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It Begins!


planeflyer21

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Got an order coming from MidwayUSA of .308 reloading components!

As stated previously, the pills on their way range in weight from 190gr up to 210gr, from 4 different manufacturers.  All are "hunting" bullets with a boat tail base..."splat factor" is a consideration.

After this weekend I should be able to do a good multiple-distance accuracy tests...will probably go ahead and order a PACT Chrony.  Any input on which model will be appreciated.

Jon

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  I would respectfully ask "what is the  pourpose of these reloads?"

    Terry

To boldly go, where no man has gone before!  <laughs>

Actually I want to experiment with retained energy downrange.  I mentioned this to a friend of mine, then the next time we met he said that certain groups in the military are now looking at heavier projectiles in 7.62 for the same reason.

It isn't easy being ahead of the curve.  <lmao>

Jon

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To boldly go, where no man has gone before!  <laughs>

Abercrombie & Fitch? Don't do it brother, we don't want to have to revoke your man card!  <laughs>

All kidding aside, can't wait to see your results. I'm going to be doing the reloading deal soon myself and am VERY interested in what can be done with a semi and those heavier pills.

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Got an order coming from MidwayUSA of .308 reloading components!

As stated previously, the pills on their way range in weight from 190gr up to 210gr,

Shooting these from a bolt gun, or the RRA Semi's, brother?!  If it's from the semi's, how the hell are you gonna get them to mag-length?  <dontknow>

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I would be nervous about bullet weights much over 190.  Pressures might get too high for this caliber/case or there will not be enough room for enough powder to reach reasonable velocities,  or both.  Not enough case volume.  I wanted to play with 180 to 190 gr pills until I got shut down by no place to shoot.  The advice I found was that for more than much over 190 and anything over 200,  bigger cases like the 30 cal magnums would be the only way to go.

Some of the things I read about hunting in Africa make me think that the very best long-range retained-energy round might be the 416 Rigby.  The 416 Rigby case is very long;  one of the new 416's would be better because they apparently will work with 30-06 length actions.  The 416 Ruger is intended to match the ballistics of the original Rigby that was loaded with cordite. 

The 416 is smaller in diameter than the African 500's;  better sectional density and some other good ballistic characteristics.  Shooters who have tried it say the 416,  while intended to stop charging Cape Buffalo and Elephant at ranges of 25 yards,  is good way-out-there,  too.  One hunter reported using his 416 Rigby to take Dik-Dik for camp meat.  Using a cannon on a house cat seems very counter-intuitive but the bullets passed through the little antelope,  killed cleanly.  The bullet behaved well,  left a big hole,  no damage to meat.  The bullet never realized anything was in the way.  This hunter said he was collecting camp meat this way at ranges that would have been difficult for the usual small-caliber rifles that are used for the purpose.  The 416 Rigby was much more accurate at those distances,  also. 

We will not mention the recoil of this thing.  I personally can only wonder about the differences in felt recoil of being in the way of the back-end of 400 to 450 grains or more launched at high velocities with the aid of smokeless powders versus a standard bullet of similar weight launched with the assistance of 90 grains of black powder from perhaps a 45-90?  I did read a comment in a gun rag that a contributing author had owned and fired a 45-90 and regarded the 45-70 Govt. as being kind and easy-shooting by comparison.

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Liken it more to .300 Blackout than a .416 Rigby.  These aren't going to be starting at 2,700fps.

Depending on weight of the projectile, there is a performance shift between lighter (standard 147-168gr) .308 bullets and the heavier (180gr+) in the midrange, where Newton's laws come into play.

From info I've found I should be good on it.  As Tom mentioned earlier the big issue is magazine restrictions.  RRA has noted this on their website for the cartridge OAL for the .243 Winchester and 7mm-08 uppers that they offer, suggesting the use of their polymer magazines which have a longer internal rear-to-front than the stock FAL mags.

The longest OAL I can find for any of these cartridges is 2.850" for a heavy .243 load, 0.050" longer than any .308 OAL I've found thus far.

Jon

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With the proper choice of powder & primer , it should work. We are talking about 308 cartridge , are we not ?

Just have to work up loads with different componants until your goal is reached .

With the bullets available now a days , you can go lighter & have outstanding terminal performance at any range . The word Barnes , comes to mind .

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With the proper choice of powder & primer , it should work. We are talking about 308 cartridge , are we not ?

Just have to work up loads with different componants until your goal is reached .

With the bullets available now a days , you can go lighter & have outstanding terminal performance at any range . The word Barnes , comes to mind .

I'm wondering if one of these new powders like CFE 223 and Power Pro 2000MR would get him the velocity he wants with the heavy's and case capacity of the .308. I know I was surprised at how fast my 16" barrel was with the 168's and CFE 223.

Have you decided on a powder yet planeflyer21?

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Jon ,

WHY... Would you start at such a heavy bullet from the start ?? Learning to swim first would be wise (and cheaper) instead of jumping into the deep end of the pool ! Get your technique down ,make some mistakes and learn from your errors. The lighter bullets cost less ($20-$25 a box) the 180gr + bullets are ($36 + a box). You also need to figure out which primers your guns like and which powders and powder weight charges for each bullet weight round.

I have been loading 308 rounds for over 3 years , started at 147gr and have worked up to 180gr so far. I plan to use 190 -200 - 210 & 220gr bullets for my other 30 cal guns.

I will help you but you have to figure out a few important items first. COAL is a limiting factor as well, 2.810" is the range you will be working with but this depends on the magazine you will be using.

Plug and play will work but the accuracy will not be there.

Baby steps !

First brass prep...Second component selection...Third small batch production and testing...Full batch production.

Sorry to ground you , but I want to slow you down and make you think (plan) so you are not pulling rounds because you got ahead of yourself.

Mike H

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Jon, don't worry about it...  If you can't get these bullets to mag length for a .308 semi, then just buy a 300BLK barrel and start re-necking 5.56 brass...  <laughs> <thumbsup>

Those heavies would work great from a 300BLK setup.  ;D

The most common long .308 AR projo is the 175gr BTHP.  Some 180grainers will work, but not many. 

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Jon,

I made a batch of 20 this morning: Sierra Gameking 180gr Spitzer Boattails with Rem 9.5 primers and 40.0gr of H335 on 2X RP brass set between 2.793" to 2.804". I'll bring them this weekend to shoot. It is a pretty big bullet at 1.281".

Sweet!

I like those rounds you hear zipping before the gong rings!

Jon

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