Varget recipe for .308

[Little Yoshi]

Purchased a barreled action from a fella at SavageShooters.com:
-Model 10 (.308)
-Shilen Ultra Match
*It's now sitting in an XLR Carbon Chassis

He sent me his load recipe and is as follows:
-Trim length = 2.015
-OAL = 2.835
-44.25gr Varget
-175gr SMK
-Seated at .020 off the lands

I have not ventured outside of the Lyman specs for any of my loads except for powder charges. I trust the fella as he's been very helpful in the purchase and other aspects of the transaction, but just wanted to pass it by y'all. Seems like a hot load... Think I'll be okay or drop it a bit?

 

[Blackbrush]

It'll shoot better if you slow it down.

 

[Little Yoshi]

Would 43.5gr be the ticket?

 

[Danco411]

Your best load will be somewhere betweeen 42 and 45 grains depending on your barrel. You just need to work it up and see. As stated sometimes faster is not always more accurate. I've settled on 43.5 which nets me 2600 out of my 20" Savage barrel. Since he sent you a specific weight it would seem he did the work up and that was it. Why not try that one and see. It's certainly safe enough.

 

[ArmyJerry]

I have settled on 43.1 with winbrass, the brass you use will determine the fine tune, start at 42 and work your way up to his suggested load, use the same brass lot number if possible for best consistency, weigh them and sort.

 

[oldfatguy]

Would 43.5gr be the ticket?

Maybe, maybe not. "Barreled action" tells us that at least the stock will be different so an OCW work up is in order. A lot of people load Varget in the mid forties under 175's, but 44.25 is a bit warm for me. If you are going for the maximum range for a 308 then you can justify all the costs in reduced brass life and throat wear. If not, OCW will find you a lower node.

OFG

 

[garandman]

On an 18" barrel DPMS LR-308, I shoot:

44.0 gr Varget
168 gr Hornady A-max
About 2680 FPS
2.80" OAL

There's really no way around loading up 5-10 rds each group with powder grouped in 0.5 gr increments from 42-45 grains and seeing what works.

 

[P7id10t]

Purchased a barreled action from a fella at SavageShooters.com:
-Model 10 (.308)
-Shilen Ultra Match
*It's not sitting in an XLR Carbon Chassis

Did you mean to say "It's NOW sitting in a XLR..." ??

He sent me his load recipe and is as follows:
-Trim length = 2.015
-OAL = 2.835
-44.25gr Varget
-175gr SMK
-Seated at .020 off the lands

I have not ventured outside of the Lyman specs for any of my loads except for powder charges. I trust the fella as he's been very helpful in the purchase and other aspects of the transaction, but just wanted to pass it by y'all. Seems like a hot load... Think I'll be okay or drop it a bit?

Where's your common sense, man!
He gave you OAL and in my experience this can change +/- 0.005" with the SMKs I use. Measure your chamber, then do your loading using base to ogive measurements.
Then work up your Varget amount to 44+.

Why? That may work for him, but YMMV.

 

[Little Yoshi]

Thanks all!

..."Barreled action" tells us that at least the stock will be different so an OCW work up is in order.

Interesting! I had no idea. Always assumed it was the barrel & action that determined that. Good to know.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

I also have a savage model 10. My recipe is 43.0grs Varget in Federal brass, with either a 178 hornady amax, or 178 hornady BTHP. Both loads shoot sub MOA pretty easily. Muzzle velocity is right at 2650fps for me from the factory barrel.

 

[Pinecone]

I am at 43.5 grains in Lapua under a 175 SMK. Next higher node should be at 44.8 grains. But it probably will not net enough extra velocity to make it worth the downsides.

OCW workup will be the best idea. 44.25 should put it in a scatter node are, unless something is VERY different about that setup.

OCW Method - OCW Overview - Dan Newberry's OCW Load Development System

Excel Template to do charge increments - http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-reloading/193057-ocw-excel-template.html

BTW, 0.5 grain increments for .308 with Varget are too large of steps.

 

[Blackbrush]

Nice article on 308 at 6mmBR.com. My load with 180 Sierras only moves along at 2575 out of a 24 but on a calm day I regularly shoot under 1/2MOA at 500 w a factory rifle.

 

[Jethro21]

I am feeling like people will think my load is too hot...I shoot 178 amax with 44.5gr of Varget, no pressure signs and excellent groups. I don't have access to a chrono so I can't say my speed (its through a 20" Savage).

Jethro

 

[ArmyJerry]

I've shot quite a few at 44.5 and even 45, no pressure signs, my M1a didn't like it so much, it hammered hard on recoil, but the bolt gun had no issue. I worked my way from 41.5 up to 45 in increments of 50 rounds every tenth of a grain, settled on 43.1 for my bolt gun.

 

[Pinecone]

When I did my OCW I went to up 45 grains of Varget with a 175 SMK with no pressure signs.

I will load up some at 44.8 (should be the next higher accuracy node) just to get a velocity. See if it might be worthwhile for longer ranges.

I was missing a chrono stand when I did the OCW test.

 

[sib1948]

Thanks. Very helpful thread.

 

[timelinex]

Purchased a barreled action from a fella at SavageShooters.com:
-Model 10 (.308)
-Shilen Ultra Match
*It's now sitting in an XLR Carbon Chassis

He sent me his load recipe and is as follows:
-Trim length = 2.015
-OAL = 2.835
-44.25gr Varget
-175gr SMK
-Seated at .020 off the lands

I have not ventured outside of the Lyman specs for any of my loads except for powder charges. I trust the fella as he's been very helpful in the purchase and other aspects of the transaction, but just wanted to pass it by y'all. Seems like a hot load... Think I'll be okay or drop it a bit?

Thats not a hot load by any means.

My load is 44.8 gr varget, with 175smk's. AND I jam the bullet into the lands. Great load. Good accuracy and good velocity. So it all depends on your rifle. I know that during my OCW I tried as high as mid 45's and started seeing pressure signs, but never as far as sticking the bolt or anything.

 

[VKC]

I'm using 43gr Varget with 175smk.

 

[bh-ltr]

I am feeling like people will think my load is too hot...I shoot 178 amax with 44.5gr of Varget, no pressure signs and excellent groups. I don't have access to a chrono so I can't say my speed (its through a 20" Savage).

Jethro

I was using 44.5 grains of Varget with a CCI primer behind a 175SMK and when I switched to Remington 9.5's I had to cut it back to 44.3grains of Varget to maintain velocity. Out of my 20" tube I'm pulling off 2577 average with a SD of 8fps on a 10 shot sample size taken with a Magnetospeed on an 80 degree day. I have no signs of pressure as well and get excellent groups. I'm using Lapua brass.

~Brett