155gr Scenar Gasser Loads

[Desert_Racer]

Are any of you running 155gr Lapua Scenars in your gassers? What is your load and what how fast are you guys pushing them? I finally got my MATEN running and had some handloads to try out this morning. Here's the load that seemed to turn out the best:

155gr Scenar
Virgin Lapua Brass
CCI BR-2 primers
44.2gr IMR 8208 XBR
Seated at magazine length

I started showing pressure signs with this load. Had some fairly deep ejector swipes at 44.5gr. 44.8gr was a definite no-go.


Here's the rifle I put em through:


Rifle specs are as follows:
Mega MATEN upper/lower set
Fulton Armory chrome bolt carrier
JP Enhanced bolt w/ LWRC enhanced extractor and spring kit
Geissele Hi-Speed DMR trigger
DD Lite 13.0 Rail
Krieger 20", 1:11.25 twist barrel
Black Weapons Armory X-Comp
Magpul ST/R stock with Battleline Industries SAPR
JP Silent Capture Spring
SLR Gas Block
Leupold Mk 6 3-18x with Horus Reticle
Larue LT-105 Mount

 

[wareagle700]

I never could get the 155's up to speed. I pushed them around 2750 with 46.5gr of Varget from a 20" Lilja but that load blew primers and caused ejection issues. The 175's and 178's shoot great, are relatively cheap, and easy to find, so I have no reason to change. Generally, the 155's like to go fast and the .308 AR paltform is just not the best tool for pushing high pressures.

I made peace with the fact that a .308 AR can be very accurate, but it can't replace a good bolt gun.

 

[Desert_Racer]

I hear ya. It seems that the gents over in the bolt action section are favoring loads around 45.0gr of 8208 XBR with great results, but I'm thinking that would send my brass out the ejection port without the primer intact. 44.2gr left me with a decent group, however, so I would like to press through maybe another 50 rounds of it and see how it goes.

 

[FCS]

Are any of you running 155gr Lapua Scenars in your gassers? What is your load and what how fast are you guys pushing them? I finally got my MATEN running and had some handloads to try out this morning. Here's the load that seemed to turn out the best:

155gr Scenar
Virgin Lapua Brass
CCI BR-2 primers
44.2gr IMR 8208 XBR
Seated at magazine length

I started showing pressure signs with this load. Had some fairly deep ejector swipes at 44.5gr. 44.8gr was a definite no-go.


Here's the rifle I put em through:


Rifle specs are as follows:
Mega MATEN upper/lower set
Fulton Armory chrome bolt carrier
JP Enhanced bolt w/ LWRC enhanced extractor and spring kit
Geissele Hi-Speed DMR trigger
DD Lite 13.0 Rail
Krieger 20", 1:11.25 twist barrel
Black Weapons Armory X-Comp
Magpul ST/R stock with Battleline Industries SAPR
JP Silent Capture Spring
SLR Gas Block
Leupold Mk 6 3-18x with Horus Reticle
Larue LT-105 Mount

What buffer are you running?

 

[Desert_Racer]

JP Silent Capture spring with the lighter spring in it. I do have the spring kit though. I figured adjusting the gas block and maybe going up one spring rate might allow me to increase my load a hair due to the increased lock time.

 

[LRRPF52]

Try Hodgdon's CFE223.

 

[FCS]

JP Silent Capture spring with the lighter spring in it. I do have the spring kit though. I figured adjusting the gas block and maybe going up one spring rate might allow me to increase my load a hair due to the increased lock time.

My bad, didn't see that first pass.

Only so much you can do with a spring. I'd prefer to go as heavy as possible with buffer and then adjust spring to fine tune. I know, I know, I'm old school.