Beginners Luck

[Buffalobob]

I did not mean for you to leave the scope set at 200 yards but to just dial it up for that session and then dial it back down to 100 yards when you are finished at 200.

The guns that the benchrest shooter use and the rests that they use and the calibers that they use are specialized for that sport.

If you see a hunter type up that his hunting rifle shoots in the 2s then don't buy a used truck from him.

 

[JunkYardDog]

.
LOL!

Then I reckon my .75 isn't so bad then.

I didn't think you meant a permanent adjustment bob.
I'm just saying I may tweek the high-right out with a more careful trigger pull.

However, it seems if my goal is long-range accuracy, then should I set zero at 200 as a starting point and adjust up-and-down from there?

My nephew emailed me some pics and that little turkey has been bagging hogs here from distances of 300 yards.
That little crumb-cruncher snuck up on a batch of them with a dad-gum kalishnokov and bagged four on the run.

I found out I go hunt them as much as I want all year.
I'm just wondering what land I can use.
He was on his friend's land while working here last fall.

I'm still wondering about the use of reloads as well.

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[Captn C]

Reloading is cheaper for most calibers...the 7mm RUM I just bought; factory ammo averages about $50 per box of 20. I know I can get it down to a bunch less than that reloading.

I have little to no true long range experence, but I am thinking about a 300 yard zero. If I stretch it out from there I can adjust it up. From 0 yards to 300 you should be able to do a straight hold on, on deer size game down to pasture puppies.

 

[JunkYardDog]

Hey Captn,

Seein you're in this part of TX, where can I do some hog-huntin?

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[JunkYardDog]

Well, I got my Lee re-loader kit and 308 dies.
I think I figured out adjustments for the primer knock-out pin.
It seems that the die doesn't envelope the whole cartridge, so I lowered the pin to poke out the primer.
Hope I ain't missing nothing.
I cleaned the pockets, chamfered the neck in-and-out and am about to start fooling with powder measurements.

I narrated the first 14 chapters of Lyman's 48th.
I reckon I could use a chronograph, and some mics and calipers.
I gotta measure cartridge length and I want bullet-seating-depth to be perfect for accuracy.
I read in Lyman's that, when using the same rifle, its best to simply use a neck-reshaping die (as opposed to reshaping the whole cartridge,) as the body of the cartridge performs best when it gets its shape from the chamber.

Forty rounds through a brand new rifle (the first three went through the top of the barn!) and I'm already loading my own.

 

[Tryn4sub]

Tryn4sub

Your new here. Me too. I think this is a very helpful site. You should fit in well, as most here are savage people.. Me, Im all Remington. Your stock gun can throw up some great stats.
Start here: Bed it..Float it.. break in the barrel..and reduce trigger to 1.5#. The rest is on you and your ammo.. My .308 likes 168bthp.(Fed Gold Match)All barrels like diff ammo. Buy a few diff of each and c which one your barrel likes. If you know of someone who can hand load for you, this is a GREAT start. Get some Snap Caps for the gun and practice trigger pulls.
Google "fundamentals of percision shooting" should get great direction
there.
Good luck!

 

[JunkYardDog]

Thanks Tryn,
I'm learning how to load my own now.

I reloaded the shells from my first 40 rounds with the same bullets (150 sp) and 38.7 grains of H335.
I'll be taking them to the range tomorrow (Monday.)

I'm concerned about how tight the neck holds the bullet.
Everything I've read says crimping a 308 isn't necessary, but some were loose and had to be repressed.
All can be wrenched with my fingers if I try.
It seems a bit precarious.
I don't think factory ammo is that loose.

 

[JunkYardDog]

I shot 27 reloaded rounds.
No problem with firing, but I'm not sure about accuracy.
gun)
The first six tweaked-in slow because I re-zeroed at 100 yards after adjusting eye relief and level.
Also, wind was 10-15 from two o'clock.
Shots seven through 27 saw seven 3-shot spreads vary between .75" and 2".
Between the re-loads, me and doping for the wind, it's hard to isolate effects on accuracy.

I'll try again on a calmer day.

 

[kolt1]

Hey JYD

Sounds like your on your way to getting the hang of reloading. But your neck tension sounds loose if you can pull them out with your fingers. Might check your sizing die against someone elses for proper neck tension.
Your groups in the wind sounded good for I believe you said a pointed soft point. You might think about a 175gr Sierra Match King hollow point. Great accuracy and more down range energy for the long shots. Bucks the wind good to. And here in Oklahoma we have wind. Good luck with everything.gun)

 

[JunkYardDog]

Thanks kolt. I'm about to reload another batch right now.
I'll pick up some 175 hp this weekend.

I shot 36 more today and it was windy again. (10-15 @ 2 o'clock)
If .75" to 2" in the wind is good, then I reckon I'm doing okay.
I was just worried because both times I've shot my reloads so far its been windy.
The combination variables of wind, reload and my skill makes it hard to isolate one from the others.
I know I could be smoother on the trigger.
Also, I don't want to start taking this apart to adjust the accutrigger yet, until I'm more familiar with it.

The neck tension thing may have to do with the force I use in pressing.
If the die is low on neck tension, is that something that can be adjusted?
How can I correct it.
Is it a warranty issue?

.

 

[Buffalobob]

Measure both the vertical and horizontal dispersion and record both. If you know it was windy and gusting then look hard at the vertical and ignore the horizontal. The horizontal is mostly wind effects (you hope).

Neck tension with a Lee neck die is about two things. The amount of force applied and the hardness of the neck.

 

[JunkYardDog]

Looks like you're exactly right about neck tension on my Lee die BB.

I've been getting ½ to ¾ inch spreads @ 100 yards with my reloads.
But I noticed some brass was fitting tight in the chamber, and today I think I figured out why.

I think the die was set a bit too low and I was slightly crushing the body of the brass just below the neck while pressing.
This set a whole process of re-tweaking die-height and bullet depth adjustments.
I also discarded several crushed cartridges.

The brass on factory rounds grip the bullet just below the knurled relief for crimping so it took several adjustments to get the brass to grab the bullet in the right place.
I'd appreciate any more advice or insights.

 

[JunkYardDog]

Okay, three groups with factory ammo (150 sp) were .625 to .75 width and height @ 100yds.
But the handloads (150 FMJ/BT,) while grouping the same were consistently low, even after scope adjustment.
H335 specs for Lyman's 48th is 38-45.
Mine were loaded at 42.5.
I reckon making them a bit hotter will minimize bullet drop.
Any suggestions on powders and/or measurements?

 

[royinidaho]

JYD,

You are getting some top notch advice. Pay attention to what Buffalobob says, it will be come even more important as time goes on.

I gather you're shooting a Savage in 308. You're shooting lots of rounds. Let the barrel cool. You'll also want to clean it fairly often during these early stages. I'm one of those fellows that shoots way more than I should to get the job done. But hey, it is kind of fun, but wears out expensive barrels too soon.

You mentioned that your hand loads shot low even with scope adjustments. That's a symptom of something but I don't know of what. The point of impact should move with any scope adjustment.

Sneak up on the max loads carefully. Watch for any hint of bolt lift or extraction pressure. Those are sure signs that pressures are getting on the high side.

Look closely at the firing pin indent on the factory cases that have been fired. Manufactures of primers have different softness of primers but what you see on you factory firings is a good indicators.

When the primers on your hand loads begin to look like the factory fired primers, pressures and velocities are close to what the factory is doing. Not exact by any means but in the same ball park, probably.

Chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth after as a front step in the reloading/case prep process. Your bullets will start more smoothly.

Dream small, as in group size, and have fun.