I see you on many posts so thank you for responding. Have you had good luck with IMR 4895, IMR 4064 or IMR 3031? I am going to shoot this rifle with 168gr smk hpbt right now to build a load for it. Any suggestions? Do you use small base dies or regular dies for reloading this gun? Thanks.
IMR 4895 is an excellent powder, and if you go back on the reloading threads, many people on this forum use it. Personally I use RL 15 and Varget. I got a tremendous deal on a good supply of RL15 so that is my main 308 powder. Right now using 41.2 grains behind a 168 gr Sierra Match King BTHP. I always use small base dies as I have 3 auto 308s, so I need a fully sized case interchangeable between all three rifles. Generally stick with the small base dies for ARs.
I can vouch from experience, mostly bad experience, that you definitely want to use small base dies if you reload for more than one semiauto 308. If you don't, get ready for ammo that won't completely chamber and gets stuck in your gun. Also while I generally use IMR 4895, last week I got out some 168 grain Berger bullets, that I loaded 4 years ago with 41.9 grains Varget and shot a .7 inch 5 shot group out of my AR10T rifle(not carbine) using a bipod while sitting at the bench. Had I not pulled the last shot a little it would have been a half inch group. The 10- 35x nightforce scope helped. My carbine has a 2x-10x nightforce scope and no bipod and I have never been able to replicate that kind of shooting with it.
Thanks for the info. Midway has SMK bullets, RCBS Small base dies, Hornady match brass cases on sale right now with free freight.Probably order them tonight. This past weekend I used IMI match brass cases new with 168 grain smk bullets IMR 4064 and 4895 powders.Best luck I had was with 4895 41 grains a .75 three shot group and should have been better with 1 shot I think I flenched slightly. {100 yards} The NM trigger is cool in this carbine. Also not owning a gas gun in .308 before I was amazed how bad the cases get banged up after 1 time. I have 8 or 9 boxes of Match M852 military ammo and it shoots well in this gun. Too bad we cannot buy it . I am going to try the Berger bullets and the Varget powder to see how my carbine likes it.Thanks for the help.
Last edit: 7 years 2 months ago by cb36. Reason: misspelled a word
Mine doesn't really bang them up too badly, and neither does my AR10 rifle. That might change for you with break in. I got some cheap ZQ1 Turkish M80 ammo and shot that up for the fact the cases are really good and it was cheaper than buying brass! I picked up a pound of Varget and am going to try it behind some 175 gr SMK bullets when I get a chance. Finally running out of RL 15! Fox Hunter, good to hear from you.
Hi please forgive my ignorance but what are small base dies ? I have been reloading for some time for my 308 Blaser rifle but have just got hold of an AR10T in 308 . I was going to try my hunting bullet 150 grain gmk heads at the weekend
thanks
Charlieboy wrote: Hi please forgive my ignorance but what are small base dies ? I have been reloading for some time for my 308 Blaser rifle but have just got hold of an AR10T in 308 . I was going to try my hunting bullet 150 grain gmk heads at the weekend
thanks
Small base dies are intended to form the case back to factory SAAMI specs, a bit smaller than even a normal full length die. Many get away with using just full length sizing dies but if your chamber is extra tight you may need the Small base dies to get good reliable function.
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