.308 help

[Boom]

Very new to reloading and have just finished testing first loads in my FLCP-K in .308. Start by saying the gun is awesome. I shoot factory Hdy. Match 168 BTHP's and am disappointed by anything outside of 1/2 moa. With the success on the factory loads, I am trying to reproduce the same cartridge. Here is what I tried: Lapua brass trimmed to 2.08, 168 hornady bthp, Fed210, 42.0 gr Varget with COAL of 2.80. Results are about a 1" group that is 1" below my zero.

My question is: what is the next step? Increase powder? Am I low because I am slower? I apologize in advance for having not put the shots on a chrony... I had one conviniently located back at my house. Anyway, I am trying to run the next batch and will chrony this one but do not want to go back with the same recipe as I know its not right.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[jsthntn247]

Try 45.0 to 45.5 grains of varget. My sweet spot is 45.2

 

[green 788]

Shooting 168 match bullets....

With the Lapua cases... 43.5 grains of IMR 4895

With the Hornady cases (winchester), 43.6 grains of IMR 4895.

Super accurate match load, this was my first published OCW recipe... any .308 worth its salt will shoot super tight with this load... work up from 42 grains.

Dan

 

[Bart B]

When the .308 Win. was "the" cartridge for shoulder fired rifle matches, the most accurate loads for 168 Sierra's was 43 to 44 grains of IMR4064 in full length sized or new cases. This worked wonders across all sorts of bolt action rifles as well as semiauto service rifles, the M1, M14NM and the M1A commercial version. Most of the matches won and records set with 168's used this load.

Worked well up to 600 yards but at longer ranges sometimes the bullets went subsonic before going through the target paper. For longer ranges, use 43 grains of IMR4064 under a 175 grain Sierra or 42 grains of it under a Sierra 190.

 

[Boom]

Thanks to all for the advice!

 

[emn83]

I've been running 178gr A-Max in my load development, and my rifle seems to like them with between 43.5 and 44.3 grains of Varget, max for 178s is 45gr, not sure, but if I remember, 46 gr is max for 168s so you might want to try a little hotter, just to see

 

[Nomad]

Good advise on powders Varget at 44-45 seem to have a sweet spot and RL-15 from 43.5-44.5
doing flash holes and primer pockets on brass is helpful on most brass, Lapua is the best and
should not need to do any work on the brass. Some true the necks and weigh their case and sort them by weight..
Necksizing only is done by some as well...Several good books about reloading and there are several sites that have a great deal of information.......Luck to you.....

 

[hittman86]

43.6 rl 15 and a 168 smk kissing the lands shoots lights out in my flcp-k