Is this a below minimum charge weight?

[oley55]

I have found a couple loads that show great promise in my 308win Savage FCP10, 24" barrel that depending on source and method are at or may be below minimum. Using LC (11) brass, Varget, Hornady 168hpbt match.

Reloading sources say if using mil brass to reduce the max load by 1-2 grains. And rule of thumb for determining min load is to reduce the MAX by 10%.

Loading sources MIN/MAX:
Lyman 24" barrel - 41.0/45.7
Hodgdon 24" barrel- 41.0/45.0
Sierra 26" barrel- 38.7/43.5

Applying the MIL brass rule -1/-2 and subtracting 10% for a start load I have:

Lyman- -1gr=40.2, -2gr=39.3
Hodgdon-1gr=39.6, -2gr=38.7
Sierra- 1gr=38.25, -2gr=37.4

Depending on the alignment of the stars, I have had some good results 39.1-39.5. However, 39.1 has been the best (5/8" at 100 yds) and most repeatable. These were all worked up before I finally got tired of the unexplained flyer/s and got semi-serious about carefully processing my brass. I have just spent the better part of three weeks sorting, prepping, resorting, and re-resorting brass, and I am ready to see if my efforts have made a difference and to start evaluating seating depths.

The longest range readily available to me is just 200 yds, so a low end load is not a concern (at least for now).

So, just how thin is the ice using this 39.1gr load? North Florida temps often fluctuate by 40-50 degrees from day to day in the winter. Would firing this min load become potentially dangerous on one of those colder 30-40 degree days?

This is a copy n paste I posted on another forum a while ago, but it looks like nobody is home this morning.

 

[dstoenner]

The general accuracy load for 308 with 168 is 42.0 of Varget. I never found any difference between either Lapua brass or 7.62 match brass. 7.62 nato brass was not good enough to really wring out accuracy for me but it wasn’t a hot load.

If you are really looking for a light load and not get in trouble then use H4895. Hodgdon will let you go to as low as 60% of max load.

David

 

[Uncle Ed]

Below some good load data and newer case weight and capacity information. After 2010 the 7.62 Lake City cases have less weight variations. The last 500 LC 7.62 M80 cases I purchased dated 2015 and newer had less than two grain weight variations and more capacity than the older two grain thumb rule. My guess is they are using harder and not thicker brass to make the 7.62 cases like the 5.56 cases.

NRA 7.62x51mm Lake City load data for M1-A's
https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/NRA_7_62x51mm_Lake_City_load_data_for_M1_A_s_/42-441371/?

Case Weight Variation Reduction and Subsequent Ballistic Dispersion Improvements in M118LR
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwin05vjrfveAhUurlkKHVXBBEcQFjAAegQIChAC&url=https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2010/armament/WednesdayCumberlandDionneDillon.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2_I1J10fPxz6QQV8IoorzY

Old School .308 Winchester Match Loads
http://www.provenreloads-handloads.com/articles/2016/9/18/old-school-308-winchester-match-loads

 

[brokeasajoke]

The general accuracy load for 308 with 168 is 42.0 of Varget. I never found any difference between either Lapua brass or 7.62 match brass. 7.62 nato brass was not good enough to really wring out accuracy for me but it wasn’t a hot load.

If you are really looking for a light load and not get in trouble then use H4895. Hodgdon will let you go to as low as 60% of max load.

David

My remington node is dead on this load.

 

[dcali]

I wouldn’t worry about it. But... it would not surprise me to find that a heavier load conbined with some changes to seating depth is really what you want. I don’t think I have any rifles that I don’t shoot at near maximum pressure. Seating depth matters a lot.