Recommendations for 4064 loads with Sierra 168 MK

[lynxpilot]

I've been loading almost all of my 308 for long range target and have been using Sierra MK 168 gr bullets.  For powder, I'm stuck on 43.8 gr Reloader 15.  Just out of curiosity, I ordered a bucket of 4064.  Anybody have a pet load using 4064 with 168 or 175 gr Sierra MK's???

Thanks,

Dave

[survivalshop]

Well , I'm kinda stuck on ball powders (easy on the metering through the powder measure) ,but I did load some of my 172 gr. with 43.0 gr. of 4064 , using a CCI 400 primer ,OAL was 2.770 ( I go to the full 2.800 now ) WW case & they shot pretty good .

My notes say safe load, brass looked good ,no pressure signs, but my notes also say could do better. Which means I could go a little hotter.

High velocity as you know doesn't always mean more accurate.

Like I said , I use ball powder , WC 846 , not a pull down , its was new powder about twenty years ago( I have a bunch of it ) . I use it for 5.56,308 & 30'06 & works very well .

Its a good place to start. I have loaded a lot of 30'06 with 4064 for hunting .

Note ; I don't know if they changed 4064 formula in the last twenty years, so use the loading manual & start as you would with any new powder. (Yes my 4064 is over twenty years young also) 

[lynxpilot]

I ended up doing a workup using the 168's and picked a load range within the Sierra recommendations for max.  Went to the Hodgdon site and they show a much higher max.  I forget what Sierra was, but Hodgdon is 45.6 gr.  I did 0.5 gr intervals from 44 to 45.5 yesterday, but did it on my 400 yd range and couldn't discriminate the shots very well.  It looked like the best group was about 45.0.  I reloaded a group today in 0.2 gr intervals from 44.4 to 45.4 gr and will shoot them tomorrow at 100 yds.  No pressure signs at any load up to 45.5 so far.  I was getting about 2750 fps at the top load using the 178's.

Until tomorrow.

[survivalshop]

I knew I could go with more powder , I just tried them out against my WC 846 , to compare.

Want to see some group photo's posted , if ya can .

[lynxpilot]

OK, here goes:

[lynxpilot]

Apologize for the photo quality.  Shouldn't have used the flash.

Looks like with 0.5" spread at 44.6 gr and 0.75" spread at 44.8 gr, all others being unacceptable, I may bulk load at 44.7 gr just to put the error in loading weight measurement in the middle of two acceptable loads.  Hopefully the tiny spread in load weight from unacceptable to acceptable isn't too small.

I'll try 10 rounds at 44.7 gr.  If I can duplicate the results from above, that's what I'll stick with.  The highest two loads were showing overpressure on the primers.  One was backed out slightly and all from 45.0 gr and up were too flat for my comfort zone.