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11 years 7 months ago #22341 by txlongshotb4
Needing some feedback here. was created by txlongshotb4
Long ago, well before I ever found this forum or built my AR-10 I was a bolt-gun junkee. That was several deployments ago, and I have moved all over the country since then. Hence, my reloading rig has sat dormant in a box deep in the dark corners of my garage-until today. Today I put on my miner's helmet, adorned safety gear, rappeling gear, and a GPS beacon in case rescue was needed, and I contorted my body around a few agonizing yards of various forsaken home furnishings, lawn equipment and boxes full of things I don't remember I own. When I finally got the crate out and open, I was delighted to see that everything is still in perfect condition.
So I guess I'm going to start reloading again-seeing as how I can not find a single box of .308 match on any shelf for miles around. My problem is that I have never reloaded for a semi auto gun before-I was loading for bolt guns-no crimp and shallow seating depths. I need a crash course on what I need to do for gas guns. In particular, someone please point me in the right direction for powders. I do have two almost full tubs-one of IMR 4064, the other is IMR 4895...will these work well for gas guns? I've also got quite a few Sierra 168s and 175 HPBT MKs as well as some Berger 175 match, about 900 or so Federal Match primers, and about 9 billion pounds of once-shot federal brass.

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11 years 7 months ago #22342 by BUILDING MY SASS
Replied by BUILDING MY SASS on topic Needing some feedback here.
:nicethread:
I loved the opening scenario...I have a room in the basement much like what you described... :rotfl: :wave:

As to your question...I have used both of those powders...both work well...
I have found that the 4895 is better for closer ranges...were the 4064 works better at long ranges...
I myself have switched to the Reloader 15..but have not loaded any rounds yet...It came highly recommended by Zfk...
As for the Brass...I prefer the Federal....you get less "stretch" when re-sizing...so less to trim..
Just remember "you have to Full Length Re-size" for the Automatics...
Hope it is of some help...
Glad you made it out of the void intact... :rotfl:
BMS

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11 years 7 months ago #22347 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Needing some feedback here.
In the words of Mr. Smithers, "Eeexcellllent!"

IMR 4895 is my "go to" powder for .308, and I know a lot of folks that swear by IMR 4064. As BMS said, a full length re-sizing die is essential for gas guns and I'll take it a bit further and recommend a small base re-sizing die. The SB die works the shoulder of the case a little more, bringing it back to factory spec.

I'd also recommend a crimping die as well. I use a Lee, but there are others out there.

I'm feeling your pain when it comes to finding ammo. Hell, I've had to start re-loading for 9mm because there's none to be found. My brother-in-law stopped at Cheaper than Dirt in Dallas on his way up to see me and brought some 9mm plinking ammo...$50 a box for cheap plinking ammo is wrong on SO many levels.

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11 years 7 months ago #22349 by MrMarty51
Replied by MrMarty51 on topic Needing some feedback here.
Funny,I never thought about having fun when I have to go into one of My sheds to find something. :rotfl:
The small base die set will be best for the semi auto rifles,as stated above.

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11 years 7 months ago - 11 years 7 months ago #22363 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Needing some feedback here.

txlongshotb4 wrote: Long ago, well before I ever found this forum or built my AR-10 I was a bolt-gun junkee. That was several deployments ago, and I have moved all over the country since then. Hence, my reloading rig has sat dormant in a box deep in the dark corners of my garage-until today. Today I put on my miner's helmet, adorned safety gear, rappeling gear, and a GPS beacon in case rescue was needed, and I contorted my body around a few agonizing yards of various forsaken home furnishings, lawn equipment and boxes full of things I don't remember I own. When I finally got the crate out and open, I was delighted to see that everything is still in perfect condition.
So I guess I'm going to start reloading again-seeing as how I can not find a single box of .308 match on any shelf for miles around. My problem is that I have never reloaded for a semi auto gun before-I was loading for bolt guns-no crimp and shallow seating depths. I need a crash course on what I need to do for gas guns. In particular, someone please point me in the right direction for powders. I do have two almost full tubs-one of IMR 4064, the other is IMR 4895...will these work well for gas guns? I've also got quite a few Sierra 168s and 175 HPBT MKs as well as some Berger 175 match, about 900 or so Federal Match primers, and about 9 billion pounds of once-shot federal brass.

You are in better shape than 99.9% of the .308 owners out there. Some small base dies are still available some places. Let me know if you have trouble finding them.
Last edit: 11 years 7 months ago by Siscowet.

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11 years 7 months ago #22366 by VTIT
Replied by VTIT on topic Needing some feedback here.
:I-agree:

If you ever want to get rid of any of that federal brass let me know. Everything they said above and you will be GTG. I second (or is it 3rd) the small base die. Makes life a lot easier. I think as long as you start within the guidelines of a good reloading manual you will be OK. Start with the minimum or if it's mil brass maybe even 10-15% lower than the minimum. Crimping is a must. You don't have to crimp the :censored: out of it but a good medium to light crimp will help the bullet stay in place when the bolt rams it into the chamber. I tried to use some bolt reloads and fired one and then measured the second one that got loaded by the action of the first round. Let's just say I don't use bolt loads anymore after I saw how much it got pulled out of the brass.

What kind of set up do you have?

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11 years 7 months ago #22377 by BUILDING MY SASS
Replied by BUILDING MY SASS on topic Needing some feedback here.
Oh yeah...You need the Factory Crimping Die as well... :S
Dam CRS... :dry: :whistle: :pinch:
I also use the Lee Dies as well... :twothumbs:
If you Need a "Refresher" course...check my Reloading vids... :wave: :rotfl:
Reloading for Beginners by A Beginner... ;)
But I think it will come back to you...
BMS

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11 years 7 months ago #22389 by Dabu
Replied by Dabu on topic Needing some feedback here.
There was once a webpage that a whole list of "do no do's" for reloading. Now I can't find it anymore :(

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11 years 6 months ago #22478 by silverman1
Replied by silverman1 on topic Needing some feedback here.
Both powders work great in my LR308
I am currently using 4064 ,due to the fact that when I got my DPMS,a friend wanted to shoot it,and after I broke in the barrel,he used some of his reloads with 4064,and 168 gr.HPBT match,and the first 3 shots made a perfect cloverleaf @ 100 yds,with the stock trigger.
As soon as the weather breaks,I am going to work out a load for
4895,as I picked up 8# at Camp Perry last july,and the unavailablity of 4064 ,unless you want to pay $32 per#.
My experiance using small base dies,is;
New brass fired in my M-1,M-14,or LR 308 is,if the brass was originally fired in my rifle ,I only need to FL size.
I picked up 1000 LC NM brass at Perry,and could not even get a lot of them into a sizing die,without shearing brass off around the base.
I think they were fired out of an M-14 with a WAY o/s chamber
I had a slightly rusty 0-6 die ,and I chamfered the opening to allow the base to squish down some before putting them through the SM base die,and I had to use a friends 50 BMG press to do it.
My Co-AX press,I ripped the bolts out of my bench top trying to size them.
Once I got them sized ,and trimmed ,I used the same 30 cases,for all of my range testing,and reloaded them ,at least 10 times each,as I wanted to see how the case web would hold up after needing the base sized that far. After app.10 reloads each,I did not experiance any head seperation,and all were just FL resized,no small base needed,and the only jams,were due to my brass catcher bag,kept closing up,and would leave cases sticking out at 90 deg.
Once I got my loads fine tuned,I managed a 600+yd.shot on a prarie dog. And the still look small in a 40X scope at that range.

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11 years 6 months ago #22483 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Needing some feedback here.
Thanks for the report. I have some 30-06 National Match brass dating from 1965, and it is really good stuff. I would guess your right about it being fired in an oversize chamber. Keep in mind also, that Service rifle teams have experimented with some wildly hot loads far over recommended pressures in earlier years and if you got some brass from one of those lots it would have expanded the brass as well especially if the chamber was slightly oversize. As a matter of fact that chamber might have been a little oversize on purpose to help extraction if they were hot loads. I did some reading a while back about the service teams experiments with hot loads, and all I can say is I wouldn't want to try them with out the support of a professional armorer!

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