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About a week ago I picked up a new SCAR 17. What an amazing rifle. Only complaint is the 16" barrel. Too short for 308 in my book but if they ever make an 18" it will be on my Christmas list.
After playing with irons for a while I decided to mount up a Vortex Viper 2.5x10 to test some loads. Since this is my only 308 and having never loaded it factory ammo was needed simply for the brass.
First up was CBC that comes in a bulk 50 round pack. It looks nice but the best groups I could muster were a very disappointing 5" (all groups are at 100 yards). This had me very concerned. Next up was PMC 147g. It shot about 3" which is still far from what I would expect.
Midway had some 155 grain Nosler BTHP and Widners had standard 147g. M80 ball. I loaded up the 155 grain bullets with Varget and the 147's with 748. About 70 degrees F no wind.
With a total of about 150 rounds through the barrel here are my results of the day.
First up are the 147g. M80 2.82 OAL Winchester primer GGG brass
44 grains 748 2400fps
44.6 grains 748 2440fps
45.6 grains 748 2490fps
46.5 grains 748 2540fps
47.2 grains 748 2560fps
Next up is the 155 grain Nosler BTHP 2.818 OAL Winchester primer Lake City cases.
The first group is 10 shots and I decided to do 5 shot groups due to time constraints.
42.3 Varget 2410fps
42.9 Varget 2450fps
43.5 Varget 2485fps
44.2 Varget 2500fps
45.1 Varget 2550fps
45.8 Varget 2610fps
Well the gun likes 45.1 Grains of Varget. It might be a fluke but I am going to load up more and see what happens.
The 147 grain bullets are disappointing. I am going to try using Hodgdon 335 and work it up.
If anyone has a recipe for the 147 grain M80's I would like to hear it.
Thanks, Sammy
After playing with irons for a while I decided to mount up a Vortex Viper 2.5x10 to test some loads. Since this is my only 308 and having never loaded it factory ammo was needed simply for the brass.
First up was CBC that comes in a bulk 50 round pack. It looks nice but the best groups I could muster were a very disappointing 5" (all groups are at 100 yards). This had me very concerned. Next up was PMC 147g. It shot about 3" which is still far from what I would expect.
Midway had some 155 grain Nosler BTHP and Widners had standard 147g. M80 ball. I loaded up the 155 grain bullets with Varget and the 147's with 748. About 70 degrees F no wind.
With a total of about 150 rounds through the barrel here are my results of the day.
First up are the 147g. M80 2.82 OAL Winchester primer GGG brass
44 grains 748 2400fps
44.6 grains 748 2440fps
45.6 grains 748 2490fps
46.5 grains 748 2540fps
47.2 grains 748 2560fps
Next up is the 155 grain Nosler BTHP 2.818 OAL Winchester primer Lake City cases.
The first group is 10 shots and I decided to do 5 shot groups due to time constraints.
42.3 Varget 2410fps
42.9 Varget 2450fps
43.5 Varget 2485fps
44.2 Varget 2500fps
45.1 Varget 2550fps
45.8 Varget 2610fps
Well the gun likes 45.1 Grains of Varget. It might be a fluke but I am going to load up more and see what happens.
The 147 grain bullets are disappointing. I am going to try using Hodgdon 335 and work it up.
If anyone has a recipe for the 147 grain M80's I would like to hear it.
Thanks, Sammy
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