Hello. New here. Struggling to find an accurate 308 load for Nosler 165 partitions in the CZ 550 Varmint, 308 Win, 1/12" twist, 26" barrel. Would like a Partition hunting load for feral hogs, but have achieved no better than 1.5" groups at 100 yards with Varget, BL-C(2) loads seated to just fit the removable box mag, something like 2.82" col, if memory serves. By contrast, excellent results w/ Berger 168 VLD-hunting (sub-MOA) at 100, 200 yards. Specific suggestions? Thanks.
Accuracy Loads, CZ-550 Varmint, 308 Win.
- Thread starter TEC
- Start date
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
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TEC, welcome to the board, I have not shot .308 loads for 25 years and would be no help probably. However, I did use 165 grain Partitions with Fed cases, IMR 4064 (44.0 gr) and BR-2 primers they were sub MOA loads but that is an old load! Velocity was a little over 2600 if I remember.
- Oct 30, 2004
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Welcome to the forum. What do your groups look like?
My 308 Sako Finnwolf shoots .3" with 46 gr Varget and 165 Accubonds.
My 308 Sako Finnwolf shoots .3" with 46 gr Varget and 165 Accubonds.
Use the bergers, or try seating the partitions to a shorter overall length until you hit an accuracy node. popular belief is that you have to have the bullet either kissing or .020 off the lands for accuracy but that is not always the case. RE-15 is also another option but i does get a bit fussy when its hot and the loads are near or at max in my experience.
- Oct 30, 2004
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Also do not discount the 165 Ballistic tips. At 30-06 or 308 velocities they work great from antelope to elk.
- Thread starter
- #6
First, is it just me or has the website been buggy for the last few days? Keeps re-directing me to the log in page, telling me I have successfully logged on, then kicking me back to the log in page when I try to browse or reply to a post. Mac OS-X 10.8.4/Safari. Oh well . . .
What do the groups look like? 3-shot groups with test loads of BL-C(2) from (posting from memory here) 42.0 grains thru 46.6 grains in graduated increments never group better than 1.5-2.0 inches at 100 yards, "best" (and I use that word only generally) seems to be at about 45.75 grains. No clear pattern of vertical or horizontal spread was apparent.
Once-fired LC-66 brass, CCI 200 primers. My intent was to conserve usage of my Varget, and find an accurate Nosler Partition/BL-C(2) hunting load with some powder on hand, other than Varget, to dispatch a few hogs, if not targets. I suppose 1.5 in at 100 yards would be OK for hogs, where I hunt. About a year ago, I also worked through Varget loads with both the Bergers and Noslers over Varget, both with new Winchester and Hornady Brass, CCI 200 primers, and from about 40.0 up to 44.75 grains. Found a sweet spot with Berger 168's over 42.0-42.2 gr of Varget (consistently under 1 inch CTC and as good as 1/2 inch single ragged hole 5-shot groups at 100 yards; usually around 1.5 inch at 200 yards. Again, the Noslers were around 2.0 inches at 100 yards to 4 inches or more at 200 yards.
In short, I seem to get as good or better performance from the Bergers at 200 yards than the Noslers at 100 yards. But since I have about 100 of the 165 Partitions on the shelf, I would like to use them. Should I just be content with 1.5-2.0 inches at 100 yards with the 165's?
What do the groups look like? 3-shot groups with test loads of BL-C(2) from (posting from memory here) 42.0 grains thru 46.6 grains in graduated increments never group better than 1.5-2.0 inches at 100 yards, "best" (and I use that word only generally) seems to be at about 45.75 grains. No clear pattern of vertical or horizontal spread was apparent.
Once-fired LC-66 brass, CCI 200 primers. My intent was to conserve usage of my Varget, and find an accurate Nosler Partition/BL-C(2) hunting load with some powder on hand, other than Varget, to dispatch a few hogs, if not targets. I suppose 1.5 in at 100 yards would be OK for hogs, where I hunt. About a year ago, I also worked through Varget loads with both the Bergers and Noslers over Varget, both with new Winchester and Hornady Brass, CCI 200 primers, and from about 40.0 up to 44.75 grains. Found a sweet spot with Berger 168's over 42.0-42.2 gr of Varget (consistently under 1 inch CTC and as good as 1/2 inch single ragged hole 5-shot groups at 100 yards; usually around 1.5 inch at 200 yards. Again, the Noslers were around 2.0 inches at 100 yards to 4 inches or more at 200 yards.
In short, I seem to get as good or better performance from the Bergers at 200 yards than the Noslers at 100 yards. But since I have about 100 of the 165 Partitions on the shelf, I would like to use them. Should I just be content with 1.5-2.0 inches at 100 yards with the 165's?
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
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I tried Lake City brass in my .308 and never got as good results as with commercials brass. The LC cases were smaller in capacity and much heavier than commercial brass at the time. Not only could I not get the velocities that I wanted but I could not get acceptable accuracy as well.
I would try Nosler, Lapua or Norma brass.
I would try Nosler, Lapua or Norma brass.
- Thread starter
- #9
Oldtrader3":slnkytf0 said:
Noted, thanks. I do have 100 of the Lapua, but I am still in the process of loading it for the very first time, so it hasn't been fire formed to the CZ yet. I am seeing a difference of only a couple of grains difference in case volume from the LC66 brass compared to WIN or Hornady brass, as measured by level filling with BL-C(2) ball powder. I haven't tested any by filling with water. I did weigh all the LC brass. Cleaned and sized to length, it was very consistent in weight. I am turning the high side only of the necks, annealing and polishing the inside and outside of the necks. Will then fire form and try again. It may be a wasted effort, but perhaps I can get the LC to perform. It looks really nice anyway. I have some Federal and Winchester LR primers to try as well.
The inside and outside of the necks of the 3 cases on the right were polished with the cases "chucked" immediately after turning
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
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Looks nice and should be more consistent. I know that Lapua and Norma brass are good to go!
- Thread starter
- #11
Oldtrader3":2s5enz4b said:
Thanks. I have an extended range session planned in the near future, with all new Lapua brass loads for .223 Varget, H322 loads, and for .308 Varget, BL-C(2) loads behind some Non-Nosler VLD Hunting bullets. I will also try to load some more Nosler 165 Partitions in the reworked and highly shiny 308 mil spec brass for comparison testing as well to see if there is any demonstrable improvement in accuracy.
Any truly amazing results will be reported in follow up (eventually).
(note to self -- the Nosler Reload site seems to like images sized to 800 pixels max dimension by default for optimal display)
Sorry if any of my larger pics may have caused digital angst for some viewers.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,496
- 4,684
Digital angst... I like that.
Longtime fan of the .308 Win here. I too favor the commercial cases, though I've seen and built accurate loads on Lake City match brass. A lot of it though was intended for machinegun use and I'm not sure the quality control is all that strict, other than being really strong as it's intended to be mishandled by 18 year old machinegunners....
The 165 Partition responds Very Well, from my rifle, to a max or near max charge of Varget. I was seeing nearly 2800 fps and easily sub MOA accuracy with the Partition. That's from a 1:12 twist, 24" Krieger. I load the .308 almost entirely on Wilson benchrest type dies, which helps keep thing consistent.
As Fotis noted, the 165 gr Ballistic Tip is well worth a try, but I understand wanting to put the Partitions to good use. I've got several hundred of them on hand for my .308 & .30-06 rifles. They're very good all around hunting bullets.
Consider changing brass. Consider bumping up to a max or near max charge of Varget or RL-15... Seat those Partitions really straight, and I think you'll see improvements in your groups.
Regards, Guy
Longtime fan of the .308 Win here. I too favor the commercial cases, though I've seen and built accurate loads on Lake City match brass. A lot of it though was intended for machinegun use and I'm not sure the quality control is all that strict, other than being really strong as it's intended to be mishandled by 18 year old machinegunners....
The 165 Partition responds Very Well, from my rifle, to a max or near max charge of Varget. I was seeing nearly 2800 fps and easily sub MOA accuracy with the Partition. That's from a 1:12 twist, 24" Krieger. I load the .308 almost entirely on Wilson benchrest type dies, which helps keep thing consistent.
As Fotis noted, the 165 gr Ballistic Tip is well worth a try, but I understand wanting to put the Partitions to good use. I've got several hundred of them on hand for my .308 & .30-06 rifles. They're very good all around hunting bullets.
Consider changing brass. Consider bumping up to a max or near max charge of Varget or RL-15... Seat those Partitions really straight, and I think you'll see improvements in your groups.
Regards, Guy
- Thread starter
- #14
SJB358":82nm71lj said:
Did indeed play with seating depths today, but not yet with the Noslers. Conclusive results, I'd say. Posted here: http://www.reloadbench.com/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000529.html
TEC
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rick smith
Handloader
- Apr 6, 2005
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TEC, good to see you on this site. If you have any H or IMR-4895 you might want to give them a try. Rick.
- Thread starter
- #17
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,496
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Having used all three of those, the 165 Ballistic Tip is my favorite.
For deer anyway. It's got plenty of accuracy, penetration & expansion to do the job. The others aren't exactly terrible choices either... :grin:
Varget, followed closely by RL-15, is my favorite .308 Win powder too.
Guy
For deer anyway. It's got plenty of accuracy, penetration & expansion to do the job. The others aren't exactly terrible choices either... :grin:
Varget, followed closely by RL-15, is my favorite .308 Win powder too.
Guy
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
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All I kill is paper but I do like to see those 1/2 to 5/8 groups in a regular ole rifle!
