I just recently had my R 700 re-barreled with a 24" 5c Benchmark barrel chambered with a .308 match reamer from JGS.
After a few rounds to break it in using an old favorite load I started working up a new load with CFE223.
The published max load for the bullet (175 gr SMK) is 47.5 gr @2752 fps.
When chronographing my loads I reached 2737 fps with only 45.9 gr (SD 6.7 fps) when I started seeing very flat primers. Brass was Lapua and primers CCI BR2. While the primers were flat, there was no excessive bolt lift effort required and no cratering (PTG Bolt w/o the std remington "countersink/chamfer" on the firing pin hole. The 45.5 gr load still had some "radius" on the edge of the primer, averaged 2730 fps, and had the best accuracy of the test group.
Just to make sure I didn't have a faulty chronograph I fired 5 rounds of 168 gr TAP which had 2700 fps shown on the box. My chrono showed an average of 2708 fps.
Any suggestions as to why I'm getting 168 gr speeds with a 175 gr bullet?
Powder?
Barrel?
Luck 8)
Any other similar experiences?
After a few rounds to break it in using an old favorite load I started working up a new load with CFE223.
The published max load for the bullet (175 gr SMK) is 47.5 gr @2752 fps.
When chronographing my loads I reached 2737 fps with only 45.9 gr (SD 6.7 fps) when I started seeing very flat primers. Brass was Lapua and primers CCI BR2. While the primers were flat, there was no excessive bolt lift effort required and no cratering (PTG Bolt w/o the std remington "countersink/chamfer" on the firing pin hole. The 45.5 gr load still had some "radius" on the edge of the primer, averaged 2730 fps, and had the best accuracy of the test group.
Just to make sure I didn't have a faulty chronograph I fired 5 rounds of 168 gr TAP which had 2700 fps shown on the box. My chrono showed an average of 2708 fps.
Any suggestions as to why I'm getting 168 gr speeds with a 175 gr bullet?
Powder?
Barrel?
Luck 8)
Any other similar experiences?