Trouble with load development

[Jake H]

New to reloading and looking for some suggestions. I have a savage ultra light in .308 1/10 22” barrel. Trying to figure out how to develop load for it. (1st time)
With good factory ammo it is pretty capable of 3/4 moa 3round groups. How ever I’m having a hard time even getting under 1.5 moa with my hand loads. Started off with var get and Nosler 165 gr. Accubond. Did charge test every .25 grains up till pressure signs. After several hundred rounds, I switched to tac and accubonds. Same thing.
I am now using both tac or varget and sierra tipped match kings. Shooting 3-3round groups of different charge weight up to 44.5 gr. Very large and inconsistent groups for 2.5-1.5 moa all over target. Using Norma brass trimmed to 2.005 . Probably have 250 rounds over several months and I’m getting no where just wondering if any has suggestions on what I’m doing wrong. I have been open to it possibly being poor shooting, but switching back to factory ammo and I shoot well again.

 

[Koda_]

How far off the lands are you?

 

[Jason Snyder]

Try a different powder.

 

[The Mahcanik]

What factory ammo did you start with that shoots well?

 

[Jake H]

How far off the lands are you?

I’ve just been going off the coal that 2.800 in the manual. Do you think adjusting seating depth makes that massive of a difference?

 

[Jake H]

What factory ammo did you start with that shoots well?

Hornady precision shoots well, Norma white tail, and Nosler trophy grade shoots pretty well

 

[Koda_]

I’ve just been going off the coal that 2.800 in the manual. Do you think adjusting seating depth makes that massive of a difference?

Absolutely can make a difference. I had a 1.5moa with my 280ai and adjusting seating depth got me to .8moa. Seating depth times your bullet to your barrel harmonics.

I would redo your charge weight test but start .020" off the lands. Sometimes that alone will get you good groups and your done. If not... Pick your smallest group size from that test, then do a seating depth test moving away from the lands in .005" increments and watch group size shrink.

Be sure the new coal still fits and feeds thru your magazine...

 

[huntnful]

Hornady precision shoots well, Norma white tail, and Nosler trophy grade shoots pretty well

Shoot those bullets then, but in your handloads, IMO. It's already proven that the gun likes them, and hates what you're putting down it now. No need to keep banging your head against a wall. Some guns just don't like some bullets.

Shoot something you KNOW it likes, so that you can get a good reloading baseline and routine that you see give you consistent accuracy. And then you can branch out to different bullets with confidence that your reloading is up to par.

 

[FrontRange]

I’ve just been going off the coal that 2.800 in the manual. Do you think adjusting seating depth makes that massive of a difference?

I load the same 44.4 grains of varget with 175gr TMKs but out at 2.96ish oal. That isn't touching the lands but just off. My groups tightened up pretty significantly the farther i got out (or, conversely, the closer i got to touching). Also, maybe try different primers?

 

[wind gypsy]

Have you confirmed it still shoots factory tight since you started hand loading?

What bullets are in the nosler trophy grade that shot well?

 

[Jake H]

Try a different powder.

Have you confirmed it still shoots factory tight since you started hand loading?

What bullets are in the nosler trophy grade that shot well?

I have towards beginning, I’ll check again just to make sure. Nosler 165 accubond same thing I’ve been trying to reload with

 

[TaperPin]

That’s frustrating, but it’s part of reloading.

Seating depth and different powder can be checked, but I bet the biggest difference will come from a different bullet and/or bullet weight.

 

[wind gypsy]

I have towards beginning, I’ll check again just to make sure. Nosler 165 accubond same thing I’ve been trying to reload with

A little surprising 165 accubonds weren't good with 2 different powders then.

What's your reloading process?

 

[Koda_]

If your getting at least 1.5moa with some of your charge weights youve got the right powder, you just haven't finished the rest of the load development process.... seating depth test.

Its possible there are other inconsistencies in your method but one thing at a time here. Use your optimal charge weight you found previously, and redo that but with .020" off the lands and see if your group is tight. Then do a seating depth test if needed.

You should be able to get at least 1moa groups with those bullets.

 

[TXHunt]

So it likes the factory loaded 165 Accubonds but not your hand loaded 165 Accubonds….. what is the COAL of the factory vs your reloads? Since you know your rifle likes those bullets, at the factory ammo length that’s where I would start with your hand loads. Do you have a chronograph? If so see what speed your factory ammo is doing and try to match that with your hand loads. If it’s still not shooting them as good or close to what the factory loads are, something is wrong with your reloading process…..

 

[TXHunt]

What kinds dies are you using? If bushing die…..how much neck tension are you getting?

 

[Koda_]

So it likes the factory loaded 165 Accubonds but not your hand loaded 165 Accubonds….. what is the COAL of the factory vs your reloads? Since you know your rifle likes those bullets, at the factory ammo length that’s where I would start with your hand loads.

Be careful with this, ive had factory ammo with different ogive profiles than the same bullet I ordered to handload. Way different oal.

OP needs to find out where the lands are with his stash of bullets and go from there.

 

[mtnbound]

@Jake H:
Confirming you are back to shooting 3/4 MOA groups with factory ammo?

If yes, then you are doing something in your reloading process. See below for Forms LD.


Painless load development (mine)

Painless load development (mine)

I have had multiple people ask me to lay out how I do load development being that what I do is different. Since Shaen @Shooter71 just rebarreled a Tikka 595 in 6XC I thought it would be easy to show how I do it. It’s a Master Sporter with a T3 lite profiled 20” barrel- keep in mind it is a T3...

r.tapatalk.com

 

[Jason Snyder]

I’d try 4064 and or 4895

 

[Fireflyfishing]

We need more info on your equipment and how you are loading.

Are you using the same lot and brand of brass for your loads?