.308 Win Question

[CasperWyoming]

I have lost my reloading book. I am trying to get some information about reloading my new .308 Win. I ran up some loads with 150GR Hornady IB's. Light load started out at 45.0 of Varget......I have seen other information saying 44.5 is the hottest load you can do for this bullet and weight. I have worked it up to 47.0 Varget load as my max pressure load........Also I have seen pictures of total case length with bullet to be 2.800" With these bullets my total Case length with bullet is 2.968" That is with .013 backed off the land. Does this information sound right? I would hate to screw up my rifle.

Thanks,

CasperWyoming

 

[Grumulkin]

Re: .308 Win Question

1. If you lost your reloading book, you need to buy another one.

2. You should be able to get the information you need on Hodgdon's web site.

3. Occasionally, my loads come in a little over book but, since I have no idea of your reloading competence or what criteria you're using to determine pressure, I don't know if your reloads are excessive or not.

4. COAL, i.e., cartridge overall length, is determined by:
A. How long it needs to be to get the bullet close to the lands.
B. How long it can be to feed through the magazine.
C. How long it can be and still have a caliber length of bullet in the neck
the case.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: .308 Win Question

Seating depth (OAL) in a book just tells you either the max SAAMI design limit OR the length the book makers used to develop the listed data. Either way, it's no more a law than the book powder charges are. Pick an OAL that works through your rig and develop your load around it, all will be well.

Seating at, or even near, the rifling is vastly over rated by those who read a lot of books and the web but don't test many reloads. Find the jump your rifle/load likes rather than trying to make a "conventional wisdom" formula work.

Seating a caliber deep refers to old black powder loads and lead bullets, it was done to insure the bullets wouldn't be dislodged when the cartridges were carried loose in a pocket. It has no more significance than that.