308 load question

[Bigscoop]

I looked through some of the 308 sticky but my head started to hurt trying to find exactly what I'm looking for.

My brother in law is starting to reload and I convinced him to make me up some 308 hunting rounds. Got a savage 110 tactical that I'd like to use for target shooting and hunting. My target load I use is a federal 168 GMM and that's what the rifle is sighted in with. I purchased some 168 grain ttsx that I'm having him load the hunting rounds with. The ttsx has a bc that is close to the SMK. My theory is if I can get them moving the same speed, same weight bullet, and similar bc then I could use one zero/ drop data for target shooting as well as hunting. He has varget powder to load with. The GMM has average velocity of 2563fps out of the 20" barrel. I was hoping someone could help point me to a specific powder charge to start out with to get me close on velocity. Since I only have 50 rounds I'd like to keep the trial and error of matching the velocities to a minimum. Any help or tips are appreciated.

 

[918v]

this is a bad idea

 

[Bigscoop]

Why?

 

[Huskydriver]

Why?

Two words... Bearing surface.....

 

[918v]

That plus you should not mix copper rounds with regular jacketed as they will have different zeros.

Your choice of powder is wrong. Due to the extra long bullet that will protrude deep in the case you will need a dense ball powder that doesn’t take up a lot of case capacity.

Your brother in law doesn’t have a clue and you are having him make ammo for you ???

 

[Bigscoop]

We will have to learn somehow right? If there isn't a safety issue with using the varget and that bullet what could it hurt? I'm not expecting to be able to print half moa groups with this load, if I can get a load that prints 1-1.5" at 100yds and the zero is close then I will be happy. If it doesn't work out then oh well, we tried.

 

[918v]

You go girl!

 

[Bigscoop]

Thanks for the help.

 

[spife7980]

Since I only have 50 rounds I'd like to keep the trial and error of matching the velocities to a minimum.

Then why bother?



I’d get some equivalent gameking bullets if you want to try and match the matchking.

 

[Modoc]

I have some experience with Barnes Bullets in the 7mm 08. One thing that I found was that the length of bearing surface is longer with the Barnes versus a Cup and Core bullet. Sometimes the rifle will like them and other times it won’t.

Get your BIL a good loading manual like the Lyman book. It has a good section on the how to of reloading.

I attached a link to Barnes Web site with the data for the 308.
You might also see what bullet Barnes is loading in their factory ammo.

https://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/308WinchesterForWeb.pdf

 

[Bigscoop]

Thanks I will try to get one for him. And I had looked at the Barnes data the other day. From other research it looks like they may be able to help answer some questions by calling them Monday.

 

[Modoc]

Thanks I will try to get one for him. And I had looked at the Barnes data the other day. From other research it looks like they may be able to help answer some questions by calling them Monday.

They were very responsive and helpful when I was working up a load for a 300 Savage.

 

[918v]

When you call them, be sure to tell them you are using Federal brass and can’t really use their data.

 

[Mainer]

Two words... Bearing surface.....

Three more words: "starting to reload"

 

[Haney]

You go girl!

Always the tough guy .

 

[Haney]

OP, you are mixing apples and oranges with Barnes copper and Jacketed bullets . If you choose Barnes go by their published data .

 

[George F]

I looked through some of the 308 sticky but my head started to hurt trying to find exactly what I'm looking for.

My brother in law is starting to reload and I convinced him to make me up some 308 hunting rounds. Got a savage 110 tactical that I'd like to use for target shooting and hunting. My target load I use is a federal 168 GMM and that's what the rifle is sighted in with. I purchased some 168 grain ttsx that I'm having him load the hunting rounds with. The ttsx has a bc that is close to the SMK. My theory is if I can get them moving the same speed, same weight bullet, and similar bc then I could use one zero/ drop data for target shooting as well as hunting. He has varget powder to load with. The GMM has average velocity of 2563fps out of the 20" barrel. I was hoping someone could help point me to a specific powder charge to start out with to get me close on velocity. Since I only have 50 rounds I'd like to keep the trial and error of matching the velocities to a minimum. Any help or tips are appreciated.

You are much better off making an optimized load for hunting and re-zeroing the rifle for that load just before your hunt. I used the 165 TTSX bullet some years ago and had erratic expansion. Almost lost a good Warthog because of it. Hunting with expanding copper bullets is a good idea, but as other guys pointed out do not mix with lead core jacketed bullets. Clean barrel thoroughly when you switch to coppers, shoot a few fouling shots with the coppers prior to zeroing. Don’t clean before your hunt as the zero might change. You want a load zeroed at 3” high at 100 yds and will shoot the cold bore and 1 follow up shot within 0.5-0.75” of each other. Under most conditions you should be good to 300-400 yds. Remember in hunting, every first shot is a cold bore shot.

 

[texastonk]

I tried the same bullets and powder several years back. Had poor expansion at the 2500-2600 fps speeds you will getting using Varget and the 168 ttsx. Id look at switching to the 150gr ttsx or getting a faster burning powder. The 168's are ok for the 308 IMO but I believe they are best suited for the long action or mag cartages.

The Barnes Book lists Varget as an option but like others have said case cap is almost full at 43-45 gr. CFE 223, Ram Tac and even R15 are better options than Varget to allow for bullet seating and deliver faster speeds for better expansion.
I have some recovered Barns form my 308 ill try to find and post pics of.

 

[Alaska]

I looked through some of the 308 sticky but my head started to hurt trying to find exactly what I'm looking for.

My brother in law is starting to reload and I convinced him to make me up some 308 hunting rounds. Got a savage 110 tactical that I'd like to use for target shooting and hunting. My target load I use is a federal 168 GMM and that's what the rifle is sighted in with. I purchased some 168 grain ttsx that I'm having him load the hunting rounds with. The ttsx has a bc that is close to the SMK. My theory is if I can get them moving the same speed, same weight bullet, and similar bc then I could use one zero/ drop data for target shooting as well as hunting. He has varget powder to load with. The GMM has average velocity of 2563fps out of the 20" barrel. I was hoping someone could help point me to a specific powder charge to start out with to get me close on velocity. Since I only have 50 rounds I'd like to keep the trial and error of matching the velocities to a minimum. Any help or tips are appreciated.

IMR 4064 @ 42.8 to 43.2
168 MK
2.810”
Fed Brass
Fed 210 Match primer
I suggest the Sierra Gameking 165gr bullet as a replacement for hunting.
Same load components as Fed Gold Medal Match using the 168 MK. You will have chronograph your velocity and load to the velocity requirements but you should find your target between 42.8 to 43.2 area. Due to different lots of IMR 4064 these numbers are not always the same in Federal GM loads.

 

[Bigscoop]

Thanks I picked up some hornady interbond bullets to use instead of the ttsx. Will look for some imr4064 powder as well.

 

[Alaska]

Thanks I picked up some hornady interbond bullets to use instead of the ttsx. Will look for some imr4064 powder as well.

Good start
Reloader 15 @ 45.0
IMR 4064 @ 44.5
Varget @ 45.0 to 45.5
With a good 165gr bullet
Fed GM match loads are kinda under loaded for precision shooting you need to be up around 2650 fps with 20” and 165gr for hunting. These loads above is what I use in my 20”.