What do I have to gain?

[Jethro21]

I am wondering if I should continue working on my load for my 308. It is- 175smk @ 2.805, 44.5gr Varget, WLR primers and Hornady brass. My rifle is a Savage 10 with a 20" tube.

I worked up a load going from 42gr to 46gr and settled on 44.5...but in my reading it seems that some of you are going over listed book max in your load development, while watching pressure signs.

I am not a m/v chaser in the least, but I am wondering what I have to gain by slowly working my load development above the book max. I am wondering if an even better load is waiting above where I stopped testing.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Jethro

ETA- I should also add that I am not a 1k shooter or serious competitor where velocity would be a bigger concern. I am only interested in the best group for my rifle. I say this because I know the obvious answer is that I will gain velocity...but is there a potential of a better load above where I stopped?

 

[a_bishop]

Re: What do I have to gain?

If your not in it for speed than I would say you have nothing to gain. Most of the time the most accurate load isn't the fastest one either

 

[jkonzal]

Re: What do I have to gain?

Hey Jethro...read the handloading basics on this forum and do more work on your cases. If you have developed a good working load with 44.5 gr Varget, stick with that and follow the case prep steps. I know you aren't wanting to shoot long range, but it will still help with what you are doing. Good luck!!!

 

[MAT4-82]

Re: What do I have to gain?

What have been your results and at what distance?

 

[Niles Coyote]

Re: What do I have to gain?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: a_bishop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If your not in it for speed than I would say you have nothing to gain. Most of the time the most accurate load isn't the fastest one either </div></div>

This.

I have had this same thought but with a slightly different spin to it with my current 223 load.

If I made the chamber an Ackley Improved it would allow me to add about 100-150 to my velocity but... it would make the bullet I am using shoot a little flatter which is nice but not really needed as I dial in my distance anyway and shoot on a known distance range and use a laser in the field. It would also give me slightly better wind holds but not really enough to make the decision final for me.

Now if I were to use a faster twist, say 7 rather than 9 it currently wears, that would open the door on a bullet with a higher BC and I would be able to obtain the same velocity I have now or slightly greater, that would make yet more improvement in the wind. So until I get the faster twist barrel I am not going to change a thing for now as the benefit doesn’t justify the cost in my mind.

 

[Beef82]

Re: What do I have to gain?

If you're gonna go over max even without solely seeking velocity you should shoot the loads over a chrono, there will likely come a point when velocity plateaus, beyond which there is generally nothing to be gained in accuracy either.