How fast/slow do you work up a load?

[BobMarliesDonkey]

Ok, so I'm almost kind of close to starting reloading - I'll be working on a load for my .308.

It's shooting 1.3' to 1.6' groups @ 100 with the pre rolled stuff I've put through it. And that's with me behind the trigger - so I'm sure it's capable of better.

Anyways, I've put together a reloading kit on a budget and have been moving slowly gathering all the tools I need. Radio_silence hooked me up with most of the meat and potatoes and after a few visits to some shops I'm nearly set.

Now I've got to look for deals on components (may take a while) and once I'm stocked up, it's off to the races.

I'm working up a load for hunting white tail. I plan to pactice as much as possible with the same load I hunt with. The gun is an x-bolt in .308.

I've got a bunch of questions and the answers from the AO crowd always help focus my research/choices.

First off: what increments should I work may way up in when it comes to a charge?

Secondly: Any tips on where to start with bullet weight when reloading for .308 - with the pre rolled stuff I haven't found much difference in the groups I've got out of 150, 165 and 180gr bullets at either 100, 150 or 200 yards.

Thirdly: Any tips on what to look out for in terms of pressure signs? I ask because answers here help reinforce what I've learned and always point out something I haven't.

Also: As I'm doing this to save money and gain accuracy - what bullet manufacturer/bullet would you recommend? I've kind of settled on a hornady offering but I had had my heart set on nosler accubonds before I crunched the numbers...

Finally (and thanks for bearing with me) Powder choice - what should I look at to start. I don't have the budget to try a bunch of different stuff so any advice that can focus my research would be appreciated.


Thanks for any advice you can offer and all the best,

BMD

[CheeseBurger]

Work up loads in .5 grain increments. Once you find something that looks promising then further refine it from there and can go to .1 increments.

150 or 165 grain bullets in a .308 will be great for whitetail. There is no need to go to 180's.

Pressure signs are sticky bolt lift, flattened primers. Your reloading manuals will give you good indicators of what you are looking for.

Traditional cup and core bullets will be fine on deer using a .308. No need to go to the higher end stuff especially if it will prevent you from getting as much range time in.

[skidderman]

My 308 is very fussy about the powder I use. Tried IMR 3031 & got sticky bolt, compressed primer and some black powder around the primer. Every rifle is different I guess but I switched to RL15 and went to max load 165 grain nosler partition and had zero pressure signs. I'm sure there are other good powders but trying several gets expensive. Sometimes I just load one or two of each in .5 grain increments until I see where it will take me. Watch the spent cases carefully. Keep them separate and look at them again when you get home. Mine is a lever and with high pressure it gets sticky real quick.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by BobMarliesDonkey

First off: what increments should I work may way up in when it comes to a charge? I go with .5 gr increments and pick the tightest group and go with it but I'm developing ammo for hunting and not just shooting paper in competitions. I'd try to improve it further at .1 gr increments if that were the case.

Secondly: Any tips on where to start with bullet weight when reloading for .308 - with the pre rolled stuff I haven't found much difference in the groups I've got out of 150, 165 and 180gr bullets at either 100, 150 or 200 yards. It depends on what I'm hunting, I like 165gr for deer and 180gr for moose. If I didn't want to reload for both I'd only reload 180gr and use it for everything.

Thirdly: Any tips on what to look out for in terms of pressure signs? I ask because answers here help reinforce what I've learned and always point out something I haven't.Check your reloading manual and go with what it says.

Also: As I'm doing this to save money and gain accuracy - what bullet manufacturer/bullet would you recommend? I've kind of settled on a hornady offering but I had had my heart set on nosler accubonds before I crunched the numbers...Answers will be all over the map with this one. I like Nosler ballistic tips for my deer but I wait until I have a perfect broadside shot that's going to turn its internals to mush. I have the time and there are plenty of deer so I have that luxury. I don't see as many moose and they don't always offer me a nice broadside shot so I've switched from a Nosler ballistic tip to an Accubond for them.

Finally (and thanks for bearing with me) Powder choice - what should I look at to start. I don't have the budget to try a bunch of different stuff so any advice that can focus my research would be appreciated.This one's a can of worms....lol. I chose accuracy over velocity but some people don't mind giving up a little accuracy to get more velocity. I went with the powder that provided the best accuracy in the gun that they used in the Nosler manual. I happened to get good results with that one as well. As I said earlier, I develope ammo for hunting and not for paper so there could be a more accurate powder that I could be using. Being able to buy one powder that will give good results for other caliber rifles that I own is another thing to consider.

I hope that my perspective helps.

[catnthehat]

I use 165's for my 308's for everything - and varget if it's readily available .
I start with a midrange load of about 44 grains and run 5 rounds .020 off the lands , in .005 increments until I hit the lands , or whatever the magazine will let me set as an OAL.

If I find that my best groups are right on the lands I back the OAL off a few thou because i don't want to be kissing the lands and possibly jamming a bullet .

I then run the powder charge up .5 grains at a time until I find hard bolt lift, , sticky ejection, bolt face indentation on the cases, expanded case heads, etc.
I don't mess with the load with .1 grain increments in powder or OAL for a hunting rifle as it won't make a difference in field conditions or on paper with an off the rack rifle.
Cat

[BobMarliesDonkey]

As always, thanks for the replies! Always helpful.

BMD

[Metalmike123]

I do the half grain increment thing mostly, find a good load then play a little bit with seating depth in 5 or 10 thou increments. I am not the type to worry about an extra 1/10 inch though, so I keep it simple.

[32-40win]

I use 1gr increments to the halfway point, then 1/2gr to the max load. If it is say 58gr to 65 gr, I'll start the 1/2gr loads at 61-62. Most times I start 10thou off the lands. and usually do the load development in cooler weather for hunting loads, freezing to 50degF. Target/Gopher loads I usually do at 60-70degF. That way I have a good idea of where the gun will work ok pressurewise. Depending on what I see in that batch, I will then pick an area to work the OAL in. Depends what I want the gun to do. Some I want max velocity out of, some I want max accuracy out of, some I settle for a happy medium out of. Chronograph is a huge help in that dept.