Load Testing for the CZ600 .308

[thaHooligan]

Went out in the rain today and did some shooting. It was nice not to be sweating to death. Had a flyer on the first 5 shots, but the rest did very well. Second 5 shots I'm not sure what happened on the first shot, maybe cold barrel or maybe I pulled that one as well...

 

[diggler1833]

Good video as usual man. I wouldn't sweat a small flier like the one in the Varget load. The SST isn't a match bullet, and you can have more of a variance between bullet ogives and OAL than you might think. Anything MOA or a touch better with the SST is a keeper.

The best part about that Varget load is the temperature stability of the powder. You can shoot that bullet in 50 degree cooler weather this hunting season and maybe only lose 20 FPS...not the case with CFE-223...it'll probably have closer to an 80 FPS drop with 50 degree colder temps. CFE-223 sucks regarding temperature stability, but if you're willing to work up different loads for different temperatures it can get you some pretty good speeds.

 

[swampratt]

Great shooting Love your videos and looks like you are easily reading the target so what scope is on that one and do you love it or something else better?

In my book Lyman 49th that varget load of 44.9 is not anywhere close to a max load in a remington case.
My book shows a flat base Hornady #3031 150 gr spitzer at 47.0 gr max at 58,000 pressure and 2891 FPS.
Step up to the 155gr bullet and a boat tail and max load is listed at 48 gr varget for 2905 FPS 58,300 pressure.

165 gr Partition and Varget shows 46.0 gr a max 2756 FPS and 59,800 psi.

175 Jacketed HPBT is 45.2 Varget 2708 FPS 59,300 Pressure.

I have ran the 155's at 47 gr with good accuracy in my .308.
I could never make the accuracy hold with a 40 degree temp swing with varget.
IMR4064 would hold accuracy and was a bit faster also in my 18" barrel.

 

[thaHooligan]

Good video as usual man. The best part about that Varget load is the temperature stability of the powder. You can shoot that bullet in 50 degree cooler weather this hunting season and maybe only lose 20 FPS...not the case with CFE-223...it'll probably have closer to an 80 FPS drop with 50 degree colder temps.

Thank you sir, good to know!

Great shooting Love your videos and looks like you are easily reading the target so what scope is on that one and do you love it or something else better?

In my book Lyman 49th that varget load of 44.9 is not anywhere close to a max load in a remington case.
My book shows a flat base Hornady #3031 150 gr spitzer at 47.0 gr max at 58,000 pressure and 2891 FPS.

The scope is a Vortex Viper HST. It's the best, well most expensive, scope I have. lol. The flat base 3031 is the Interlock SP bullets. The sst's are a little longer with their boat tail, but I don't know if that makes a difference or not? I have the Interlocks as well, so if/when I load some of them, I will probably try 45.5 or 46gr. Problem is, I have several things I WANT to try, but I'm almost out of varget!

 

[thaHooligan]

Also just a reminder I am no expert and I consider myself still pretty new to reloading. I've pretty much just been getting by for the past year with the most basic knowledge and what I've read or watched on youtube. lol. So every time you guys give me any help or advice I really do appreciate it and I try to lock it in the memory vault to help me out in the future.

 

[swampratt]

Well you have me fooled you look like a long time professional with your testing and videos.

Bearing surface and jacket thickness and bullet core material are determining factors on how much pressure a load will create.
Of course weight is a factor also.

If you have 2 bullets both 150 gr and one is a boat tail and the other is a flat base the chances are pretty good that the flat base will have more bearing surface.

Say it is a .308 150 gr the "bearing surface" is the amount of the bullet that is .308 diameter.

But you must measure.

Your gun seems to like that load you made and it is working at that distance.
I would stretch it's legs to 200 and farther if you plan on taking game farther and see if it holds together.

 

[swampratt]

Here are some of my loads from my Savage .308 that worked very well.
All with Varget.
.308 Flat point 150 gr. 30-30 bullet 45.7 gr. = 2,940 FPS.
#2156 Palma matchking 155gr 46.5 gr. = 2,904 FPS.
#2156 Palma matchking 155gr 47.5 gr. = 2,978 FPS.
That Palma bullet does not work well on deer and did not group well in my 1"10 twist .308 or 30-06 until I got is moving really fast.

This bullet did very well but I never shot at deer with it.
175 Nosler Custom Competition 43.5 gr = 2749 FPS. It liked to be in the lands.

This last bullet grouped great in all .308 rifles I shot it in and other peoples .308 rifles that I let try the load it would stay under 1" at 200 yards but the BC was nothing to brag about.

Critter and deer killing was excellent with this bullet.
165 Game king HPBT #2140.
Very long bearing surface.
You can use 42 42.5 or 43 gr of varget and make it print tight groups.
Was a nice node there.
I seated those to 2.680" I do not know the velocity as I did not check them for some reason.

We are going to need to get you some more Varget somehow.

I quit using it and I did find like some other powders lot to lot differences would kill my groups.
I began trying to buy all my powders in 8 lb lots and get as much as I could afford in the same lot number.

At 45 gr per load a lb will only make 155 rounds.

 

[thaHooligan]

Your gun seems to like that load you made and it is working at that distance.
I would stretch it's legs to 200 and farther if you plan on taking game farther and see if it holds together.

Good idea, I'll load up a few more and try them out at 300 yards.

 

[swampratt]

Excellent.
Keep us posted.

 

[thaHooligan]

Well, I loaded up 3 rounds with Varget and 3 with CFE223 and I'm not sure about the results. A 5 shot group would have told us more I'm sure, but I'm trying to save some Varget for the TTSX bullets I have coming in later this week. The black circle is about 3 inches. There was also a little wind, my phone was saying 8 to 10 mph. These of course were with the 150 gr SST's. 3 shots with Varget (V) was 4.25", 3 shots with CFE223 (C) was 4.75" and I shot 3 of the Federal Fusion 165 gr (F) and they did 3.25". They would all probably do better with a better shooter as well! lol