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Advice needed please. .308 168 A-Max

farmer7

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 28, 2013
55
1
Scotland, Highlands
Hello,

I've been using the 168 A-max in my PSS for 2 years charged with 44.2 gr of Varget with satisfactory results but today I decided I'd like to try the OCW method of reloading.

Also I fitted it into an AICS stock which seems to have improved its consistency overall.

I started with my loads at 44gr moving up to 46.1 max with no pressure signs at all. The groups on either sides of and including 45.5 all had the same POI.

According to the instructions for this method once you find the OCW you should tune the load with primer changes and adjusting seating depths. Because I'm feeding out of a magazine I seated it as long as I could that would still fit in the mag.

Question is would it be worth seating any deeper? I know it does have a long throat.

Primer wise its loaded with CCI BR-2s but I also have CCI 200's. Is it worth trying them?

I dont want to blaze up my hard to find supplies (Varget and CCI's-word over here is we wont be seeing any Varget for a long time!) if its unlikely to help.

It's shooting on average between 0.55 and 0.75 at the moment with the odd slightly better and slightly worse group.

The average ES was 11fps at 45.5 for 2786fps. Any opinions greatfully received.

I have my first competition coming up in the next few weeks so need to get my load sorted!

Thanks in advance.
 
I'd say stick with the load with the lowest ES, the happy place where you POI is the same on both sides, and if those jive with no pressure signs, stick with that. I've found the 168gr Amax to be pretty forgiving as far as seating depth. If you are getting consistent sub-moa groups and still feeding from the magazine, I would be running that in a match any day.
 
I would be happy with what you're seeing in a factory Remington, and it sounds like you've got the OCW right.

You can mess with seating depth if you want to, but I seriously doubt it's gonna get any better than ES=11, and your groups sounds great. You won't see much if any difference between BR2's and 200's, I wouldn't bither testing there. Just use up the BR2's and then switch to 200's.
 
Thanks for the input fellas' , thats what I hoped someone would say!

I just wasn't sure if it was worth seating any deeper, if anyone got an accuracy improvement by seating deeper.

I'll just stick with where I am!

Thanks again.