Working up a load and sighting in a new gun

[Mavrick79]

I just bought a new 308 and need to sight in my scope, I also am going to be reloading for this rifle. I don't want to work up my loads and sight in the gun at the same time. What should I do, go buy some factory ammo to sight it in? I also plan on using new Lapua brass that needs to be fire formed so should I make up some lower end loads with that to sight it in then work up my loads?

[hooligan1]

Maverick the first thing I do for a rifle I have purchased is Clean it of course, then I pick up a box of commercial, ( usually reminton corelokts) then go to range, for combination break in, sight in, accuracy evaluation, sometimes new rifles shoot perfectly well with commercial ammo, but bullet selection always forces me to handload for it.
Break in isn't super necessary in most cases, just shoot and clean and shoot some more. Simply because shooting rifle will smooth out rough bore.
Then I pick a bullet that I want to utilize, pick the manual for said bullet and start with most accurate powder which is usually noted, of course start low and work up loads until your satisfied with accuracy and velocity.
Sometimes the powders suggested are not available, so some searching on one of the many internet data lists can be your friend.
Happy shootin dude.

[4runnerman]

I have always just started out re loading. Pick a known good load and sight in,Then start load work.
168 gn Serrias,Varget and 2.80 col and have fun. Sighting in should not take more than 5 or 6 shots to do. Here is a good starting point

168 Serria BTHP
42.3 gn Varget
CCI-BR2 Primers
2.80 col

I have 9 rifles,non of them have ever seen a store purchased round,why waste the money,unless that is what you are going to shoot. Also the 308 as you will find shoots a lot of weights,powders and loads very well. You just need to decide what you want to shoot in it and that will depend on what you want to do with it ( Hunt,target shoot ) or both.

[Bart B.]

I agree with 4runnerman; load some ammo with charge weights in the middle of the range shown for a load recipie then shoot the darned stuff. 4runner's is as good as any. Your zero with super accurate ammo with a different recipie may be 1/3 MOA off from what your very first load produced at 100 yards. Most folks can live with that. If a load you later find is more accurate because it has half a grain change of powder weight in it, note a 50 fps change in muzzle velocity with a .308 means bullets will strike about 1/20th inch up or down from before due to bullet drop changes at 100 yards

It's my opinion that "breaking in" a new barrel is a total waste of time. If it doesn't shoot well from the first round fired, it won't several later when its worn out a tiny bit; barrel wear starts with the first round fired. I think folks who get better accuracy after shooting their new rifle several shots do so because they're able to manage its trigger pull characteristics better.

[cw308]

I agree with all above. What rifle & scope are you using, today is my birthday and at 67 I still love target shooting, reloading & everything that goes along with the sport, I'm still learning new things,thanks to the people at this sight. Thanks guy's. Read everything & try different loads. TO ALL, Have a happy and healthy New Year. Be Safe Chris

[g.willikers]

Unless you are going to reload to duplicate a factory load to save money, why zero for a factory round?
With so many choices available, you could waste a lot of time and money on just the various factory ammo, without really accomplishing much, relative to the reloading you will be doing.
I vote for zeroing for what you are going to shoot.

[hooligan1]

Normally I'd agree with 4runner, and Bart, but when it comes to sighting in a new rifle there are so many variables and components are at a premium.
It could be cheaper spending $20.00 on commercial ammo and one trip to range than working up any loads that may or may not shoot decently through the sight in period.
On the other hand these fellas know more than I do, but I save more usually by spending less time in the lab and more at the range the first trip. Not saying that a mediocre load and bullet may or may not be ticket only your rifle knows at this point...

Say you spend a few hours working up a load with any bullet/powder combo, and set out to range and the rifle shooter combo doesn't shoot any better than say 2 or 3 moa, then questions arise could it be the rifle hates the powder? does it not like the bullet? what about COAL? and what if rifle just doesn't shoot anything vary well...... for my money it's always commercial ammo and go from there..

[4runnerman]

hooligan- Thanks for the compliment,but you are as wise as all of us. The thing with a 308 is, It will shoot any thing from 100 gn to 175 gn with accuracy, The powders are vast for it also,4895,rl-15,varget 335, ect ect. One point you do make is ,Yes- He will need to decide what wt bullet he wants to shoot. I believe the 308 is the most adaptible rifle ever. With little to no work at all you can have a great load for it. It shoots everything good.

If target shooting is his pick- 155 or 168,175 gn Serria's, If hunting anything from 120 to 160 gn is good.

[Chili Palmer]

kinda funny story.. went to sight in my AR (5.56) with SigTac3x scope. I had borrowed a friends laser bore sight and got it as close as I could at the house..from garage through house only 45 feet or so. Best I could do. So I get to the range, setup at 100yards.. start shooting.. the scope was way off. I chase the scope settings around (didn't have a spotting scope at time so walking 200yards every group). Finally got it dialed in. Decided to put the laser back in and see where it was.

Bullseye. Either I had seated the laser wrong the first time (I did reseat it a few times to make sure) or a cold barrel or whatever I whiffed the first group, adjust the scope out and around and back in. Funny to me at least!

[Mavrick79]

Thanks for all the responses guys, I picked up some Lapua brass, have Varget, need primers and bullets.

The gun is a Tikka T3 lite 308 and I do not have a scope yet, was thinking of getting a Vortex Viper HST 4-16 X 44mm but am still deciding. This gun will be mainly for target shooting and possibly deer hunting next season but mostly target shooting out to 400 yards for fun. I plan on getting a mountain tactical stock as well but want to try the gun out with the stock stock first.

Feel free to chime in on other scope choices, here is the link to the one I'm thinking of getting.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/148...cm_vc=wishList

[4runnerman]

Nice choice of rifle and scope. I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
Sightron is another scope you could look at,Tracking is perfect on them.

[g.willikers]

Your intended scope choice should about do it.
Maybe even a little too much, for 400 yards and less.
I have just one scope, a 4-12, that works for everything.
But I have never needed it past the 8 power setting, are rarely even that.

[jamaica]

I am with those who have said, "I have guns that have never fired a factory round"

No reason you can't start with reloads. First pick the bullet you want. Then look in your manual for a load that puts that bullet at a good velocity for the caliber. Now buy powder and primers and go load up. Start low and work up as always.

As far as sighting in, I start by bore sighting. That is sand bag the rifle and look through the bore and center it on a target. Now without moving the rifle look through the scope and adjust the cross hairs to be on the target.

Now at the range set your target at 60 feet and fire one round. See where it is and adjust. Fire again. Adjust. Repeat. When the point of aim and point of impact agree, you are ready to set the target out to 100 yards.

Why 60 feet? Since the barrel is below the sight, the bullet path will cross the line of sight at 60 feet and travel above the line of sight for a space that is equal to the distance the rifle is sighted in for, then cross the line of sight again as the bullet continues on its trajectory. Putting the target at 60 feet guarantees (with bore sighting) that the first shots will at least be on the paper.

[jamaica]

About scopes: I am a hunter, and find that variable are a pain in the butt while hunting. Best to have a fixed scope and save the confusion.

I like a 6 power scope. Haven't really felt the need for more magnification, and it still has a pretty fair field of view at 50 yards.

[RC20]

I never try to shoot a new scope at 100 yds (nor iron sights).

For a bolt, you bore sight it at 25 or 50 (50 with a bolt usually), then check the scope and adjust the scope until both the bore and the cross hair are hitting the same point.

Keep in mind the old relationship of the adjustment of the scope going opposite what you think when you bore sight (one on the target you just go with the arrow direction)

Your ammo choice make no difference at this point, you just want to get it on the target latteraly spot on and fairly close vertically.

Once the left and right is on, then off to 100. At that point ammo does make a difference and if you are going to shoot 400 its going to have to be something over 4 inches high (or if you have the tactical cross hairs then whatever combo setup you want for those.

You will have to figure out the theoretical trajectory and then test it.

[hooligan1]

That Vortex is a bad--s scope, and probably a decent choice for targets from close to 500 yds easily a nice choice.... wish I had one...

[Nathan]

Good luck scope hunting. If you want help, PM me or start another thread and point me to it...I love scope and mount shopping! Doesn't the Tikka use proprietary rings?

As to the OP, I think Bart and I will agree for once. Load a medium weight load and do the 2 shot sight in at 25 and 100 yards. You should be close enough in 4 shots for load development.

Then shoot 5 more for group. This will tell you how well you've guessed on components, especially bullet. If this group is close to your goal, start developing it. If it is a 2" group, I would try another brand of bullets.

[n8ball]

i most humbly respond, i never really buy factory, as i have owned most of my rifles long enough to have loads worked up for them, cant fix what isnt broke. although minor scope adjustmants need to happen when i change out bullet weight. on the subject, i always use the starting loads in my manuals trying out each of the powders that i own wih my selected bullet. 80% of the time i get what i am looking for out of the first or second load off the chart. lucky for me, imr 4064 is still producing good groups at 50 or 100 yds, less options sometimes makes it less confusing. i havent tried alot of the newer powders, havent found a reason to go that route yet. just put a scope on my mauser k98, developed a load for 150 gr hornady, with imr 4064, had to zero the scope a little but 6 shots in i had a 1" group on bulls at 50 yds.

to me, one of the most important things in developing a load is getting rid of driver error, ie, a good solid rest, and time. If you are rushing then you may overlook a good load to time constraints.