Load development question

[Mize]

I'm reloading .308 with 168 gr Sie. hpbt bullets and Hodgdon Varget powder. The bottle suggest using a 46 gr charge. Has anyone had any success with this load?

[anotherted]

With 168 gr HPBT, I started with 42 gr Varget and worked up from there. I diddnt get that far as at 43 gr, my VS shot the daylights out. 1 MOA seven shot groups-- thats pretty good in my book. It did it pretty effortlessly too. My Speer manual lists 46 gr Varget as a Max load for 168 gr.

[ocabj]

46.0gr of Varget with a 168gr SMK is considered max.

What distances are you using this load for? I'd start low. 42gr maybe and find the load that works for you.

You're going to find that a certain powder and bullet combo will shoot accurate groups in certain increments. IE: When testing using 100 yard groups, you may find 42.5gr gives you a 1/2 MOA group, but then as you go up, the group opens up. Yet you get to 44.0gr and the group shrinks down again.

Anyway, if you're just trying to make small groups on paper at 100 yards, there's no need to run a max load.

Plus, 168gr is an 800 yard bullet at best. You only need a muzzle velocity of 2650 or so. Depending on your barrel length, 46.0gr and a 168 SMK will probably far exceed 2650fps MV.

[Gunsrruss]

Do not shoot over 800 yds

You 168 will be fine out to 800 yds with 42 or 43 gr varget. You really won't get anymore out of it at 46. When you can move up to 175gr bullet with 42 or 43 gr of varget and start making holes at 1000yds.

[Mize]

Thanks for the feedback! I loaded ten of each with 42.5, 43, 43.5, 44, 44.5 and 45. Eventually I want to shoot 1000 yrds so I ordered 500 rounds of 175 gr. hpbt from Midway but they haven't arrived yet. I only have 50 more 168 gr. bullets and I will load them with whatever groups best out of the test groups. I doubt I'll buy more 168 gr. By the way I'm using a Rem 700 pss with a 26in barrel.

[Gunsrruss]

Remington 700 PSS

I have this rifle. It's absolutly wonderful. I have about 6000 of the old military 173gr bullets. I load using pull down recovered military powder 4895. I have used Varget also. Did well with the Varget 43gr OAL was 2.78-9. They shot well out to 1000yds. The Army manual for precision 172 bullets shows using WCC846 or 4895 at 44gr with OAL of 2.83. I will be building up some of these soon. I will be running those through my Remington. They will be strickly for the long range matches that I go to.

[megavolt121]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but what is your cost per round for the 168 grain?