Help with a .308 load

[CBB1]

Thank you for the information. I loaded some 165 interlocks I plan to try today. After having good luck with the factory 168 sierra match from federal I ordered some 168 TMKs if that those don’t work I’ll drop to 150s. I have no interest in a load I have to single load so I’ll be sticking to mag length of shorter.


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[SDHNTR]

Change the bullet or change the powder. Got any H4895 laying around?

 

[xsn10s]

I'd check case length also, if it's too long it can cause accuracy and pressure issues. If you have a synthetic ADL I'd look for a stock upgrade too. Even if it's just a wooden stock you can glass bed.

 

[gman82001]

Thank you for the information. I loaded some 165 interlocks I plan to try today. After having good luck with the factory 168 sierra match from federal I ordered some 168 TMKs if that those don’t work I’ll drop to 150s. I have no interest in a load I have to single load so I’ll be sticking to mag length of shorter.


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The 168 tmk didn’t play well for me at all and lots of research showed it can be a fickle little bullet. The 168 eldm has been doing well for me with varget though

 

[N2TRKYS]

My 308Win shoots 165 grain Accubonds, 125 grain Accubonds, and 125 grain NBTs with equal accuracy.

 

[stanginthe11s]

my 700 rem loves 178 eld with A2520. it did not like 168's.

 

[CBB1]

Right now all I have are IMR4350, h100v, Varget, TAC, and H4831sc. I shot the 165 interlocks today over 44gr of varget and they did a little better. No pressure signs at all. I’m hoping it is the sleek bullet design of the eldm that my rifle didn’t like. The factory 168 match kings shot so well I’m really holding out hope for the TMKs.


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[SDHNTR]

Right now all I have are IMR4350, h100v, Varget, TAC, and H4831sc. I shot the 165 interlocks today over 44gr of varget and they did a little better. No pressure signs at all. I’m hoping it is the sleek bullet design of the eldm that my rifle didn’t like. The factory 168 match kings shot so well I’m really holding out hope for the TMKs.


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If you can’t get a bullet to work with Varget, try TAC.

 

[orelkaddict]

Best of luck with the TMK's, I never could get them to shoot as good as the SMK. I load 168 SMK in multiple 308's and all shoot tight except 1, in that 1 I load the 175 SMK now and it's GTG

 

[Vern400]

Right now all I have are IMR4350, h100v, Varget, TAC, and H4831sc. I shot the 165 interlocks today over 44gr of varget and they did a little better. No pressure signs at all. I’m hoping it is the sleek bullet design of the eldm that my rifle didn’t like. The factory 168 match kings shot so well I’m really holding out hope for the TMKs.


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Good news. Interlocks are great bullets. Keep in your mind Sierra game Kings in 150 and 165. They are shorter from tip to ogive where they're actually 308 caliber. They even have one that is specifically designed for that purpose - the 165 hollow point boat tail game king. For me, the HPBTs shoot like a laser beam, but they're a little bit hard and don't initiate expansion as rapidly as the spitzer boat tails. And they're funky looking. I have loaded SBTs in 6.5, 7-08, 308, and 30-06 for other peoples rifles. I am also a big fan of competition bullet seating dies. They support the bullet and virtually ensure that it starts into the case straight. That results in better concentricity, and better consistent neck tension compared to just getting the bullet close and shoving at home allowing it to align itself. I don't know what your date code is or when your rifle was made, but before Remington got bought out most of the rifles would shoot close to an inch with handloads.

For all the work I did over many years, and all the hunting in salt marsh environments my original barrel is shot out it needs to be replaced. 1989 to 2024 and untold thousands of shots. It's had a good life.

 

[FLS]

I have an older ADL in 308 with a long factory throat. Tangent Ogive bullets like the SMK, Pro Hunter, Game King, Nosler Ballistic Tip and Accubond are much easier to tune at mag length.

 

[CHWine]

Just to confuse the thread even more, I use 43.5 gr Varget with 150 gr Ballistic tips in my M1A in .308. I fooled around forever with IMR 4046 after reading so much older info, but Varget made it happen for me. I think Ballistic tips for deer sized game are pretty deadly.

 

[stanginthe11s]

some advice for you as a new reloader. decide what you want from the load then decide what you're willing to sacrifice.
what I mean by that is you can usually get anything to shoot good groups, but it may not be how you want it. since you have limited powder and bullet choices, are you willing to sacrifice speed? I'm thinking the varget load will group good around 41.5-42 gn's, but you may not get the velocity you want. so you have to make the choice of making what you have work or spending money to find something that gives you everything you want. at the end of the day, the deer will not care so to me accuracy matters most.
also, TAC works good in 308, so you might want to play with that a bit. maybe start at 42.7 with a 168 bullet.

 

[Hschweers]

my 700 rem loves 178 eld with A2520. it did not like 168's.

If you don’t mind, what’s your charge and velocity with A2520 and 178 ELDM? I’ve been playing with this combo myself

 

[CBB1]

Thanks for all the information. Based on the 165 interlocks I shot the other day I’m thinking it could be the secant design of the eldm and the throat length that didn’t jive. I’ll try other options next week when I have more time.


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[stanginthe11s]

If you don’t mind, what’s your charge and velocity with A2520 and 178 ELDM? I’ve been playing with this combo myself

I cannot find my notes, but I found 1 empty box so can only tell you I used 45 gn A2520 with the 178 ELD
pretty sure I was in the 2700's but I have a 26" barrel. I would start 1.5 gn lower and work up. I had a chassis so was limited to mag length but probably ran 2.850 and used starline brass.

 

[Vern400]

I’m am relatively new to reloading and have trouble finding an accurate load for my 308. It is a Remington 700 ADL. It shoots federal gold match sierra 168 into 5 shot 3/4 MOA group and Hornady 150 American Whitetail 5 shots at 1MOA.

My starting load is Hornady brass, federal 210 match primers, 168 eldm loaded to mag length. I have only tried Varget. Showed slight pressure at 44gr and it was 1.5+ MOA. Backed off to 43gr and it was closer to 2 MOA. Frustrated, this afternoon I tried another group with the federal 168 match and it was again easily 3/4 MOA.

Any obvious observation before I start chasing my tail and swapping components?


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I’m am relatively new to reloading and have trouble finding an accurate load for my 308. It is a Remington 700 ADL. It shoots federal gold match sierra 168 into 5 shot 3/4 MOA group and Hornady 150 American Whitetail 5 shots at 1MOA.

My starting load is Hornady brass, federal 210 match primers, 168 eldm loaded to mag length. I have only tried Varget. Showed slight pressure at 44gr and it was 1.5+ MOA. Backed off to 43gr and it was closer to 2 MOA. Frustrated, this afternoon I tried another group with the federal 168 match and it was again easily 3/4 MOA.

Any obvious observation before I start chasing my tail and swapping components?


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Check this out. I think this is part of why the Sierra 2125 and 2145 and 2140 bullets shoot so dang good in most 308/30-06 bolt guns. I can't prove it but a lot of evidence points to the tangent ogive being forgiving for handloaders.

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[doc holiday13]

Have you tried matching jump distance to the lands?
Measure the jump distance from the Federal Gold Match and give your reloads the same jump

 

[CBB1]

Have you tried matching jump distance to the lands?
Measure the jump distance from the Federal Gold Match and give your reloads the same jump

I have measured the BTO length of the Federal Match but because of the ELDM design I can’t replicate it and keep them short enough to mag feed.


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[eod.mickelson]

I'd be interested to know your es/sd's if you have a chronograph. Those would tell a lot of the story.
Also, what equipment are you using? Dies/powder measurements etc.