308 hot 155 grain loads

[Peterla]

Hi 308 shooters

I am looking to see what other people have done with load for 155 grain projectiles for 1000 yard shoots.

I have done some testing with 2208 and found a reasonable node at 45 grains but gives me only about 2860 fps velocity.

I am a bit worried that this is a bit slow for 1000 yard competitive shooting.

My next step is to ladder test from 45 to 46 and up a bit more looking for the usual pressure signs.
46 is not a good node and no signs of pressure there but what is the highest level other shooters have used?

That will give me a rough idea where to finish my ladder test at. (as I said before watching for pressure signs)

Thanks

Peter

[jasmay]

I am not a big advocate for giving load data, obviously each rifle/barrel/action is different and requires development.

I will say however that with 2208 I get my speeds up just over 3000fps, out of a 30" barrel.

There are some club members that I shoot with that have gone to the slighty quicker burning 2206h usign lighter loads than the 2008 to achieve similar velocites.

You may also want to consider trialling palma brass if your concerned about pressure, I use both standard .308 and .308palma succesfully with this load however.

[higginsdj]

It's going to vary considerably based on projectile, case, chamber and barrel.

ie some examples I have seen produced by other shooters (no barrel details)
46.3gn 2208 in a Winchester Case with Bergers produce 2950
47gn 2208 in a Winchester Case with HBC's produce 2960
45.8gn 2208 in a Lapua Case with HBC's produce 2960
45.8gn 2208 in a Lapua Case with Bergers produce 2915

Note that Lapua Cases have a lower internal volume than the Winchester Cases and that the above Winchester loads are compressed.

Cheers

David

[macguru]

I regularly use 46.6gr 2208 with berger vlds in LAPUA cases with no pressure signs, but obviously I worked up to it... I have tried 47gr also but accuracy was a little worse. I have never exceeded this amount...

[Peterla]

Thanks everyone.

Looks like a ladder test between 45 and 47 max watching very closely for pressure changes is the go then.

Peter

[gone]

what action/rifle and barrel are you using? is it a 30 inch barrel?

[Quick]

I have run upto 48gr 2208 in Win brass in my R700, no pressure signs. I cant recall what bullet. Could have been Noslers or Berger.

My current load is 46gr 2208 in Lapua Palma brass, CCI 450 and Berger 155.5gr Fullbore. Gets me 2880fps approx based on drop to 1000yds and is very accurate. Barrel is 26"

[Peterla]

Its a stiller predator with a 30inch 1in 11 twist rate.
I will be using lapua cases and berger 155.5.

According to JBM ballistics I need to be about 2920 to stay supersonic at 100 yards

I will do a ladder test this weekend if the weather permits and see what speed and nodes I can find.

[Brad Y]

I know someone here has shot up to 47gr in a remington and a barnard. Remington bolt lift was hard. Barnard not so.

I think you will find a node before going past 46.5gr but still look for any pressure signs as your firing up. In the ADI book you can run up to 47gr which is a compressed load. I would imagine this would be in either ADI or winchester cases so it makes sense that lapua cases would max out slightly less than 47gr.

Are you using the small primer cases or large primer cases? A well known load in WA is 46.2gr 2208, CCI450's in small primer cases and a 155gr class bullet in a 30 inch barrel. I do know of people shooting 45.6gr with some success too. Barrels will vary however- maybe you have a slow one. Also some barrels will pick up in speed after a hundred or so shots when its run in.

[gone]

Its a stiller predator with a 30inch 1in 11 twist rate.
I will be using lapua cases and berger 155.5.

so the next questions are
1. what make of barrel (this should not make that bigger difference to speed)
2. how many rounds has it had?
3. What chamber have you had put in?
4. What type of chronograph are you using? has this been checked
5. How far from the barrel is it?

To give you and idea 155.5 burgers in one of my 308 F standard rifle to the lands is 2.32 but the same chamber using dyers is 2.25. The burgers have very little holding them in the case.

[BATattack]

Its a stiller predator with a 30inch 1in 11 twist rate.
I will be using lapua cases and berger 155.5.

so the next questions are
1. what make of barrel (this should not make that bigger difference to speed)
2. how many rounds has it had?
3. What chamber have you had put in?
4. What type of chronograph are you using? has this been checked
5. How far from the barrel is it?

To give you and idea 155.5 burgers in one of my 308 F standard rifle to the lands is 2.32 but the same chamber using dyers is 2.25. The burgers have very little holding them in the case.

1. pacnor select match .30cal 1-11
2. Probably around 300
3.Palma set up for 155gr

If that barrel seems slow for the powder charge could it be the the majority of krieger barrels in australia are actually TIGHT .307 groove barrels instead of a true .308 like that pacnor.

I can only comment on those things because it used to be my rifle.

Hope im not butting in pete feel free to correct me if im wrong!!?

[Peterla]

Hi Everyone,

All comments are fine and I am just looking at getting some long range load data.
This way I get an idea what is going on with other setups even though I know each rifle loves its own.

The crono graph was a Magneto speed one that is great for velocities but no good to use when group testing.

I will be shooting through a CEM for my ladder test ( Thanks to Adam)

Keen to see the results and might even post them here for other people looking at doing load development.

Pete

[jasmay]

Its a stiller predator with a 30inch 1in 11 twist rate.
I will be using lapua cases and berger 155.5.

so the next questions are
1. what make of barrel (this should not make that bigger difference to speed)
2. how many rounds has it had?
3. What chamber have you had put in?
4. What type of chronograph are you using? has this been checked
5. How far from the barrel is it?

To give you and idea 155.5 burgers in one of my 308 F standard rifle to the lands is 2.32 but the same chamber using dyers is 2.25. The burgers have very little holding them in the case.

1. pacnor select match .30cal 1-11
2. Probably around 300
3.Palma set up for 155gr

If that barrel seems slow for the powder charge could it be the the majority of krieger barrels in australia are actually TIGHT .307 groove barrels instead of a true .308 like that pacnor.

I can only comment on those things because it used to be my rifle.

Hope im not butting in pete feel free to correct me if im wrong!!?

From your opening statement of 45gr giving 2860 that sounds about right to me, I woudl simply be stepping powder up to develop further.

1:11 twist may not be optimum for 155gr class projies, but it will work fine. Its debatebly but I feel each step up in twist results in a slight downgrade in velocity, but its probably as little as 10-15fps maybe 20 on the outer. its negateable but worth noting when considering barrel choice.

As I have said, step up yoru load and see how you go, if your not happy try some other projectiles. also, test your magneto speed against the CED chrono, just so you know what the variance is, you will have a variance in result. due to it been at the muzzle.

[SENDIT]

I ran a very hot load in vic last year, I wont repeat the recipe here but one thing I did notice using br2 primers I was in the high 2900fps same load with magnum primers pushed it over 3000fps , then I got faster, then I pulled my head in.