168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

[Snakum]

I've read everything I could find here and elsewhere in the 168gr Amax and 4895 powders (IMR and Hodgen). So here's my plan for development via OCW, based on results others have gotten in similar length barrels with H4895/Amax:

R1 42.6
R2 42.9
R3 43.2
R4 43.5
R5 43.8
R6 44.1 (as long as no press signs)

Win/BHA once-fired brass
Win LR primers
Trimming to 2.005
OAL of 2.810 - will try .020 jump after OCW
Rifle is Savage 10FCP-K, 24" fluted bbl

Any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[427Cobra]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

skip the 168's all together and shoot 175/178's

 

[alf]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

Or 155 Scenars....

 

[Snakum]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

Can't. Got a crap load of 168 SMKs and Amaxes fer almost nuttn. I'm poor and have to use 'em.

 

[Grump]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Snakum</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can't. Got a crap load of 168 SMKs and Amaxes fer almost nuttn. I'm poor and have to use 'em.

</div></div>
If not you, then who?

If not now, when?

Enjoy!!!

 

[Snakum]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

Well MidSouth messed up my order and no more Amaxes are on the way, after all. But I found a bunch of the powder locally so I'll go back and use up the SMKs. Just did an OCW development on the SMKs and I have them shooting to 1/2 MOA every time. Pretty sweet.

Soon as Wideners gets the Amaxes back in I'll grab a thousand. Still wanna develop for them with the 4064 and 4895.

 

[former naval person]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

For all the naysayers...the Huge Government loaders used 4895 and 4064 (especially 4064 for the match stuff) for years. My .308 does extremely well with 4064. Load and work up what you got. JMHO

 

[Snakum]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

Ordered 500 168gr Amaxes today from Man Venture Outdoors. Got 'em cheap as hell, too. $126 including shipping. I have 200 prepped and primed Win/Black Hills cases ready and hope to be working up the load by Friday. When done I will have loads and associated dope for 168gr BTHP and Amaxes using IMR4895, H4895, IMR4064 and for Win/Black Hills and for Lake CIty NATO brass. So no matter what's in stock when times get tough, I'll have a load and dope for whatever I can scrounge. Learned a ton getting all the info, too.

 

[Snakum]

Re: 168gr Amax and H4895 OCW plan

They didn't seem to be any more accurate than SMKs, but I haven't taken them out past 200 yet. Will try to 400 yards tomorrow.

R1 42.6 .850
R2 42.9 .700
R3 43.2 .525
R4 43.5 .650
R5 43.8 1.100
R6 44.1 1.050

R7 43.2 .500 1.250 @ 200
R8 43.5 .575 1.700 @ 200

Loading up a few hundred at 43.2 tonight using 2.815 OAL. Seemed to be the sweet spot.

Edit ... Got to use em Saturday PM out to 400 yards. They don't appear to be any <span style="font-style: italic">more </span>accurate than the SMKs in the FCP-K, but they seem to stay more accurate in windy conditions, even though the published BCs aren't radically different. Not bad at all. 43.2gr 4895 under the Amaxes seemed to shoot well in my little scout gun, too. Gotta check them out in my 7600 next.