Load Development Help

[Yatzee_Squirrel]

I could use a little help from someone that knows more than I do about this stuff. I am trying to work up a load for my .308, but I don't know if it is the load that is giving me problems or my shooting. I know that I am not a great marksman by any stretch of the imagination but I am trying to work on it.

I just got back from the range after shooting these groups at 100 yards and I was wondering if by looking at the groups if this looked more like shooter error or something wrong with the load. I was testing 2 different loads and in each case one group was pretty good and one was pretty bad for each load.

Rifle is a Remington 700 20" Barrel
175g SMK
IMR 4895 Powder
CCI BR2 Primers

This first set of groups was at 42.1g of powder and the second was at 43.3g. The one group with 3 shots for the 168 AMAX is some old ammo that I was using for a cold bore shot plus a couple extra to get warmed up. I only had one shot that I called a flyer that I knew I screwed up and I marked it on the paper. I know the group on the right side of the 43.3g target measures more that I have wrote down with all five shots, but I am hoping that it was me on the high shot and not the load so I only measured the 4 shots.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Mods if this isn't in the right section and needs to be moved to the stupid question section please do so.

 

[agbm]

Check out this web site: OCW Overview - Dan Newberry's OCW Load Development System

 

[jkonzal]

The first thing that jumps out at me is: Case--Mixed. You need to match your head stamps. Other than that, why these two powder charges? Have you tried others?

 

[witchhunter]

Don't mix headstamps on load workups. You need to maintain a baseline. With mixed headstamps you have mixed volumes. Brass prep is very important. Groups should improve with same brass.

 

[Wildboarem]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3814361.0
After reading Newberrys info check out this thread. I think it could help you.

 

[Yatzee_Squirrel]

Thanks for the input guys, I will sort out my brass by head stamp and see if that does help some.

I did and OCW test and I thought these two loads looked pretty good so I wanted to try some more rounds at these loads to see how they would do.

 

[Thumper580]

If you have some IMR4064, try that. I've had great results loading around the 42.0gr range with 175's.

 

[Yatzee_Squirrel]

I don't have any 4064 but if I run across some I will pick some up and give it a try.

 

[Crabman]

One thing you could check is how far off the lands are you oal wise. I had an issue getting it right once myself and getting it on point helped my grouping.

 

[Yatzee_Squirrel]

It is a magazine fed rifle so I guess I am limited to mag length as far as maximum length but I am looking for a comparator and a couple other tools to try and get a handle on the seating depth issue.

 

[Macmathews]

It is a magazine fed rifle so I guess I am limited to mag length as far as maximum length but I am looking for a comparator and a couple other tools to try and get a handle on the seating depth issue.

Ya , likely.
In my 5R 700 - 308..
I can load way over mag length and single feed while still being .080 off the lands.. Very long throat on at least some 700's

Kyle