First Handloads Outcome

[Hook Creek]

Hi all and thanks for reading my first post. Today I am the happiest person on Snipers Hide because I didnt blow myself up or anything lol. This is my time reloading thanks to all the info I have read rite here on these forums. I did just how everyone says to do, and start with a low charge to work your way up. im loading .308 winchester using 168gr HPBT SMK's, Federal 210 Large Rifle Primers, IMR 4064 powder, and some used PMC brass I had laying around. Case length is 2.008, and COAL is 2.800. I made 4 different powder charges to see wich best fits my rifle. 42.0, 42.5, 43.0, and 43,5. This was done on a bipod only, at 100 yards so there may be alot of shooter error. I didnt see any sort of pressure signs or anything, so I can go a little heavier next time, but it seems like the lower the better. I just wanted to see what anyone has to say, advice, anything. Also, I probly should have, but I didnt let the rifle cool more than 5 mins in between each 3 shots, and one minute in between each single shot.

Here is 42.0, 42.5, 43.0, 43.5

 

[High Binder]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Sometimes adding more powder is counter productive. Assuming you're shooting is good I think you should load around 42gr and try it again with a few more shots (5-6)

 

[Hook Creek]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Thanks for the quick reply. The 42.0gr. is deff the best by far. the only thing that concerned me is that it might be getting some low velocity, and I dont have the tools to find out. I forgot to mention that im shooting a sps tactical with a 20 inch barrel and a 1:12 twist. Untill i get a chronograph it will be a mystery.

 

[sst04]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

I ended up at 44.5g of 4064 with the same bullets out of a 10fp.


ETA from IMR website 168 GR. SIE HPBT IMR IMR 4064 .308" 2.800" 41.5 2518 43,800 PSI 45.9C 2766 58,800 PSI

 

[2clicks]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

My SPS Tactical likes 41.5-42 grs of Imr 4064 & Imr 4895 with168 SMK's too. I used Winchester primers and brass though. Velocity was right around 2550 fps. My notes are at home I'd quote it exactly. Nice groups. Seems like its true that the best accuracy comes from a load that's not at its maximum. I'd stick with the 42 gr load.

 

[Hook Creek]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2clicks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My SPS Tactical likes 41.5-42 grs of Imr 4064 & Imr 4895 with168 SMK's too. I used Winchester primers and brass though. Velocity was right around 2550 fps. My notes are at home I'd quote it exactly. Nice groups. Seems like its true that the best accuracy comes from a load that's not at its maximum. I'd stick with the 42 gr load. </div></div>

2550 fps is better than I thought it would get from that charge. What was your exact specs on your round? Tomorrow I am going to try some different seating depths. I measured what it was to the lands today, and it was a COAL of 2.810. The last time around it was .010 from the lands, so Im going to try .15. Im thinking shes gonna like a COAL of 2.795 with 42.5gr of the 4064 to get a little more bang than just 42.0. I feel like the 42.5 that I did would have done much better without user error anyway.

 

[2clicks]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Oh man I just checked my notes 2,550 was out of a 26 inch Remington 700P

My Load exactly:
168 SMK
41grs IMR 4064
Winchester brass
CCI Mil Spec primer
Coal 2.800

The velocity was 2387 to 2434 fps with the 20" Remington SPS Tactical

From the Sierra manual
C.A.O.L. 2.800
Federal case
Fed 210m primer

IMR 4064 37.8grs min to 43.4grs Max

I bet the 42 grs of 4064 will rock!

When you change the seating depth of a bullet you increase or decrease the volume in the brass so you can have two different velocities with the same powder charge and two different pressure readings if you could read pressure. The further in you seat the bullet in the case the more pressure you create, faster veloctiy... That's why I listed the CAOL from Sierra. 2.800. I Gotta turn here. good luck. Sorry about that miss quote on my velocity. I will say that I have a harder time with that SPS 20" .308 and keeping a tight group. It seems to jump around a bit for me off the bipod. Those are good groups with the stock possibly touching too, I put a homemade shim I put it under the barrel just above the sling stud to keep the stock from touching the barrel it seemed to help.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

My .308/M1A load is 175SMK/42.2gr IMR-4064, Rem brass, match primer, 2.815" OAL for M1A, supersonic at 1Kyd. I would use the same load for 168SMK, but would not intend to use it beyond 800yd.

 

[Hook Creek]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

OK so heres what I got today at the range with a COAL of 2.795, wich is .015 from the lands. The first one is with 42.5gr and the second is 42.0gr of powder.

I guess it seems like the rifle must like the previous seating depth at 2.800 and the charge at 42.0, or my shooting was different today. Maybe try more seating depths with different charges? I dunno but it seems like ill be wasting time because it really like that one load.

 

[2clicks]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

The only Bullet I don't seat to mag length is an 80gr AR load. (because it's too long for mag length and they're shot slow fire one at a time at 600yrds. All the rest I leave at the Bullet makers suggested AOL. (2.800 168 SMK) Think about this too you raised the powder charge slightly by seating .005 deeper this time before you increased powder charge. (The reduced volume in the case raised the pressure how much??? but it did.) So your results are actually reflecting 42gr plus load as compared to your first results. Just a thought. I like trying to make bug holes and I really don't mind slower velocity for one hole groups. This is half the fun for me try 41, 41.5 and 42 next time at 2.800.

 

[enmerdeur]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

The perfect load for my SPS Tactical

Winchester brass (fire formed & neck sized only)
WLR primer
175 SMK
COAL:2.800"
42 GR IMR 4064

Chrono speed is 2615

I get .5-.6 five shot groups if I do my part.

 

[vman]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Cronos, try a ladder test out at 300 yards if you can.

The information you get from a ladder test is far more valuable then that which you get by simply shooting different loads at 100 yards.

Its an easy test that doesnt take all that much to work out but once you find your load using this method you will have a load with the least amount of vertical spread for your rifle. The only thing you will need to factor in is your shooting and the wind.

 

[Hook Creek]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Ok I think I found the spot. I made 5 rounds of 41.5gr of the IMR4064 and 5 rounds of the 42.0gr IMR 4064 with the 168 SMK's BTHP seated at a COAL of 2.803. This time the 42.0's killed it again but even better! I was verry surprised with the results.
EDIT: Sorry I forgot to mention that this was at 100 Yards

This is the 41.5gr with 5 shots

And this is 3 shots with the 42.0gr. I would have had 5, but my Dad felt he had to take 2 shots(which were no good)lol

 

[2clicks]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Nice I'm trying 42grs next time too I bet our rifles are near identical. Do you have a hornady over all length guage? I tried to check the 168s today with my stoney point guage (hornady bought them out). Bullet dang near fell out of the case 2.875 How are you measuring to the lands? 2.875 ????? Anybody else experience this or have I measured incorrectly? How are you posting pictures here sorry to deviate from the subject.

 

[Hook Creek]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2clicks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice I'm trying 42grs next time too I bet our rifles are near identical. Do you have a hornady over all length guage? I tried to check the 168s today with my stoney point guage (hornady bought them out). Bullet dang near fell out of the case 2.875 How are you measuring to the lands? 2.875 ????? Anybody else experience this or have I measured incorrectly? How are you posting pictures here sorry to deviate from the subject. </div></div>

Yes its a Hornady gauge. how I measured to the lands was I resized a empty case, then cut 4 slits down the sides of the neck with a dremmel tool, then took a bullet and placed it in the neck with just enough tension not to be loose, then put the round in and closed the bolt and then ejected it. After I measured it I found that the OAL of that was 2.810. I did this a few times to make sure it was the same every time. Although it might not be the most exact way to get a measurement, it was easy and gave me an idea of what was going on in there.

 

[CK_32]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Pretty cool I actually just loading up some 175g SMK HPBT for my SPS
tactical.Im just waiting till the next time I go out shooting to test
all my different grain loads. I was close at hitting a bowling pin out
at 675 yardswith the winchester factory ammo but the rounds werent consistant
enough so I figured the rifle is doing its job now its time to make some hand
loads and see how it spits.

Im going using:
Win .308 factory brass (Once Fired)
175g SMK HPBT
Varget Powder
CCI LR Primers

I'm going to keep my over all length 2.800 till I find the most accurate batch then play with the seating depth later on.

vv.My first batch.vv

Left to right. (Batch of 5)
41.7g.. 41.1g.. 40.6g... Still have a few more I need to load up till I get 10% below max charge.

Good luck with the loads. Keep us posted on the progress.

 

[Hook Creek]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Let me know how it goes with the 175's. Thats what I was going to go with at first, but read alot of mixed things about them with the 1:12 twist.

 

[CK_32]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Yea I was told they were pretty accurate out past 600 yards which is my main goal for them. I was on the fence with either the IMR and 168g mix or the 175g varget mix. I just decided to try out the varget and 175g because no other local shops had the imr powder or the 168g bullets I was looking for and I heard from a few other guys the 175g varget loads shot pretty well out of sps tacticals.

Ill deffanantly keep an eye on your field feed backs on this load. If these 175g's dont work out Ill probably just to either load your using or the 155g combo

 

[vman]

Re: First Handloads Outcome

Should be ok. The 1:12" barrels on the .308 are usually good to go with 180 grains but anything higher and you start to reach 1:11 and 1:10 territory... at which point a .30-06 or .300winmag will produce better results.

The 175smk is an hugely popullar projectile for .308 shooters, and 1:12" twist barrels are very common amongst us.

If anything I hear more complaints about 168's than I do 175smk's