Request for Recipe (.308), also info to share

[Jicko]

Some info on M118LR

M118LR
175SMK
2580fps

[rksimple]

Sounds like a load you may want to work on Jicko. If your gun doesn't like the scenars, the 175 smk is the best as far as ease of loading. It should shoot well with little effort.

[Timberwolf]

to replicate M118LR the recipe is

LCLR brass, 210M or 210 primer, 42.8 - 43.4 grn RE15 (that's the powder in M118LR) and 175 SMKs. You want velocity around 2650 - I know they say 2580 but IIRC that was taken at 75 feet from the muzzle not 10.

[Jicko]

M118LR (175SMK)

Yes, that would be my next try.....

And old thread with some great info:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=55253

PS. I am tempted to acquire some more 173gr M118 SB (NATO special ball), but they weren't cheap or easy to find. :-(

[Timberwolf]

Leave the 173s alone unless you are sure they are early production. The QC on them went to sh*t towards the end, which is why people starting pulling them and replacing with 168s (commonly known as "mexican match") and later the 175s.

Get some 175s, develope a load for the brass you intend to use, and stick with it - they won't let you down.

[Prc329]

Pick up a box of FGMM 175g and see how they shoot in your gun. Mine loved them so I duped the load (in velocity) for my 700. Shot to 0.4 out of my gun.

[Jicko]

"Pick up a box of FGMM 175gr" <- that is a good idea!! Or.... BHA 175....

[30Cal]

Leave the 173s alone unless you are sure they are early production. The QC on them went to sh*t towards the end, which is why people starting pulling them and replacing with 168s (commonly known as "mexican match") and later the 175s.

Amen. I bought a can of 1500 of those bullets from the CMP back when. They vary in weight by 1.5grs from one to the next. They shoot OK on some rifles, not-so-OK in others. For some reason, they shoot best in my worst barrels (M1903's and Field Grade M1's). SMK works well all the time and I've found the .308 Nosler flavors to be just as good!

[Jicko]

Info needed!

Thanks to a fellow shooter, I have got some (10ish) Sierra 155 Palma, 175SMK and 180SMK bullets. And I've got some VARGET.

Can you guys give me some recipe to try out this weekend? I would like to nail down what to go with... 155Scenars or 175SMK....... RL15 or VARGET....

I know that both bullets and both powder should serve me well, yet I want to find THE ONE that is good for my rifle. So, please... any recipe for me?

I would want to do a matrix of (and will be loading to 2.8" or under, for this test)

Bullets:
- Lapua 155 Scenar
- Sierra 155 Palma
- 168 SMK
- 175 SMK

Powders (various wt of):
- Alliant RL15
- Hodgon VARGET

And if I have time, I would like to do various wt of RL15 & VARGET with 77gr Nosler CC HPBT too.

I've also got some M852(168SMK), BHA 168SMK and some Mk262Mod1 to test. It would be a FUN president day!!!

If you have any suggestion, please shoot forward!!

[wildcard]

Geez.. that's some patience you got there. You're STILL testing? I suppose it may pay off in the end.. hopefully soon so you can just start shooting!

[Jicko]

I know, I just wasn't as lucky as your guys, and I just don't want to give up and go back to just shooting FGMM or BHA.

[ar15barrels]

I run 46.5gr of Varget under a moly coated 155 Palma SMK at 2.800 OAL in Federal GMM cases.
I would drop down to 45.5 or 46 without the moly.

[wildcard]

I know, I just wasn't as lucky as your guys, and I just don't want to give up and go back to just shooting FGMM or BHA.

Did FGMM not work for you?

I may have to go the 155 Scenar route eventually.. allows for a higher amount of user error as far as range estimation goes. It would be pretty sweet for hold over shooting too with its flatter trajectory. I'll do it when I chop my barrel down and maybe rechamber.

[Jicko]

Did FGMM not work for you?

I may have to go the 155 Scenar route eventually.. allows for a higher amount of user error as far as range estimation goes. It would be pretty sweet for hold over shooting too with its flatter trajectory. I'll do it when I chop my barrel down and maybe rechamber.

So far, 155Scenar aren't doing too good for me, even Lapua Factory rounds do slightly over 1MOA @ 100yds. While 168SMK and 173M118SB consistently go under 1MOA. That means FGMM308M should be good. I haven't got the chance until now to test 175SMK (or FGMM308M2), and if it behaves like 168SMK, I would be good to go.

I'll give 155Scnears 1 last chance with VARGET, per ZakS recommendation.

We'll see.

[wildcard]

So far, 155Scenar aren't doing too good for me, even Lapua Factory rounds do slightly over 1MOA @ 100yds. While 168SMK and 173M118SB consistently go under 1MOA. That means FGMM308M should be good. I haven't got the chance until now to test 175SMK (or FGMM308M2), and if it behaves like 168SMK, I would be good to go.

I'll give 155Scnears 1 last chance with VARGET, per ZakS recommendation.

We'll see.

Well if you need a load to duplicate 168 FGMM loads, I use 42.4 gr IMR4064 to do it. Most use 42.5 gr so maybe it's just my scale. Then again, I set it out to 2.815" OAL.