.308 win / 215g Berger loads

[mcpie]

Hi,

 

I'm a new member based in Scotland and I'm working up a load for the purposes of shooting Match Rifle.

 

Can I ask anyone to comment on loads concerning the 215g Berger Hybrid bullet for .308 win?

 

I need to keep things moving along at 1200 yards so don't want to see figures which would suggest the bullet is thinking about going transonic at this speed. A MV of 2600-2650 should see me OK but I'm hoping to avoid double based powders as the load could be used in hot and cold conditions. I would also like to use moly grease (I know this will shave off a few FPS) to help with barrel life and reduce in-bore yaw.

 

So far I have one load which gives me SD figures like I've never seen before but it is a duplex load using a larger volume of very slow powder with faster powder on top. It works very well and gives 2600-2610 fps but it's a compressed load in the RWS cases I have been using. Pressure signs (or lack of them) are all OK but the cases can bulge during the seating of the bullet. One way of solving this would be to use a lighter weight case with a higher internal volume but the consistency of these cases (Winchester and the nickel plated Feds) gives cause for concern.

 

I'm mindful too, there's plenty of alternatives and I'd like to hear about them as my way might not necessarily be the right way!

 

Kind Regards,

 

R

 

[The Gun Pimp]

Moly grease? Is this for real? Not been speaking to Charles Young by any chance?

[mcpie]

I have been speaking to CFY actually and it seems to work, shooting over the Oehler chrony has confirmed it! I've generally always used dry moly coatings but the grease does work. The spread was halved and SDs reduced.

[The Gun Pimp]

What about velocity?

 

Incidentally - I doubt it will have any effect on barrel-life.

[mcpie]

All between (seven shots) 2600-2610fps.

 

R

[mcpie]

All between (seven shots) 2600-2610fps.

 

R

[JSC]

Sounds a bit weird. How do you apply the grease?

 

If I were you, I'd try RS52 powder with Lapua Palma cases and BR4 primers.

 

I tried to get increased capacity .308 cases for some time but gave up in the end. SSA made them at one point but stopped when they got a big military order which took up all their production capacity.

 

You'll easily get 2650fps with R-17 or RS52 in a Lapua case with little or no compression. I've never liked compressed loads with .308 as if you don't have enough neck tension, the bullet can creep out of the case and you end up with all sorts of variations in jump and pressure.

[mcpie]

The grease is applied (by hand) on the exposed parallel of the bullet after seating, it's a thin smear. I'll photograph and post one later. I have a swiss made (forget the name) moly grease applicator but doing it by hand is just as quick and doesn't involve jamming the bullet into another device.

 

I value your comments about neck tension is respect to compressed loads, its a good point. I use an Lyman m-die to set up the neck and keep things consistent in that respect.

 

R

[JSC]

doesn't moly grease end up being a bit messy when it comes to shooting them? I can visualise hands, bolt, trigger, scope all covered!

[mcpie]

It's not too bad, you get a dirty finger (oh err) from pulling the cases out off the loading ramp and you usually end rubbing your nose with said finger but otherwise it's ok. There's too much if it creeps past the neck and starts covering your scope!

 

R