Gun is a 30", 1/12 twist Savage. I have 155 Scenars, Federal once fired brass, Varget, Benchmark and H4895 If you shoot such a rig what is your best most accurate hand load? Please and Thank You, Bill...
P.S 'Willing to buy WW brass or order Lapua if you have a strong argument against the Federal stuff.
In the old days Federal brass and primers served me best.

Fresh cup of coffee on this end.

About 46gr of Varget. Work up. It's a classic Palma load.

From what I've gathered you may start loosening Federal 308 brass primer pockets before you get up to the load level typically used in your stated application.

I just got in a batch of 7RM Fed brass. Looks good.

Are you thinking it's softer than it should be?

DF

Just seems fashionable to bash Federal brass and Leupold rifle scopes now a days.
I buy Norma when I can, Winchester if that is all that is available.
Mostly have used Federal brass and primers for about forty years...based on availability, of course!
I bought some Federal blue box loaded ammo after rebate it ran $8.87 a box. I was going to use that to condition/break in the bore,and fire form cases.
Then the usual LEE collet neck sizer and Forster Bench Rest seater die. I see some shooters using small primer brass and over max pressure hand loads.
Velocity in a 30" 308 should be close to 2980 fps (46.5g Varget/155). This load has been mentioned by two reasonable shooter friends.

I have run into some really soft Federal 308's, but that has been a while. Federal brass, of late, has given me good service. But it is thicker and lower capacity than others. The 155 Scenar is pretty long for its weight, so I'm thinking of capacity.

I don't "fashionably bash".

Is it safe to assume you'll be checking the neck walls of that brass?

..."safe to assume"...(!)
A safety is a mechanical devise that can fail...
I do plan to check and sort, measure and handle the brass with all due respect.
I also have a batch of new Norma 30'06s that can be cut, necked and reamed if necessary.
I have had some very good results with federal Blue box sighting in friend's rifles (it is, perhaps the only factory loaded ammo I have purchased in 30 years or more). Many shooter like LC 7.62 cases for the top end loads.
Thanks, fellas...

I haven't used Federal .308 brass for years, it did seem soft, but was accurate. I have had good success with both Varget and H4895 and 155/155.5 Sierras and Bergers in my M70 palma rifle with a 30" 1-13" Krieger barrel for NRA LR and Palma. I am currently loading H4895 to a MV of 2980fps for warmer weather but may switch back to my 3030fps Varget loads as the temps cool to keep the speed up at 1000 yards. With your 1-12" barrel, Berger 185 juggernauts might be worth trying. Good luck and let us know your results.

First, the Federal brass: I use quite a lot of Federal 308 Brass but only for shot to mid-range loads where I don't have to push it too hard. Primer pockets will loosen a bitg earlier than in Lapua or Winchester brass. I like around 43 grains of 4895 with 155's out to 600m. For 7,8, and 900, I use Lapua brass and add a couple grains of powder. I have always gotten better accuracy out of 4895 than Varget but have been able to get better velocities with Varget. Sometimes, a guy might want to go for the velocity to ensure stability at 1000 yds.
I also use some Lake city Match brass and it is strong and durable but capacity is a bit lower. My favorite bullets are the Lapua Scenars. GD

Thank you all.
Anyone annealing case necks?... Like every time you fire the case? I think this is in relation to lake City brass...
While I burn a ton of Varget...(and gave away my RE15...) H4895 has become a favorite. I especially like my limited experience with Benchmark.
185gr bullets in a 1/12 barrel? I was under the notion that 168s were on the the edge.

WW brass seems to be discounted heavily around here, Maybe I can sort out a usable supply.

I use Federal primers for the most part, has anyone experimented with 210s instead of 210 Match? 210M seem to be out of stock locally.
A guy could load just one caliber for a decade or two and still learn things at the range!

I shoot 168's in a 14 twist for my 300m load. (scenars) In the 12 twist, I would expect 185's to be OK depending upon their length. I know 190 Matchkings are OK.
Primers:
I use mostly CCI 200s. I have used BR2's but, quite honestly, have not seen much difference. I used some Dominion primers (Russian) and they worked very well, I'm afraid of Winchesters since some have cups which fail. Try different primers and see what shoots best for you. I have found that rifles often prefer a certain primer. GD

The thing to keep in mind with the long barrels and slower twists is the added velocity makes up the difference.

We were running approx. 168" freebore in 1~12 barrels to take full advantage of the Berger 185gr bullets. While not absolutely necessary, a long action works well with that combination.

[quote=Uncas] Thank you all.
Anyone annealing case necks?...


YES ,the candle -water bucket method seems to work the best

Fed commercial or LC?

Commercial, usually from Federal Gold Medal match.

Okay, thanks. Got lots of older Winchester, plus a bunch of LC I bought from Evergreen, because I thought it'd be tough (and cheap!)

I have an excess of new LC, all the same year if you need some send me a PM.

Why 155's??? This is not old school Palma. That barrel is not a tight bore 298 and 1:12 can handle far heavier!! So why? I recall far slower twists than 1:12 in Palma back in the day. So I would love to hear the why? Sounds like it would be interesting to hear.

I like old school Palma :-)

For F class, the 185 juggernauts I suggested would make sense if they shot well in that barrel.

Well I started this thread and the 155's have been the most accurate bullet tested in a 1-12 Savage F class factory gun...(until I put five 130 TTSXs with Benchmark into a 40 caliber hole in a 15-18 kts gust storm...but that is the ONLY smaller group of 20 test loads).155 Sc and Varget and 210m primers... even the case does not seem to matter, just realize some brass has very different capacity!

Fireforming some Federal brass with a light load of Benchmark yielded sub 3" groups at 600 yards with 165 H SST hunting bullets...

I shoot 45.5 of Varget with my 155's, either Palma match kings or Scenars,, both work great right out to 1,000 with any of my 4 Palma rifles, including the Savage.
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