Forgot to mention the primers are fed gm lrg non magnum
Rifle is a new Winchester XPR 308 1-12 22"
If it was my gun and I wanted a "low" accuracy node round I would start powder charge with the Varget at 41 gr and go up .5 gr at a time.
I have found low nodes in the 41.5-43 gr area.
If I wanted high accuracy node I would Not use Lapua brass.. It never worked well in the high node for me.
Winchester cases were king there and with Varget and a 165-168 gr bullet the high node for me was usually 44gr or more.
Work that one up in .3 gr increments.
I have found low nodes in the 41.5-43 gr area.
If I wanted high accuracy node I would Not use Lapua brass.. It never worked well in the high node for me.
Winchester cases were king there and with Varget and a 165-168 gr bullet the high node for me was usually 44gr or more.
Work that one up in .3 gr increments.
I don’t have the data in front of me, but I’m pretty sure my load is 43 grains of Varget. I’m not a balls to the wall loader.
Here you go on your load with 165 Core lokt.
Neck sizing and shooting
This is an interesting thread and not something I would do myself, but I like outside the box thinking.
www.okshooters.com
You stated
Lapua brass 165 Corelokt bullet and 44.2 gr Varget.
For more than 40 years I have used the same load for my 308. 165 grain Speer bullet over 45 grains of BLc2. No pressure indications and excellent accuracy.
The brass i have is new unfired sig sauer brass
The 165gr SST is right in the ideal length range for a 1:12" twist. That twist should have no problem stabilizing bullets in the 130 - 180gr range. For many years the M40 series of sniper rifles used by Marines shot a 175gr SMK out of a 1:12" twist.
Varget is one of "the" powders for the .308. Very few rifles will shoot Varget poorly and another powder much better.
I have zero experience with SIG brass, so I have zero clue about case capacity...but as long as you start a few grains below max charge as recommended by Hodgdon, you shouldn't blow your face off.
as a matter of fact, I am going to bet that between 43.0 - 44.0gr Varget, you'll find your sweet spot. That happens about 80 percent of the time with guys and the 168gr SMK. I have a few .308s that I have 165gr Nosler BT loads for; one is a hammer at 43.0, the other at 43.5gr Varget.
One of your biggest accuracy factors will be bullet jump with the secant ogive of the SST. You can play with charge weights or jump first, I always did jump testing first. Load a few rounds at .010, .040, .070, and .100" off the lands, and I'm sure you'll see a preference for jump in your groups. From there I play with charge weights. If you don't have the $40 seating depth guage from Hornady, I'd consider it a worthwhile investment.
Varget is one of "the" powders for the .308. Very few rifles will shoot Varget poorly and another powder much better.
I have zero experience with SIG brass, so I have zero clue about case capacity...but as long as you start a few grains below max charge as recommended by Hodgdon, you shouldn't blow your face off.
as a matter of fact, I am going to bet that between 43.0 - 44.0gr Varget, you'll find your sweet spot. That happens about 80 percent of the time with guys and the 168gr SMK. I have a few .308s that I have 165gr Nosler BT loads for; one is a hammer at 43.0, the other at 43.5gr Varget.
One of your biggest accuracy factors will be bullet jump with the secant ogive of the SST. You can play with charge weights or jump first, I always did jump testing first. Load a few rounds at .010, .040, .070, and .100" off the lands, and I'm sure you'll see a preference for jump in your groups. From there I play with charge weights. If you don't have the $40 seating depth guage from Hornady, I'd consider it a worthwhile investment.
Seems the old remington 700 pss's were 1/12. They ran 168gr, 175gr sierra's just fine with varget for me.
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