I'm posting this thread in hopes to get some feedback from those more experienced than I am about hand loading. I have found that my FN SPR A1A really seems to like Federal Gold Medal Match Sierra 168 gr HPBT ammo. I get consistent .5 MOA groups with this factory ammo. Well, I drank the koolaid and now I want to see what I can accomplish and learn by rolling my own rounds for the rifle.
Here is what I have DONE thus far.. I have five reloading books currently. I have read the instruction sections of each of them. I see why people suggest having more than one reference. I have read a lot of online information on loading and loading .308. I have read the stickies in this section here on the Hide.
I have put together a solid reloading bench with a good set of equipment for a beginner, **I think**.
My starting goal was to try to duplicate the factory load that my rifle seems to like. This includes putting together a safe round that fires. I did six sets of four rounds at different powder loads for my first trip to the range. They are once fired Federal brass from the above mentioned factory loads. I tumbled, cleaned primer pockets, slight chamfer/debur on the brass. My case lengths were 2.005 +/- .002.
I used Federal 210M primers, varget powder and Sierra 168gr HPBT with powder loads of 40.5, 41.0, 41.5, 41.7, 41.9 and 42.1.
I took my first ever produced twenty-four rounds to the range today with my newly purchased Chrony Alpha in hopes to get an idea of velocity. Needless to say, I didn't get the Chrony setup correctly. So, my numbers were all crap. As I was leaving I got some good info on how to get better results from the Chrony.
All six of the loads were grouping four shots under .75" at 100 yards. The 42.1 stacked 3 in one hole and the fourth was adjacent to it. I was shooting off a bench with an Atlas bipod and a sandbag in the rear. I'm no expert marksman. The SPR makes me look pretty good.
So, that was my first trip out. I am going back to the range with a friend tomorrow. I'm going to take my .17HMR to help figure out the Chrony before i shoot my .308 hand loads so I can hopefully get some data.
I was thinking of starting at 41.9 powder load and stepping up in .2 grain increments to 43.0 for tomorrows outing. I will also, hopefully, get a good read on the factory load that I am getting good results with.
I appreciate any input, advice, etc anyone is willing to share. This is easily one of the most fun things I have ever done.
My current goal is to work up a good load using this bullet and then shoot a few hundred of them, making small adjustments as I need/learn to see what I can do.
Here is what I have DONE thus far.. I have five reloading books currently. I have read the instruction sections of each of them. I see why people suggest having more than one reference. I have read a lot of online information on loading and loading .308. I have read the stickies in this section here on the Hide.
I have put together a solid reloading bench with a good set of equipment for a beginner, **I think**.
My starting goal was to try to duplicate the factory load that my rifle seems to like. This includes putting together a safe round that fires. I did six sets of four rounds at different powder loads for my first trip to the range. They are once fired Federal brass from the above mentioned factory loads. I tumbled, cleaned primer pockets, slight chamfer/debur on the brass. My case lengths were 2.005 +/- .002.
I used Federal 210M primers, varget powder and Sierra 168gr HPBT with powder loads of 40.5, 41.0, 41.5, 41.7, 41.9 and 42.1.
I took my first ever produced twenty-four rounds to the range today with my newly purchased Chrony Alpha in hopes to get an idea of velocity. Needless to say, I didn't get the Chrony setup correctly. So, my numbers were all crap. As I was leaving I got some good info on how to get better results from the Chrony.
All six of the loads were grouping four shots under .75" at 100 yards. The 42.1 stacked 3 in one hole and the fourth was adjacent to it. I was shooting off a bench with an Atlas bipod and a sandbag in the rear. I'm no expert marksman. The SPR makes me look pretty good.
So, that was my first trip out. I am going back to the range with a friend tomorrow. I'm going to take my .17HMR to help figure out the Chrony before i shoot my .308 hand loads so I can hopefully get some data.
I was thinking of starting at 41.9 powder load and stepping up in .2 grain increments to 43.0 for tomorrows outing. I will also, hopefully, get a good read on the factory load that I am getting good results with.
I appreciate any input, advice, etc anyone is willing to share. This is easily one of the most fun things I have ever done.
My current goal is to work up a good load using this bullet and then shoot a few hundred of them, making small adjustments as I need/learn to see what I can do.