Hornady 178 BTHP Match?

[broncman]

The newer design. What can anyone tell me about these for 308 F/TR? I went to the local shop to see if they had any 175 SMK.. They were out so I picked up these. Look very different from SMK. The points have been pointed and are much cleaner meplat than the 168 SMKs I picked up.

Getting ready to work up a load for my new Savage F/TR.

Thanks

Ken

 

[XTR]

In my rifle they shoot about 1MOA less elevation than 175SMKs to 1000 yards, and about 1MOA more than 185 Berger LRBT/Juggernauts

200 yard load test

My rifle shoots them pretty well, but be very careful if you try to use that load data on the target, it's pretty hot. (don't you hate that one flyer)

 

[broncman]

That is a nice group! Well understood on working up. Most of these loads are over max or very close. Hornadys manual seems to be a little more conservative than others.

 

[khallmark]

They shoot real well for me. 44 grn Varet gives about 2700 fps. They shoot inside 1/2 moa to 500 yard and will stay well under moa for vertical to 1100 when I do my part.

 

[broncman]

I loaded up five with 44 grains varget and russian primers, and five with BR2. Only had about twenty minutes at dusk. Little to no wind.

The russian primer had severe horizontal stringing but damn near no vertical.??

The BR4 load was next and I really tried to pay attention to my technique and first three were same hole, them next two same hole but half inch higher???Checked my brass and found two pieces of hornady brass that had got mixed in to the last load.

The horizontal really has me puzzled. Wondering if my rear bag squeezing technique may be an issue. Firm grip with my trigger hand, rifle pulled into shoulder and bipod loaded , bag manipulated with left hand.

Checked bedding,etc, no issues to be seen. May try that load again. Getting my technique figured out on a new rifle and a new group is info overload...

 

[savageshooter86]

xtr/khallmark: what length barrel y'all have?

To the OP I am working with these bullets too and so far hold sub MOA at 400yds. probably could do a lot better too. using WW brass and CCI 200 primers

 

[XTR]

I'm running a 30" heavy palma on my F-TR rifle

 

[khallmark]

My barrel is a 24" 1-11 twist Obermeyer. My load is 44 grn Varget in Hornady case, WLR primer, oal at 2.8" is .010 off lands.

 

[broncman]

XTR....Is that load in your pic .010 jump or a .010 into the lands. I went to300 yards today with 44 gr Varget and BR2 primers and five rounds of ..010 jump and five rounds every ten thou after that till 40 thou jump.

.010 was a solid 2900 fps group but only about two inches. Groups got with larger jumps and speed went down.

Gonna play some more to see if I can get to half moa groups. No ejector marks or bolt lift issues so I still have some room to go up. Hopefully that will shrink the group and the ES...

The 168 SMK with same load of powder are holding half moa at three hundred.

 

[savageshooter86]

what length barrel do you have that you are getting 2900 fps? That seems fast for that bullet in a 308 especially with only 44 gr Varget

 

[broncman]

It is a factory 30 inch barrel. I thought it was fast as well but two five round loads at the same seating depth all were right above 2900. As I backed the load away from the lands the speed dropped. Five seating depths going ten thou each time. The last load with 60 thousandths from the lands and it went to 2780-2800 fps.

The bearing length on these appear to be about the same as my Sierra 168's.

 

[XTR]

That was jumping .010, and that's probably closer to .007 or .008 jump. I measure to the lands with a Hornady OAL gauge, but the bullet usually sticks in the lands so it's probably in there a couple of thou beyond contact.

That's what works in my chamber, what works in yours may be different.

 

[savageshooter86]

I read somewhere with that Hornady tool to use a rod in the barrel inserted from muzzle to push against the bullet as you insert the bullet to find lands. While pushing in with the tool and lightly pushing against bullet with rod will help get more consistant and accurate measurement. Seems to work alittle better since I started using that method compared to the no rod being used

 

[broncman]

Was about ready to give up on this bullet. Tried loads in .1grain increments from 44 to 44.8. Then dropped to 43.5 for my last ten bullets.

300 yards, about 2.5" ten shot group. Not quite as tight as I would like but may play with depth some. Interesting thing is there is two vertical strings there. Looked at the velocity and sure enough, five shots within 10 fps on the bottom and on the high side if the ES there were five within 10fps as well.

ES 33, SD 11 avg velocity 2762.