308 Win Loads

mgulino · June 29, 2020, 08:55 AM

I have some 308 Win bullets and cases that my FIL picked up at a garage sale. The cases are new, never-fired, Win and Lapua headstamps, and the bullets are 150, 155, and 168 grain HPBTs of unknown manufacture. All were packaged in Ziploc bags with no additional information. After sorting the cases by headstamp, I resized them all with a full-length sizing die and trimmed them to 2.005”. I then weighed and sorted the bullets. That’s when I noticed the 155 grain bullets were all three different sizes; 1.130”, 1.200”, and 1.280” in length.

I’ve already worked up an accurate load using the Lapua cases, the 168 grain HPBT, and H4895 for 2600 FPS. I want to use the Win cases for the 155 bullets, and I want to get about 2800 FPS out of a Rem 700 with a 24” barrel. The Hornady book shows 37-44 grains of H4895 with a Hornady case (slightly less capacity that Win, I believe), and the Hodgdon site shows 43-46 grains of H4895 with a Win case. I’m starting at 40 and working up, in .5 grain increments, to 44 grains of H4895. I plan on firing these over the chrony, and I’ll stop when I get to 2800 FPS or when I see pressure signs.

My question concerns seating depth. Can I seat the 2 longer bullets at 2.800, and seat the shorter bullet to 2.750? This will give seating depths of .385”, .405”, and .485” (length of bullet base inside the case). I realize I may end up with a different load for each bullet.

GeauxTide · June 29, 2020, 03:21 PM

My Hornady IX and X call for a max of 44.0 of H4895, for 2700 in a 22" bbl. I use 42.0 for 150 Corelokt and Interlock, for 2588 and 1/2" groups. I use the same load with 165 Grand Slams for 2500 and 1/2" groups. Both in my 22" Model 788. The Standard Deviation is 9.9 and the Extreme Spread is 19fps for both loads.

mgulino · July 1, 2020, 06:51 AM

GeauxTide
You are correct; I fixed my Hornady reference above. I still believe I can get closer to 2800FPS out of the Win brass. I ran commercial Win 150 gr loads at an average of 2836.

mgulino · July 22, 2020, 02:47 PM

Range report: I ran the different length 155 grain HPBTs, each seated to a different COAL, with Win brass and loads of H4895 from 40-44 in 0.5 grain increments. The shorter bullets gave me between 2477 and 2790, the medium length bullets gave me between 2530 and 2796, and the long bullets gave me between 2540 and 2838. No loads were difficult to extract or resulted in flattened primers. In practical terms, I made it to 2800 fps with all three loads, but I'm going to settle for a less than max load of 43 grains for velocities in the range of 2722 - 2750.

langenc · July 26, 2020, 02:12 PM

Copied from mugilano #1 post---
"" I then weighed and sorted the bullets. That’s when I noticed the 155 grain bullets were all three different sizes; 1.130”, 1.200”, and 1.280” in length.""

Those must be different manufactures and maybe some leadfree w/ the variation in length but I bet you figured that out.

mgulino · July 26, 2020, 04:22 PM

This photo shows they are all lead core jacketed bullets. It also shows the different lengths. The short bullets weigh 155.3, the mediums weigh 155.1, and the longs weigh 154.6. Lengths are in a previous post.
I tried to identify manufacturers by length and weight but had no luck.

Don Fischer · July 27, 2020, 11:22 AM

You chase velocity you chase pressure. That's said I actually do chase velocity but always work up pressure loads to try when using a new bullet and/or powder. Actually when you hit the area of truly max pressure, velocity is simply what it is. More important to me is accuracy. I believe it you take a brand new box of bullet's, anybdy's, and measure each bullet they will vary quite a bit. But the place to measure to if it matters to you is the bullet ogive, it will always end up in the same place in the chamber eventhoug it may vary some on the bullet. I don't measure to the ogive, I measure to the tip of the bullet then make sure they all clear the lands when done loading. Run each through the chamber and close the bolt every time. You can feel an ogive hit the lands if one should but none should. But if you keep the same cartridge to reset the die next time make sure it's the one you set it with this time Measure a box of loaded rounds and measurement to the tip's will vary some, to the ogive won't.

June 29, 2020, 08:55 AM	#1
mgulino Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2017 Posts: 198	308 Win Loads I have some 308 Win bullets and cases that my FIL picked up at a garage sale. The cases are new, never-fired, Win and Lapua headstamps, and the bullets are 150, 155, and 168 grain HPBTs of unknown manufacture. All were packaged in Ziploc bags with no additional information. After sorting the cases by headstamp, I resized them all with a full-length sizing die and trimmed them to 2.005”. I then weighed and sorted the bullets. That’s when I noticed the 155 grain bullets were all three different sizes; 1.130”, 1.200”, and 1.280” in length. I’ve already worked up an accurate load using the Lapua cases, the 168 grain HPBT, and H4895 for 2600 FPS. I want to use the Win cases for the 155 bullets, and I want to get about 2800 FPS out of a Rem 700 with a 24” barrel. The Hornady book shows 37-44 grains of H4895 with a Hornady case (slightly less capacity that Win, I believe), and the Hodgdon site shows 43-46 grains of H4895 with a Win case. I’m starting at 40 and working up, in .5 grain increments, to 44 grains of H4895. I plan on firing these over the chrony, and I’ll stop when I get to 2800 FPS or when I see pressure signs. My question concerns seating depth. Can I seat the 2 longer bullets at 2.800, and seat the shorter bullet to 2.750? This will give seating depths of .385”, .405”, and .485” (length of bullet base inside the case). I realize I may end up with a different load for each bullet. Last edited by mgulino; June 30, 2020 at 05:22 PM.

June 29, 2020, 03:21 PM	#2
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	My Hornady IX and X call for a max of 44.0 of H4895, for 2700 in a 22" bbl. I use 42.0 for 150 Corelokt and Interlock, for 2588 and 1/2" groups. I use the same load with 165 Grand Slams for 2500 and 1/2" groups. Both in my 22" Model 788. The Standard Deviation is 9.9 and the Extreme Spread is 19fps for both loads.

July 1, 2020, 06:51 AM	#3
mgulino Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2017 Posts: 198	GeauxTide You are correct; I fixed my Hornady reference above. I still believe I can get closer to 2800FPS out of the Win brass. I ran commercial Win 150 gr loads at an average of 2836.

July 22, 2020, 02:47 PM	#4
mgulino Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2017 Posts: 198	Range report: I ran the different length 155 grain HPBTs, each seated to a different COAL, with Win brass and loads of H4895 from 40-44 in 0.5 grain increments. The shorter bullets gave me between 2477 and 2790, the medium length bullets gave me between 2530 and 2796, and the long bullets gave me between 2540 and 2838. No loads were difficult to extract or resulted in flattened primers. In practical terms, I made it to 2800 fps with all three loads, but I'm going to settle for a less than max load of 43 grains for velocities in the range of 2722 - 2750.

July 26, 2020, 02:12 PM	#5
langenc Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 1,551	Copied from mugilano #1 post--- "" I then weighed and sorted the bullets. That’s when I noticed the 155 grain bullets were all three different sizes; 1.130”, 1.200”, and 1.280” in length."" Those must be different manufactures and maybe some leadfree w/ the variation in length but I bet you figured that out.

July 27, 2020, 11:22 AM	#7
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	You chase velocity you chase pressure. That's said I actually do chase velocity but always work up pressure loads to try when using a new bullet and/or powder. Actually when you hit the area of truly max pressure, velocity is simply what it is. More important to me is accuracy. I believe it you take a brand new box of bullet's, anybdy's, and measure each bullet they will vary quite a bit. But the place to measure to if it matters to you is the bullet ogive, it will always end up in the same place in the chamber eventhoug it may vary some on the bullet. I don't measure to the ogive, I measure to the tip of the bullet then make sure they all clear the lands when done loading. Run each through the chamber and close the bolt every time. You can feel an ogive hit the lands if one should but none should. But if you keep the same cartridge to reset the die next time make sure it's the one you set it with this time Measure a box of loaded rounds and measurement to the tip's will vary some, to the ogive won't.