What to do?

[Guybo]

I have been working with the 125gr BT in my rem 700 LTR and have a very good load worked up with varget. I usually start at .010 off the lands and work from there but this bullet was way to short for that so I had to seat deeper. Problem is that even with them seated deeper they won't fit in the magazine. I can get one in the mag and one in the chamber. I took some of these bullets and seated them deeper a little at the time until they would fit the mag and got back on the bench and the groups really opened up.
Im now asking myself do I need to start over with load development seating them to fit in the mag or do I just leave things alone? I also just received 2 boxes of the 125gr Accubonds that I want to load and I'm really not sure where to start with those. Suggestions? Thank You! Mike

 

[DrMike]

It is always advisable to load to the most restrictive feature of your firing system. If the magazine is your limiting factor in overall cartridge length, then load to the magazine. If you are able to load to the lands, then that becomes the feature from which you measure. Fortunately for gun cranks, we usually will have two nodes on a load, which means that even when compelled to load to the magazine we can find a sweet spot by looking.

 

[joelkdouglas]

Guybo, I would load to the magazine and then seat progressively deeper until accuracy tightens back up. You could load at magazine length, then 0.04 deeper, then 0.08 deeper, then 0.12 deeper and see what you find. One on those will likely shoot better than the others, and you could adjust around that seating depth as necessary.

I would add to load at least 5 or 6 of each seating depth. If you want to shoot 3 shot groups at least shoot 2 3-shot groups. Good luck!

 

[joelkdouglas]

Forgot to add--worst case you could move to the 150 BT. I assume you're shooting a 308 Win?

 

[Guy Miner]

The short-action rifles often have this limitation, basically loading to mag-length is the only option if you want them to feed from the magazine.

This doesn't mean that you can't get excellent accuracy from the rifle though!

With the .308 Green Machine, I've always just loaded to mag length. It's done very well in 600 yard matches.

With the 125 Ballistic Tips, I've still just loaded to mag length, for my rifle and another. Works well. The Ballistic Tips, as well as Nosler's competition bullets and Sierra Matchkings, all seem to tolerate a jump to the rifling rather well.

Guy

 

[Guybo]

After the suggestions i think i'm going to start over and seat the bullets to mag length and go from there. I do like being able to feed from the magazine. I appreciate the feedback. Thank You! Mike

 

[1Shot]

This is the load that I use in my Rem 700 short action 308 but the barrel is a Heart SS varmint 21 1/2" long.
WW case, 46 grs IMR 4895, CCI-BR2 primer, 125 BT COAL 2.742 and this does right at 3000 fps. This works fine through the magazine and shoots bug holes at 100 yards and drops deer in their tracks out to 300ish yards so far. You need to keep the IMPACT velocity under 3000 fps for use on deer and it really starts to do it's thing down around 2800 fps impact velocity. I have lost count how many deer I have killed with the 125 ballistic tip. It is the only 30 cal bullet I use now and have been for quite a few years in all my different deer weapons. If you use 46 to 47 grs Varget you should get right at 3000 fps.
I have not tried any of the 125 Accubonds. Only place that I have seen them was in a little gun shop in WV and they wanted about $50 for the 50 pill box. :shock: They should be able to be driven quite a bit faster because the 130 gr ABs out of my 264 Win mag are doing 3350 fps and even as close as 30 yard shots the hold together through both shoulders of a deer with an exit the size of a quarter.