Looking To Build Mor Rifle

[EricW]

So I've got my rifle "problem" worked out.

So after that, seriously, how precise do we need to be on the reloading? I've resolved that I'm going to just do the normal thing of weighing brass, cleaning primer pockets/flash holes, trimming, etc.

Rich

You don't need to do ANYTHING fancy to get sub-MOA out of a 308. Personally, I'm going to probably stop reloading and buy ammo. I can load 308 for $7-8/box less brass. I can buy ammo for $10/box. There's some Remmy LE 308 with 168 gr Sierras for $100/200 that I'm going to try here as soon as I can get the dealer to pick up the phone. If someone sold 175's in the form of loaded ammo for a similar price, I'd never reload 308 again.

[Religious Shooter]

It will depend on your time/patience, money and accuracy goals.

The targets at my local match has been above 1 MOA size. If the stage diagrams are an indication the USPSA MOR side match at Albany this year, the targets looks to be well above 1 MOA.

So for me MOA will get the job done. And technically since edgers count I can get away with 1"+.308"+.308" = 1.616 SMOA.

I take brand new Rem brass... neck-size it and load it with 44 grains of Varget, CCIBR2 and 175 SMK. I get 1-1.25 MOA 5 shot groups with the occassional .75 MOA groups with this load.

1X fired Rem, trimmed, neck-sized and sorted with the same components give me .75 MOA pretty consistently. With unsorted brass it's around 1 MOA.

To me that's good enough. I've found that I'm not hitting the targets and just flat out suck not because of the group size. I'm missing them because I don't where the gun is hitting at X range.

Case in point... we had a stage with a 2-2.5" target at about 210 yards. We had three shots. I didn't hit it once. After the match we went over to see the targets and my shots were in a small enough group that it would have fit on the 2-2.5" target. The problem was that they were high right.

Next month same thing happened with post-it notes at 230 yards. The group on the card board backing would have fit most of the shots on the post-it note. Only problem was the group was a little low and to the right.

So from my very limited experience I'd recommend that you aim for a certain MOA and do a "top-down" type of reloading development. For example:

Use new brass and just load... if you don't get the MOA you want...

Use new brass, sort the cases by weight and load... if you don't get the MOA you want...

Use 1X fired in your chamber brass... if you don't get the MOA you want...

Sort the 1X fired brass... if you don't get the MOA you want...

etc.

I wouldn't get all those case-prep goodies until I knew I had to in order to get to the MOA goal that I need.

Of course if you enjoy extreme reloading... go for it.

[George]

Easiest recipe for reloading quality MOR ammo without too much hassle is:

1. Start with one batch brass.

2. Fire once then full length re-size, trim, debur, ream flash hole & uniform primer pocket.

3. Weigh and cull all cases outside a couple grain weight range.

4. Pick a bullet, primer, powder and loadem' up.

4. Neck size only from there on out and you will get at least a half dozen more loadings.

This process will almost always make pretty good 600 yard ammo.

Case neck prep for uniformity and concentricity is the next level of concern/hassle and is not needed to make MOA ammo in most cases. Sub-MOA ammo is another story altogether and that is where the voodoo aspects of a specific bbl, bullet, powder, COAL and charge weight come into play along with the last 2% of case prep I mentioned.

[uscbigdawg]

Thanks. I figured it wasn't going to be too involved. FWIW, I'm going to shoot .243. Way better ballistics and can use the rifle for varmints and deer, during load development, training and skills build-up, until I really start throwing money at it.

Rich

[ap3]

+1 on the 243. It is very versatile and I think with the right bullet you get great ballistics for most applications. I have a 308 being built, and bought a low cost savage in 243 to play with and now I will I had my custom gun chambered in 243.