.308 win F/TR chamber

[cmillard]

Picked up some N150. Will load up some starting loads tonight but not sure when I will get to shoot them. I haven't really decided if I want to run the current brass I have on hand since I have a pile of it or if I should get some Lapua or Alpha. I did have a box of Peterson match in my hand today at the store, but I didn't buy it as I have never shot Peterson but I have heard a little bit about it. I currently run Lapua in my F-open rifle but am undecided on brass.

 

[Acyr]

Ok, I will give you my load when I shot 1710 rounds of 230 grain A-tips in a 308 FTR rifle.
47.0 grains of H4350, CCI450 primers, Lapua Palma brass, .300 freebore, 8.8 twist 32-inch barrel. ~ 2500 fps.
Shot very well. With your current chamber I don't see you getting enough speed to make it worthwhile.

 

[cmillard]

Thanks. How much did your throat advance in that many rounds?

 

[Acyr]

If I remember correctly about .015.

 

[cmillard]

Got ya. Have you tried N150 at all in .308? This is the first time I've tried VV rifle powders. I've shot plenty of VV powder in handgun. I thought about picking up another LB of H4350 today, but I just stuck with the N150 as it was almost $10 cheaper at Scheels and I might as well try new powder while I'm at it

 

[LVLAaron]

150 is the bees knees in 308

 

[Acyr]

N150 is all I use with 200's. Great powder.
230 Atip compared to my normal 200 gr FTR load. 230's have A LOT of bearing surface.

 

[cmillard]

Did you try N150 with 230s at all or just H4350?

 

[Acyr]

No, I did not. I felt it would have been too fast. I only tested RL16 and H4350.

 

[cmillard]

That is what I figured

 

[XTR]

Ok, I will give you my load when I shot 1710 rounds of 230 grain A-tips in a 308 FTR rifle.
47.0 grains of H4350, CCI450 primers, Lapua Palma brass, .300 freebore, 8.8 twist 32-inch barrel. ~ 2500 fps.
Shot very well. With your current chamber I don't see you getting enough speed to make it worthwhile.

That checks with my experience, long long ago I experimented with H4350 and 215s in WW brass in 308 at about 2550 fps… I think my load was 48 or 48.5 gr. Worked till the jug ran out and the next lot of H4350 lost 75 fps and couldn’t get enough in the case to make it work again. Moved on.

 

[cmillard]

I'm curious if H4350 would favor a thight bore in conjunction with the heavier bullets to build up pressure?

 

[cmillard]

Also curious how Winchester staball and staball 6.5 would work.....I may have to pick some up to mess around with....although the latter may be a tad too slow with even 230s

 

[William Vogel]

I understand your reasoning for putting the cant on the scope but you generally want enough cant to end up with the longest range of the competition being in the center of the elevation and windage adjustment range. At 70MOA, I think your going to be below the center.

 

[cmillard]

I know that "used" to be the thinking, but to be honest, it is outdated and pointless especially with the quality of optics today

 

[memilanuk]

It has nothing to do with the 'quality' of the optics, and everything to do with having maximum windage adjustment available - which happens to be in the center of the tube. You might not *think* you need every bit of available windage... until you do

 

[cmillard]

But that is also where different reticle options help with holds. I guess it's not really just the quality I meant, it was options such as bigger main tube and ERH that allow for more adjustment along with the reticle. With my other rifles I have and even my open rifle, I don't run that much forward cant as my reticles don't really allow for a hold

 

[William Vogel]

It’s your rifle and you should build it however you like but in competition you need every edge you can get to make the score. The bullets you shoot is up to you but I’d definitely have my optics set up for the most precision at the longest shot in competition. As far as recoil, you need to be able to view your impacts to adjust your next shot and less recoil means quicker back in the glass. I shoot long distance a lot by myself and if I miss and don’t pick up on POI I’m just screwed.

 

[cmillard]

This rifle isn't going to necessarily be a competition rifle. I may give TR a try, but its kind of hard to do with my schedule, as I haven't even been able to shoot Open for a few years. I do however plan on using it for messing around out west on some long range target and maybe some critters (rock chucks, prairie dogs, coyote, etc).

 

[cmillard]

Took the rifle out before it got dark. Had 2 different loads of N-150 with 215 berger hybrids. Shot a promising group with one of the loads and will do some more testing. Going to seat bullets ever so slightly deeper, which will get me just off the lands. I also switched out the 50 MOA base and put a 30 MOA base on. The factory tumney trigger which is listed as between 4 and 5 pounds and is non adjustable seems to be closer to the 5 pound mark. But, I'm looking forward to tuning loads. I really would like to get some 200 and 230 SMKs to try next after I see how these 215s go