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178g hpbt over varget min and max

Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

43.2 is pretty conservative. I started at 43.5, went up over 44gr before I even had a hint of pressure. Settled on 43.8 since I was getting better than 2600fps out of them and it was shooting groups in the low 3s

Mine were loaded a little long though, 2.240 to the o-give, little under 2.9 coal
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uncledillers</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thanks, just to confirm, that was the hpbt, not the A-max?

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Both. Hornady gives data by bullet weight, then COL for each individual bullet is at the top of the page. You'll cut your test short if you work around the upper end of the load data. Maybe load up a ladder starting at 41 or 42gr in .3gr increments.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

I ended up loading from 40g to 45g in .5 increments all .010 jammed. Even at 45 the only pressure sigh was a bit on shine ont he case head, no primer indications, and bolt lift was definatlly not a insure.
Nodes seemed to be round 42, 42.5 and 43, and even more promising a node 44.5 and 45.

Only have a 100m range and winter is starting to bite in so, I may have to wait until spring to develop it further, when its warmer and have access to a longer range.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uncledillers</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just looking if any one can tell me, what the hornady book specs for min, and max load for hornady 178g hpbt 308 over varget is?

Thanks
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Id skip the Varget and go with 2000MR, Ive been getting good results with 47.5grs with the Hornady 178HPBT, CCIBR primers, Win brass. And velocity is up over 2700fps.
2011-08-26-77257.jpg

SPSS178HPBT.jpg

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Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

My buddy and I started with about 45 grains of Varget and, over the past two years, have gradually dropped the amount of powder down to below 42 grains. It seems the groups we get at 1000 yards get better each time we reduce the load. The rifle is a lot tamer, too.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

I've had reasonably good results (3/4" 5 shots @ 100yd) using 178gr A-Max loaded with 43.4gr Varget in once-fired FGMM brass, CCI BR2 primers. Has been my go-to hunting load from my bolt gun. Every deer I've shot, except one that was moving when shot, has been a one-shot kill. The mover needed a second shot to put it down, as I just clipped the top of the spine in the neck with the 1st shot. My load is running around 2720fps from a 25" Bartlein 5R barrel.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rugrat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My buddy and I started with about 45 grains of Varget and, over the past two years, have gradually dropped the amount of powder down to below 42 grains. It seems the groups we get at 1000 yards get better each time we reduce the load. The rifle is a lot tamer, too. </div></div>

I put 45 grains behind 175 SMKs. I may have to try some load development and pull that back a bit. Only problem is that I have 20" barrel and need every bit of velocity I can get to shoot 1000y
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

Use the same as the 175 SMK. Hodgdon lists 42grns of Varget as the starting load and 45grns as the max. I have found 44grns works best in my rifle with the 178 BTHP.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

44.5gr of varget under a 175smk worked very well, with no sign of over pressure that I could see. 45gr started to show brass flow with a small outline of the ejector plunger. I also shot 45.5gr to see what happened with it and of course the pressure sign was pretty much the same as 45gr. That's where I stopped my ladder test at was 45.5gr as it was slightly over, as I figured it should be.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

My pet load for the last year to year and a half has been 44 gr. Varget with CCI BR Primer. It gives me 2,650 fps from a 24" barrel. 0.3 moa groups! ymmv
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

I contacted Bryan Litz about this round and he spoke highly of it. BC is better than the 175SMK too.

I got done doing my ladder test this weekend on the 175gr SMK with 44.7g Varget .010" off the lands Win brass and I got very good results. under 1" vertical dispersion at 500y.

Even if the group opened up to 2" at 500y I'd be happy.

As soon as I'm done working the 175gr I'll try the 178 BTHP.

String4BestGroup447g10thouofffOT.jpg


R.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

42.8gr Varget in LC Match cases
44gr Varget in Win cases
These loads are twins.

CCI 200
COAL 2.805"
slight crimp from Lee factory crimp die
sub MOA in every single .308 rifle I've tried them in. Several 3-shot and 5-shot one hole groups at 200 yards.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

I haven't finalized my 178/Varget load yet, but I've run a pair of ladders to find max, seated on the lands, for my Savage 10FP 308.

I got a slight ejector mark at 47gr on one ladder, and no ejector mark on the other ladder at 47gr.

Velocity was 275X fps up there!
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

I've never seen such tight "groups" in ladder testing (308) before, as I did with these. I normally advocate 300 yards for a 308 as a nice distance where you can realky bear down on target and KNIW your POA was perfect, but far enough to show proper ladder results.

My 10-shot ladders grouped sub-moa with these. A 2" ladder "group" is tough to decipher!

I recommend 400 yards minimum for these.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

Tag, just started loading 178's amax. Starting at 41 of varget and moving up in. .5's until 44. My thought is see which. 5 looks best and then play. 2 a few either way until I find my happy point. Will post outcome after I try them. Nasty ice storm in the great white north may postpone my range time this weekend...
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: josie6637</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tag, just started loading 178's amax. Starting at 41 of varget and moving up in. .5's until 44. My thought is see which. 5 looks best and then play. 2 a few either way until I find my happy point. Will post outcome after I try them. Nasty ice storm in the great white north may postpone my range time this weekend... </div></div>

You may want to take it up to at least 45 grains. If you look over the forum at all the people running Varget with 175 or 178 grain bullets, it is uncanny how many of them are using around 44.5 grains. That seems to be a node for a lot of rifle combinations.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

My sub half-moa load for 178 amax is 44gr varget in Lapua brass. I loaded from 42 to 44 in half grain increments but luckily also had 50 loaded at 44 to shoot out of another rifle. I had one 5 shot group that was .33 moa in a 26" Rem 700 PSS.
 
Re: 178g hpbt over varget min and max

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gene Poole</div><div class="ubbcode-body">[ it is uncanny how many of them are using around 44.5 grains. That seems to be a node for a lot of rifle combinations. </div></div>

Or maybe pretty much every charge shoots equally well, that just happens to be the spot right before primers get really flat, brass flows into ejectors and bolts get tough to lift.