I've got a DPMS LR-308 with 24" 1:10 barrel. It loves the 168 gr AMAX bullets with 44 grains of Varget. I am going to be taking a long range shooting course and they told me I need to drop the 168's and go up to a heavier bullet for the over 800 yd targets. Course is 200 yds to 1050yds. So, does anyone use the 178 grain AMAX bullets with Varget in a semi-auto with good success? I am also looking at the 178 gr Hornady BTHP match bullets.
- Thread starter goldeneagle76
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I've found that a Nosler 180 grain BT-S performs practically the same as the 178 grain Amax in an AR type 308. I've used 43.4 grains of Varget and am happy with the results.
I'm running the 178 Amax over 43.2g of Varget in Lapua brass with CCI primers. load is as accurate as i can hold. i've also run 43.5 in Federal cases to similar success. I'm running the SASS but i'd imagine you should have similar results.
In both my 20" DPMS and 20" Remmy 700 I am shooting 43.5 Varget under the 178 Amax in Lapua Brass with cci br2 at 2.830", its a solid shooter and supersonic at 1000m. In LC LR Brass I actually shoot the same thing and don't show any pressure.
Basically echoing CajunAR's comments, but it shows you that in and around that charge weight you should find you accuracy node.
C_K
Basically echoing CajunAR's comments, but it shows you that in and around that charge weight you should find you accuracy node.
C_K
What OAL are you loading these to?
for whatever reason i never checked this thread back to respond. I'm loading mine at 2.805. Honestly the .005 has no significance i just didn't think it would matter vs the 2.800 that the manual said. They still fit mag and have shot lights out for me so i've never tweaked it.
Sorry to make you wait 3 months for an answer, i guess i need to pay more attention to the little notification banner!
Sorry to make you wait 3 months for an answer, i guess i need to pay more attention to the little notification banner!
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Im currently working up a load for my POF P308 with 178 amax and IMR 4064 for BHTC precision rifle class in October. Ive settled on 43.8gr of 4064 in FC brass, CCI BR2 primers with 178 amax seated to 2.805. Ive tested the load yesterday and today at 100yds and it shot sub .50" both times. .403" yesterday and .469" today. I Chrono it at 2455.
The other load Im working on is Hornady Match brass with CCI BR2 44.1gr Varget with 175smk seated to 2.806. Its shooting under .70" and I tested seating deaper today which opened up groups.
The other load Im working on is Hornady Match brass with CCI BR2 44.1gr Varget with 175smk seated to 2.806. Its shooting under .70" and I tested seating deaper today which opened up groups.
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If you seat to 2.800" COAL in lapua brass, you will begin to run into compressed loads above about ~43g. I've seen people say 42.6 to 43.8g of varget for the 178gr in lapua brass. I'm in the process of working up a 178gr load for an 18" barrel gun. 43g chronos about the same as 175gr Federal Gold Medal Match so I think I have to be on the right track.
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I agree with above. Above 43.2gr of 4064 if you seat 2.8020 or less the load gets compressed and my groups opened up significantly. I found seating 43.8gr 2.8070-2.8080 shoots lights out
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In Lapua 43.2 Varget under at 178 AMAX is not compressed for me, but if i work up to 43.5 it was so i'm sure 43.2 is right on the edge, but i no longer hear the "crunching" when seating the bullet. In my 18" DPMS SASS this load is giving me right around 2430 m/v. I'm loading to right at 2.805 btw.
I wish you all of the best of luck with your gas gun. From experience I can tell you that shooting most any .308 gas gun at 1000 yds and doing well is tough. A great score with M14 or M110's shot at 1000 yds is in the low 190's compared to very high 190's with a 30" .308 palma gun or nearly 200 with custom bolt guns. Given the limitations of a gas gun you are pushing it to stay supersonic at 1000 as you cant push a gas gun as hard as a bolt gun. I suggest that you run some numbers on JBM to see what kind of velocities you are going to have at 1000 yds and beyond. A rifle that will shoot a 10 shot 1" group at 100 yds is capable of doing well if you can keep the velocity of the bullet up and have low ES and SD's. You must have a load that's with an ES of 25 FPS or less and above 1300 to reliably remain supersonic at 1000 yds. This is not to say that a rifle bullet coming into the target at 1200 is going to fail, its just that its at a critical transition point in terms of stability and into the transonic range. You will start to see more erratic shots at 900 and with some regularity at 1000 in a rifle that's on the edge, it will look like: Center, center, a little left from wind, center, high left, center, low etc..... If your shooting with guys in the pit they will tell you if the bullet is supersonic or not.
In terms of bullets go, you can and people have used 175 SMKs successfully at 1000 yds from bolt guns. Higher BC bullets will help retain more velocity. A lighter, high velocity BC bullet like a 2156 SMK or Lapua 155 Sceaner will get you more initial velocity and give up a little to the wind.
I suggest commercial cases to get more powder in the cases. When you see marks from the ejector or the extractor stop adding powder. Use hard primers and be diligent about weighting powder and cases.
In terms of bullets go, you can and people have used 175 SMKs successfully at 1000 yds from bolt guns. Higher BC bullets will help retain more velocity. A lighter, high velocity BC bullet like a 2156 SMK or Lapua 155 Sceaner will get you more initial velocity and give up a little to the wind.
I suggest commercial cases to get more powder in the cases. When you see marks from the ejector or the extractor stop adding powder. Use hard primers and be diligent about weighting powder and cases.
Almost forgot, make sure you have plenty of elevation on your scope, a +20MOA mount is a good place to start. Good shooting.
