Help finding a load for Hornady 165 SST!

[BULLITT1668]

Sup guys? I'm kinda new at this. I got a SPS-T on .308 and recently mounted a Millett TRS-1, the 2009 model (BTW, what that a good choice for budget scope?). Will take scope out for this time this weekend.

Well, I stared reloading 168 Amax's using IMR 4064, but after doing some reading, I saw where those were not the best choice if I was planing on doing deer/hog hunting. So I switched to the 165 SST's, and continued using the same powder. I mainly will be shooting at paper and steel targets, but I would like to take my loads hunting for when the occasion arrives. That's why I switched.

To make the long story short, I bought several hundred of the SST's and I've been heaving a little hard time find good load for them. I stated w/ 39g of IMR 4064, and worked my way up in half grain increments and stopped at 43.5g.

The problem is that I keep getting constant groups ranging from 0.7" to 1.15" in all the following recipes using IMR 4064: 40g, 40.5g, 41g, 41.5g, & 43g.

I shot both 3 and 5 shot groups; shooting 3 groups of 3, and two of 5. I seems to like shooting the five round groups better (what do you recommend?) BTW, I used CCI primers with all my loads.

So I don't know where to go from here without having to load every .10g between 40 and 43g. Should I change powder? I've been looking at H380.

Thanks in advance,

Bullitt

 

[Winchester 69]

Re: Help finding a load for Hornady 165 SST!

How did the A-Max's shoot?

 

[1shot2kill]

Re: Help finding a load for Hornady 165 SST!

i dont have any trigger time with imr powders but what i would recomend is that you get yourself a can of varget i hear that you can still get some for a arm or a leg off of gunbroker
as opposed to a few months back varget would cost a first born.
anyways get varget and separate your cases by weight and stick
with the cci primers 44 grains or so and you will be styling but do a workup on them just to be safe.

 

[akxx]

Re: Help finding a load for Hornady 165 SST!

Varget would be a great place to start--I have no experience with I-4064.

BTW, you don't mention what your goal is for accuracy, and what you've been able to accomplish on another platform. And yes, 5-shot groups are the standard for gauging what a rifle/load/shooter can do.

The 165 SST should be a great choice for deer/hogs!

 

[Woodswarrior]

Re: Help finding a load for Hornady 165 SST!

I had good luck with imr 4064 in my Win 30-06 and 165sgk and reloading for my 7.62x54 . I use CCI primers for everything but guns are diff my friend's 06 using the same bullet and powder charge likes the Fed lr primers and when I used them for mine it opened the group up greatly at 100yds , while the CCI kept 3 shots in a dime for a stock rifle with no fancy trigger and a 180.00 scope that isnt bad. Are you using BR CCI's or standard ,I would go with a diff primer try Fed and Rem it's cheaper then buying a couple diff powders. Unless you have a friend that would let you play with what he has on the shelf. Also check your bullet seating depth and you didnt say if you have gone and taken the time to uniform your primer flash hole, and have you checked if your having a bullet run out or not being concentric issue. Just some idea's hope it might help you give us a update if and when you can.