168gr Sierra Match Kings with 47.8gr (if I remember right) of CFE223
Varget, BLC2, and 4895 didn't shoot worth a damn though it, same with Barnes and Hornady match ammo.
For "plinking" loads, 44.7gr of Win748, not much on accuracy but good enough for making noise and shooting
Tell me what the max OAL on that barrel is & I'll share my Varget match recipes with you..
Thanks for info! I guess Ill have to look into getting some different powder. Although I do have a brand new bottle of 3031 I was gonna use to play with the bolt gun?.....
I already load for my AR in 223 an use a factory crimp on all the rounds I load for it. So Im assuming I should factory crimp for my 308 AR as well?... Those that load for your AR10 based rifles do you factory crimp the rounds?
Federal GOld medal Match 168's have been the best performing ammo for me on my 24" LR-308/ I am pulling 3/4" 5 shot groups at a hundred yards, using a scope and bipod. I have been working on replicating that result using Varget and sierra 168's. I know a lot of other people that are very happy with Varget, although there are some other great powders out there. Pick a good match bullet and start out at starting powder throws and work your way up. Every rifle has a little bit different sweet spot.
I don't crimp my match loads. I don't know if any other competition shooters do or not. But I don't know of any reason you would NOT want to crimp a match load. There are others here that know better than I...
I'm referring to "competition" and "match" because that is what I equate to "best results" as you cited in your OP....
I never crimp either for the AR or the M1a, and the M1a is surely not a gentle action. I do use a powder that fills up the case like 4064 or Varget, so the powder is compressed when you seat the bullet. With no extra room in the case, where is the bullet going to go?
... and the M1a is surely not a gentle action.
Isn't it possible the bullet could be set back, compressing the powder charge and driving up start pressures? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that why EVERY reloading manual out there recommends that bullets used from an autoloader be crimped?
I crimp any load I will be using from a magazine in an autoloader.
I only rely on neck-tension in my bolt action rifles.
Isn't it possible the bullet could be set back, compressing the powder charge and driving up start pressures? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that why EVERY reloading manual out there recommends that bullets used from an autoloader be crimped?
This was kinda what I was thinking. An what im currently doing with the loads Im loading for my bolt guns an AR's. Ill probably crimp my LR308 ammo as well. Why not error on the side of caution.
Let me clarify something though: neck tension, properly set, is better than a crimp for bullets that do not have a crimping groove, but it requires a lot more attention to setting up the dies, brass prep, and bullet selection. If you are going through the trouble to make match ammunition then choosing not to crimp is perfectly acceptable.