifle (cant discuss the name of here for certain reasons). I am using Win brass, Fed 210M primer.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
The 178 Amax does not mind a jump. Just fit it in the mag, find you a good charge weight and it will shoot. It's definitely one of my favorites.
The 178 Amax does not mind a jump. Just fit it in the mag, find you a good charge weight and it will shoot. It's definitely one of my favorites.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
I too am playing with178 amax's and varget.
I was only able to get 2.835 coal in the stock magazine.
Running win brass and br-2s
Was going to test 42-44 gr but now maybe 43-45
I too am playing with178 amax's and varget.
I was only able to get 2.835 coal in the stock magazine.
Running win brass and br-2s
Was going to test 42-44 gr but now maybe 43-45
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
They don't mind the jump at all.
44.5 grs Varget
Mag Length
Fed 210M.
Hornady Match brass
5 shots-1/2 group @100yds
Bedded and trued 20" Remington LTR
They don't mind the jump at all.
44.5 grs Varget
Mag Length
Fed 210M.
Hornady Match brass
5 shots-1/2 group @100yds
Bedded and trued 20" Remington LTR
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
As with any load. Start low and work up to it and keep an eye for any signs of pressure.
As with any load. Start low and work up to it and keep an eye for any signs of pressure.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Its a custom rifle (cant discuss the name of here for certain reasons). I am using Win brass, Fed 210M primer. </div></div>
Bet I know
He's a great guy and a great gunsmith...and an even greater guy!
Make sure he still has the Bisley Reamer or the reamer he uses for 168/175 bullets. If it's gonna be chambered for that, load 43.8 Varget in Winchester brass and OAL 2.820. This load is 1/4 MOA out of my custom chamber gun and so far has held 1/2-3/4 MOA to 620 yards
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Its a custom rifle (cant discuss the name of here for certain reasons). I am using Win brass, Fed 210M primer. </div></div>
Bet I know
He's a great guy and a great gunsmith...and an even greater guy!
Make sure he still has the Bisley Reamer or the reamer he uses for 168/175 bullets. If it's gonna be chambered for that, load 43.8 Varget in Winchester brass and OAL 2.820. This load is 1/4 MOA out of my custom chamber gun and so far has held 1/2-3/4 MOA to 620 yards
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im about to reload some Hornady 178 AMAX for my 308.. Does this bullet like to be jumped or placed on the lands? Also, where should I start the bullet grain at using Varget powder? </div></div>
I dont know about the AMAXs but the 178hpbts seem to like a lot of jump, like .110" off, just like the 168 & 155AMAXs, that would be a oal of 2.850". Use the Varget for something else, use 2000MR. 47.5grs.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im about to reload some Hornady 178 AMAX for my 308.. Does this bullet like to be jumped or placed on the lands? Also, where should I start the bullet grain at using Varget powder? </div></div>
I dont know about the AMAXs but the 178hpbts seem to like a lot of jump, like .110" off, just like the 168 & 155AMAXs, that would be a oal of 2.850". Use the Varget for something else, use 2000MR. 47.5grs.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
I'm shooting them .01" off the lands. Best groups at 43 gr of varget, but everything between 42.5 and 45 gr has shot well.
I'm shooting them .01" off the lands. Best groups at 43 gr of varget, but everything between 42.5 and 45 gr has shot well.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
I load mine to 2.8" so they run through my magazine. They don't mind the jump at all. I shoot them over 44.5 grains of varget and I'm getting average groups of around .6" through my AAC-SD at 100 yards.
I shoot 52 grain amax's through my .22-250 and load them just off the lands and have had excellent results with that also.
Fromy limited experience, I don't think they're real sensitive to seating depth.
I load mine to 2.8" so they run through my magazine. They don't mind the jump at all. I shoot them over 44.5 grains of varget and I'm getting average groups of around .6" through my AAC-SD at 100 yards.
I shoot 52 grain amax's through my .22-250 and load them just off the lands and have had excellent results with that also.
Fromy limited experience, I don't think they're real sensitive to seating depth.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
Friday I tested the 178 AMAX using 46.5 gr. of PowerPro 2000 MR powder at several different seating depths at 300 yards. Rifle is a Savage 110FP with a 24" barrel and 1:10 twist. Muzzle velocity averaged 2650 fps. Best results were achieved with bullet at or near the lands. Target is 3" shoot-n-c.
Friday I tested the 178 AMAX using 46.5 gr. of PowerPro 2000 MR powder at several different seating depths at 300 yards. Rifle is a Savage 110FP with a 24" barrel and 1:10 twist. Muzzle velocity averaged 2650 fps. Best results were achieved with bullet at or near the lands. Target is 3" shoot-n-c.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
2.276" OAL, really? Why so deep? What kinda brass are you using? All the AMAXs Ive ever shot shoot really good around 2.850" OAL, the 178HPBTs shoot better the deeper you go it seems, Ill be loading some Lapua brass this morning and I think Ill be seating the 178hpbts to about 2.840", damn Lapua brass holds 4.5grs of 760 less than Win brass, thats seems like a lot to me. This is my best so far with 4 shots with the 178HPBT seated at 2.850", the 3 shots vertical are about 1.25".
2.276" OAL, really? Why so deep? What kinda brass are you using? All the AMAXs Ive ever shot shoot really good around 2.850" OAL, the 178HPBTs shoot better the deeper you go it seems, Ill be loading some Lapua brass this morning and I think Ill be seating the 178hpbts to about 2.840", damn Lapua brass holds 4.5grs of 760 less than Win brass, thats seems like a lot to me. This is my best so far with 4 shots with the 178HPBT seated at 2.850", the 3 shots vertical are about 1.25".
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess but I think that number is to the ogive of the bullet and not full oal. </div></div>
I'm not sure about the post above with the 2.276" OAL, but my load is at 2.815" OAL with an ogive of 2.19".
Im running this in a .308 ar with 44gr of varget. Great results, and by far my favorite bullet out of my rifle.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess but I think that number is to the ogive of the bullet and not full oal. </div></div>
I'm not sure about the post above with the 2.276" OAL, but my load is at 2.815" OAL with an ogive of 2.19".
Im running this in a .308 ar with 44gr of varget. Great results, and by far my favorite bullet out of my rifle.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m1ajunkie</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess but I think that number is to the ogive of the bullet and not full oal. </div></div>
I'm not sure about the post above with the 2.276" OAL, but my load is at 2.815" OAL with an ogive of 2.19".
Im running this in a .308 ar with 44gr of varget. Great results, and by far my favorite bullet out of my rifle. </div></div>
Can you post your targets, would love to see the MOA youre getting.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m1ajunkie</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess but I think that number is to the ogive of the bullet and not full oal. </div></div>
I'm not sure about the post above with the 2.276" OAL, but my load is at 2.815" OAL with an ogive of 2.19".
Im running this in a .308 ar with 44gr of varget. Great results, and by far my favorite bullet out of my rifle. </div></div>
Can you post your targets, would love to see the MOA youre getting.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
I just loaded some lapua brass as I said I would with 45, 45.5, 46grs 2000MR, oal is right around 2.835"(178HPBT) depending upon the nose of some of the bullets, 47.5grs is a very accurate load with Win brass, the Lapua brass has the same case capacity with about 45grs as it does with 47.5grs in the Win brass, hope I can get the same or better accuracy and velocity with the lapua brass, time will tell.
I just loaded some lapua brass as I said I would with 45, 45.5, 46grs 2000MR, oal is right around 2.835"(178HPBT) depending upon the nose of some of the bullets, 47.5grs is a very accurate load with Win brass, the Lapua brass has the same case capacity with about 45grs as it does with 47.5grs in the Win brass, hope I can get the same or better accuracy and velocity with the lapua brass, time will tell.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JGorski</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m1ajunkie</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess but I think that number is to the ogive of the bullet and not full oal. </div></div>
I'm not sure about the post above with the 2.276" OAL, but my load is at 2.815" OAL with an ogive of 2.19".
Im running this in a .308 ar with 44gr of varget. Great results, and by far my favorite bullet out of my rifle. </div></div>
Can you post your targets, would love to see the MOA youre getting. </div></div>
Here are a couple pics I could find where I confirmed my load. These are five round groups, but I normally shoot multiple 5 round groups in stead of 10 round groups. I'm not an exceptional shooter, so I consider the best I am capable of at the time.
100yds:
400yds:
A shot of my brass after it's been fired with this load. A little hot as you can tell by the primers, but no extractor or ejector marks are visible.
ETA: A couple more pics I found.
600yds:
500yds:
It may not be apparent from the pics, but I have been shooting this same load for the last year. It is the only bullet I shoot anymore although I have been thinking of going with the BTHP 178gr.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JGorski</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m1ajunkie</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a guess but I think that number is to the ogive of the bullet and not full oal. </div></div>
I'm not sure about the post above with the 2.276" OAL, but my load is at 2.815" OAL with an ogive of 2.19".
Im running this in a .308 ar with 44gr of varget. Great results, and by far my favorite bullet out of my rifle. </div></div>
Can you post your targets, would love to see the MOA youre getting. </div></div>
Here are a couple pics I could find where I confirmed my load. These are five round groups, but I normally shoot multiple 5 round groups in stead of 10 round groups. I'm not an exceptional shooter, so I consider the best I am capable of at the time.
100yds:
400yds:
A shot of my brass after it's been fired with this load. A little hot as you can tell by the primers, but no extractor or ejector marks are visible.
ETA: A couple more pics I found.
600yds:
500yds:
It may not be apparent from the pics, but I have been shooting this same load for the last year. It is the only bullet I shoot anymore although I have been thinking of going with the BTHP 178gr.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
Ok, I just loaded up some 178 Amax's for my 308.. There are a few issues that I ran into. First of all, I started my load at 43gr of Varget. I can tell this is somewhat a compressed load. I could hear the powder slightly crunching together. I went all the way up to 44.5gr in .3gr increments.
Second, to the lands, I have an Ogive reading of 2.203. So I adjusted my Redding Comp Die to seat the bullets at 2.193 (to start .010 off the lands). I know to expect a variance of +/- a thousandths of an inch. But some of my rounds were dead on and I had a few that varied up to 2.199 and as low as 2.183. WTF?!? Is this acceptable or a bad batch of bullets?
Win Brass
Fed 210M Primer
Varget Powder
Forster CO-AX Press
Redding Comp Seating Die
Hornady ogive comparator
Ok, I just loaded up some 178 Amax's for my 308.. There are a few issues that I ran into. First of all, I started my load at 43gr of Varget. I can tell this is somewhat a compressed load. I could hear the powder slightly crunching together. I went all the way up to 44.5gr in .3gr increments.
Second, to the lands, I have an Ogive reading of 2.203. So I adjusted my Redding Comp Die to seat the bullets at 2.193 (to start .010 off the lands). I know to expect a variance of +/- a thousandths of an inch. But some of my rounds were dead on and I had a few that varied up to 2.199 and as low as 2.183. WTF?!? Is this acceptable or a bad batch of bullets?
Win Brass
Fed 210M Primer
Varget Powder
Forster CO-AX Press
Redding Comp Seating Die
Hornady ogive comparator
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
Ok, here is what I just did, so bear with me... I have a Redding Comp Die. I took it apart, and separated the "Seating Stem." I placed the seating stem between the calipers and placed a bullet in it to get my reading. I did this with 10 different bullets and got about 7 different readings of up to +/- .005 I then placed a Hornady ogive comparator on the caliper and did my readings again. This was by far more accurate than the seating stem method. Out of 10 readings, only 2 were more than .001 of an inch off and the rest were dead on balls accurate. So now I wonder how accurate the Redding Comp die is? It does not seat the bullet off the Ogive, the stem seater touches the bullet more towards the tip of it.
I wonder if Redding will ground down the seating stem to match the Ogive of a particular bullet?
Ok, here is what I just did, so bear with me... I have a Redding Comp Die. I took it apart, and separated the "Seating Stem." I placed the seating stem between the calipers and placed a bullet in it to get my reading. I did this with 10 different bullets and got about 7 different readings of up to +/- .005 I then placed a Hornady ogive comparator on the caliper and did my readings again. This was by far more accurate than the seating stem method. Out of 10 readings, only 2 were more than .001 of an inch off and the rest were dead on balls accurate. So now I wonder how accurate the Redding Comp die is? It does not seat the bullet off the Ogive, the stem seater touches the bullet more towards the tip of it.
I wonder if Redding will ground down the seating stem to match the Ogive of a particular bullet?
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok, I just loaded up some 178 Amax's for my 308.. There are a few issues that I ran into. First of all, I started my load at 43gr of Varget. I can tell this is somewhat a compressed load. I could hear the powder slightly crunching together. I went all the way up to 44.5gr in .3gr increments.
Second, to the lands, I have an Ogive reading of 2.203. So I adjusted my Redding Comp Die to seat the bullets at 2.193 (to start .010 off the lands). I know to expect a variance of +/- a thousandths of an inch. But some of my rounds were dead on and I had a few that varied up to 2.199 and as low as 2.183. WTF?!? Is this acceptable or a bad batch of bullets?
Win Brass
Fed 210M Primer
Varget Powder
Forster CO-AX Press
Redding Comp Seating Die
Hornady ogive comparator </div></div>
Did you sort your bullets by base to ogive length before trying this? You will have a pretty good amount of variance within a box. I sort a box into bags of bullets that are all the same base to ogive length, and then use one certain bag as I do load development. Hope that helps.
For the record, these bullets get launched from my AAC-SD with 43.9gn of Varget and make nice little buggy holes. I still need to fine tune my depth, but two different loads at two differnt lenghts have resulted in very similar groups, so I may not have too much to play with.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok, I just loaded up some 178 Amax's for my 308.. There are a few issues that I ran into. First of all, I started my load at 43gr of Varget. I can tell this is somewhat a compressed load. I could hear the powder slightly crunching together. I went all the way up to 44.5gr in .3gr increments.
Second, to the lands, I have an Ogive reading of 2.203. So I adjusted my Redding Comp Die to seat the bullets at 2.193 (to start .010 off the lands). I know to expect a variance of +/- a thousandths of an inch. But some of my rounds were dead on and I had a few that varied up to 2.199 and as low as 2.183. WTF?!? Is this acceptable or a bad batch of bullets?
Win Brass
Fed 210M Primer
Varget Powder
Forster CO-AX Press
Redding Comp Seating Die
Hornady ogive comparator </div></div>
Did you sort your bullets by base to ogive length before trying this? You will have a pretty good amount of variance within a box. I sort a box into bags of bullets that are all the same base to ogive length, and then use one certain bag as I do load development. Hope that helps.
For the record, these bullets get launched from my AAC-SD with 43.9gn of Varget and make nice little buggy holes. I still need to fine tune my depth, but two different loads at two differnt lenghts have resulted in very similar groups, so I may not have too much to play with.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JGorski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">2.276" OAL, really? Why so deep? What kinda brass are you using? All the AMAXs Ive ever shot shoot really good around 2.850" OAL, the 178HPBTs shoot better the deeper you go it seems, Ill be loading some Lapua brass this morning and I think Ill be seating the 178hpbts to about 2.840", damn Lapua brass holds 4.5grs of 760 less than Win brass, thats seems like a lot to me. This is my best so far with 4 shots with the 178HPBT seated at 2.850", the 3 shots vertical are about 1.25".
</div></div>
2.276" OAL is measured to the ogive. Overall cartridge length averaged about 2.910". Using Lapua brass.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JGorski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">2.276" OAL, really? Why so deep? What kinda brass are you using? All the AMAXs Ive ever shot shoot really good around 2.850" OAL, the 178HPBTs shoot better the deeper you go it seems, Ill be loading some Lapua brass this morning and I think Ill be seating the 178hpbts to about 2.840", damn Lapua brass holds 4.5grs of 760 less than Win brass, thats seems like a lot to me. This is my best so far with 4 shots with the 178HPBT seated at 2.850", the 3 shots vertical are about 1.25".
</div></div>
2.276" OAL is measured to the ogive. Overall cartridge length averaged about 2.910". Using Lapua brass.
Re: Hornady 178 AMAX 308
No I didnt. Plus with the Hornady Bullet Comparator, it measures ALOT further down than where the seating stem for the redding comp die touches the bullet. Where the seating stem touches the bullet its far more less accurate than getting readings off the Hornady bullet comparator.
I just called redding up, and they dont make custom seating stems that measure farther down on the bullet.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Huckleberry75</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok, I just loaded up some 178 Amax's for my 308.. There are a few issues that I ran into. First of all, I started my load at 43gr of Varget. I can tell this is somewhat a compressed load. I could hear the powder slightly crunching together. I went all the way up to 44.5gr in .3gr increments.
Second, to the lands, I have an Ogive reading of 2.203. So I adjusted my Redding Comp Die to seat the bullets at 2.193 (to start .010 off the lands). I know to expect a variance of +/- a thousandths of an inch. But some of my rounds were dead on and I had a few that varied up to 2.199 and as low as 2.183. WTF?!? Is this acceptable or a bad batch of bullets?
Win Brass
Fed 210M Primer
Varget Powder
Forster CO-AX Press
Redding Comp Seating Die
Hornady ogive comparator </div></div>
Did you sort your bullets by base to ogive length before trying this? You will have a pretty good amount of variance within a box. I sort a box into bags of bullets that are all the same base to ogive length, and then use one certain bag as I do load development. Hope that helps.
For the record, these bullets get launched from my AAC-SD with 43.9gn of Varget and make nice little buggy holes. I still need to fine tune my depth, but two different loads at two differnt lenghts have resulted in very similar groups, so I may not have too much to play with.
</div></div>
No I didnt. Plus with the Hornady Bullet Comparator, it measures ALOT further down than where the seating stem for the redding comp die touches the bullet. Where the seating stem touches the bullet its far more less accurate than getting readings off the Hornady bullet comparator.
I just called redding up, and they dont make custom seating stems that measure farther down on the bullet.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Huckleberry75</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jackalope33B</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok, I just loaded up some 178 Amax's for my 308.. There are a few issues that I ran into. First of all, I started my load at 43gr of Varget. I can tell this is somewhat a compressed load. I could hear the powder slightly crunching together. I went all the way up to 44.5gr in .3gr increments.
Second, to the lands, I have an Ogive reading of 2.203. So I adjusted my Redding Comp Die to seat the bullets at 2.193 (to start .010 off the lands). I know to expect a variance of +/- a thousandths of an inch. But some of my rounds were dead on and I had a few that varied up to 2.199 and as low as 2.183. WTF?!? Is this acceptable or a bad batch of bullets?
Win Brass
Fed 210M Primer
Varget Powder
Forster CO-AX Press
Redding Comp Seating Die
Hornady ogive comparator </div></div>
Did you sort your bullets by base to ogive length before trying this? You will have a pretty good amount of variance within a box. I sort a box into bags of bullets that are all the same base to ogive length, and then use one certain bag as I do load development. Hope that helps.
For the record, these bullets get launched from my AAC-SD with 43.9gn of Varget and make nice little buggy holes. I still need to fine tune my depth, but two different loads at two differnt lenghts have resulted in very similar groups, so I may not have too much to play with.
</div></div>
Similar threads
Reloading Equipment Hornady .308 208gr Amax bullets - 400 quantity
