Gonna load up e ough tonight for a 200 yard ladder test in my 24" FN PBR. Found a bunch on a super sale and got a few 100. Sounds like a dood 500 yards bullet for general hogs and yotes and deer.
I have win brass, federal, and hornady. Would rather use the win. Have plenty of different powder and primers, but really wanna use varget if it will give me the speed and accuracy i'm looking for. I'm gonna load this batch to max mag length. I've got no use for single shot bolt guns.
Anyone have any good data or source I can get online?
Also how many loads do you guys usually shoot in a ladder test.
Scope is a 5-20 Trijicon with a mil dot type reticle. For accuracy testing I guess I would be best to try and shoot at max power. My eyes are crappy as well so I need all the mag I can get.
Thanks. I'm about to start prepping this brass.
Gun is shooting 1/2 moa at 200 with factory win 150 cheapo power points, but I'm almost out of those and they aren't doing great at 300. Groups really spread out much past 200. I'm really looking for a max 500 yard load.

With a CCI or Federal primer your sweet spot in WW brass is going to be near 46 grains of Varget. The Rem 9 1/2 hasn't been as consistent, and I don't like the WLR in this application.

Forget the FC brass for full throttle loads.

Thanks mathman. 46 sounds pretty close to max I'm guessing. I'll back of a bit and work up a batch for development. I'll try and get some more data for Hogdon's site.

Be careful. 46gr varget....that would leave primers laying in the action in my FTR rifle. 45 will cause an occassional pierced primer and cause cases to stick. 44 runs good, real good. I have a salvage with another min spec chamber thing will not even start shooting to 45.5 and humms them at 46.5. That said I have never seen a 308 that would not shoot somewhere between 43 and about 47. I tell friends that if your 308 will not shoot with a 168 VLD and 45ish grains of Varget it is broke....but it is important to work up.

............Here`s a suggestion as what ya do. Like I did for my 300 WSM, go to the Berger site and get their e-mail address. In an e/mail to them, request all VLD loading data for the 308. They`ll send you back a bunch of loadings in all VLD weights using a bunch of powders. They also give you COALs.

And as I remember, they have a phone # listed too.

In WW brass?

Also, how is the throat set up in that match rifle?

Definately not a match type rifle. It is a stock FN PBRX. 24" chrome, fluted tube with a recessed military type crown. Action is a pre 64 type Winchester action. Trigger is very nice though. Shoots better than some of my custom barreled actions for sure. It will hold half MOA. Not Internet half moa, well under half inch at 100 and always under an 1" at 200 with silver box win 150 pp's.
Chamber seems very generous. Not a tight chamber like my customs at all.

Including the throat length?

Lapua Brass. Dunno about the throat, reamer only says .308 match, but it is pretty short. I got the reamer from an old BR shooter and gun smith Don Geraci. He gave it to me and a couple of PPC reamers to practice chambering. Darn thing cuts so good, and every gun has shot so well, I am not changing. I have used a throating reamer on a couple of 308s to create long throated chambers just experimenting, they shot pretty well also.

4 shots from the first rifle I ever chambered with that reamer from 1K

EddyBo,

Of course your cautionary note is wise. But the OP is using WW brass in a factory chamber/throat, while you're using Lapua in a short throated match chamber.

While a workup is proper, I'll be pretty surprised if the OP runs into bad pressure with his combination at 46 grains. The last seven factory chambered rifles I've loaded for digested 46 grains under 165/168 grain bullets just fine in RP brass, and that has a bit smaller capacity than WW.

I hope you get to feeling better.

mm

No idea in throat length, but loaded to fit the mag I shouldn't have any problems there. None I wouldn't notice after checking my dummy round for proper chambering I woudn't guess?

I was just wondering how yours was, since a couple of mine have regular 168 grain match bullets jumping .150" when they fit the magazine. Bergers jump even more.

Mathman,

Thank you for the well wishes.

I was absolutely not criticizing your load. Just passing that along in case the next guy who reads this thread is not using like componants. I have about 6 308s around here that I load for, most are min spec saami or match chambers no factory chambers though. I have built 3 or 5 more for others that I did load work for. I use LC brass for most, Lapua for some, and win for a couple, very few if any of my rifles or my builds will take 46 grains without loosening primer pockets. That does not mean it is not perfectly safe in your rifle, or will not work in the OPs rifle.

I was just passing along my experiance with what I think is about best 308 load I have ever seen. For some reason it seems that when you reach max with this load things get hot fast. Like going from mildly hot to hot as heck with just .5 or 1 grain more powder. I am not stating the 46grs is a dangerous load, by any means.

I test most of my personal 308 loads by running 22 shots down range at a pretty measured pace to simulate shooting f-class matches. That may also be some of the reason for my hesitation and differeing experiance with it. You leave a round cooking in a real hot chamber for a minute or two waiting on your condition to return it will sometimes get a quite a bit hotter, even with a pretty temp stable powder.

You did get me wondering what QL would say about the 46gr load. Bout 66K PSI with a 2.8 coal is what it estimated but you know it is just an computer simulated educated guess and lots of variables can effect that. I knowingly run loads hotter that that on occassion and it does not mean that your load is reaching that pressure.

If I loaded to any of my magazines I'd be into the rifling by .150". You guys must shoot remingtons or something.

46grns varget in ssa brass on their 14 firing and still good try the ssa brass cheaper than laupa and better

Please elaborate on what makes it better.

harder web, tighter neck tolarances, holes 2.8 grns more water weight , cheeper to buy and made in the usa the only draw back is the flash hole is peirced not drilled so you have to remove the bur

Sounds excellent, and better neck tolerances than Lapua is pretty impressive.

Yalls lot of powder must be slower than mine or something.

Gonna end up with a whole bunch of department issued Federal brass on my hands too after I shoot the 100 rounds I have today.
Should I even bother with this stuff?
Seems like it could take one or two loadings just neck sizing it? Assuming my primer pockets don't give out right?

Back way off, say to 42 grains, and work up three tenths at a time. You should be able to hit an accuracy node before you run out of headroom, but don't count on top velocity.