Help with 308 load

[Oklahunter3]

Appreciate all the info. Definitely going to try some of these things. I’ll post what I finally come up with.

 

[ejg]

If the first two shots are close on a cold barrel then everything else after that isn't, I definitely would recheck to see if that barrel might be touching something that it shouldn't be.

 

[crapsguy]

I am in need of guidance from the experts! I have been trying to work up a load for my 308 and am not having any luck. I have tried 165 gr nosler partitions, 180 gr accubonds and 150 gr hornady sst. I have tried IMR-4064 and varget with loads from 43 gr to 45 gr of powders. I have varied the bullet length from 2.85"(which is max due to magazine length) to 2.735". I basically get the same type of group from every load I've tried. Also, changed scopes to make sure that wasn't the problem. The group I get every time is 2 shots close to gather and 1 shot 1.5"-2.5" away from the other 2. The odd shot is never the same one. I have tried 3 different factory loads and this doesn't happen with them. I haven't gotten good groups with them either. Best is a 1.5" group with Hornady Whitetail 150 gr. Any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated!!
It is a Mossberg Patriot rifle. I’ve checked the torque on the screws and to be sure barrel is free floated.

I have had the same problem with the same rifle - I use 180gn round nose cast bullets - FIINALLY figured out that I needed to go 4-5gn BELOW minimum ie [around 34gn] on my powder [4064] to get tight at 100yds --- had fair but not good patterns with slightly higher loads and thought I needed to get UP to at least minimum but that was just the opposite of what ended up working

 

[mtnboomr]

Always be aware that rifles will have a "favorite" powder load/bullet/factory load that it will shoot better than any other. That's the reason for trying different components, or factory loadings, until you find the sweet spot.

I have a Springfield (Savage) 840 bolt-action .30-30 that I accurized due to horrendous accuracy with anything I tried. I was able to wring out a 4-shot 2-inch group using a Winchester case, a 150-gr. Remington RNSP bullet, and Reloder 15. But that same rifle absolutely HATES Winchester Super-X 150-gr. factory loads. It will scatter them all over the target.