Load ladders work.

[nf1e]

Makes all the difference . As shown , a little work can make a 1" shooter into a 1/4" just by getting the right powder charge figured out. As you can see, less than a quarter grain one way or the other and it goes from being quite accurate to just pretty good. Worth the effort in my opinion. Whatta Hobby!






110 Sierra w 41.6 gn Varget.jpg

[Phloating Phlasher]

Absolutely

[Major Tom]

I used to shoot for smallest group possible thru trial and error reloading. Today, I shoot man size targets for obvious reasons. It's where you hit them that counts! I teach my Grandson the same way. I also show him basic sniper techniques.

[nf1e]

It's all fun. I have a couple of teenage great grandsons in Maine and they are enjoying shooting the M-14s I have built up for my son. Even got my boy, who was in the Corps during Desert Storm, started on his loading bench. Don't get any better than that. Whatta Hobby!

[nf1e]

Loading up this morning for the final .1 of the ladder I have been working on with Lapua .308 brass, 210 M primers and Varget. Using the 41.6 from the last target set as a center point. Loads will be 5 each from 41.4 to 41.9. May seem like a lot of effort, but developing a load specifically for the " fly swatter" target using a .308 Savage bolt rifle takes a little more work than for generic bullseye shooting. I have been known to enjoy a good challenge and the focus on this one has been a hoot for the last couple of months. Whatta Hobby!



110 Sierra w varget final.jpgflyswatter.jpg110 308 2.jpg110 308 3.jpg

[nf1e]

41.4 ended up being the choice. ran a couple more load ladders after the previous photo today with a temp of 25 degrees and a light wind. Last one was 41.3, 41.4 and 41.5 just for the halibut and 41.4 won. Supposed to be rainy tomorrow with another 3+ inches predicted. Expecting to spend some time loading a couple hundred 110 Sierra hp varminters in Lapua cases over 41.4 gn of Varget set off with 210M primers. Looking forward to attacking the flyswatter target with ammo ready to do the work. Whatta Hobby!

[S.A. Boggs]

I used to shoot for smallest group possible thru trial and error reloading. Today, I shoot man size targets for obvious reasons. It's where you hit them that counts! I teach my Grandson the same way. I also show him basic sniper techniques.

For me formally it was M.O.A., now it is minute of the T.
Sam

[Former Cav]

YMMV.
Pet loads for my M1A Springfield was as follows:
Remember, ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. REDUCE your load 10% and work up. If you are using MAGNUM primers (or CCI number 34 considered to be magnum primers) REDUCE your load ANOTHER 10% and work up. Your chamber and Rifle are different then mine!
CRONOGRAPHED LOADS

demmocommies.... fuh getaboutet for awhile..

1) with an M1A Springfield in 7.62 Nato.
ONce fired LC brass from scharch mfg.
Large rifle winchester brand primers (standard)
150 Hornady brand BTSP bullets
45.0 grains of varget brand powder
HIgh 2755, LOW 2710, AVG 2722 Spread 45 Std Dev 18
Very Accurate Load, tight groups, 1 in with IRON sights and 62 year old eyes!

2) Radway green 1985 same rifle 2699 (one round only)

3) Load as above ( in load number 1) but through a FAL SAR 48 Match rifle
High 2736, LOW 2696, AVG 2721 Spread 40 Std Dev 17

4) FAL SAR 48 Match rifle
Radway Green 1985
High 2824, Low 2786, AVG 2801, Spread 38 Std Dev 20
CAVIM 1990
High 2666, Low 2633, AVG 2645, Spread 33 Std Dev 13
These are both very accurate and are TIGHT groups. 1 in at 100 or less!!
Wish I had 100 cases of each!

5) M1A Springfield in 7.62 Nato
Remington Peters Nickel Brass (easier to find)
CCI # 34 (magnum rated) primers
44.5 Grains Varget
High 2761, Low 2742, AVG 2751 Spread 19 Std Dev 9

6) CAVIM 1990 dated
High 2716, Low 2699, AVG 2710, spread 17 Std Dev 9
Very accurate as above in the FAL

6A) M1A Springfiled in 7.62 Nato. Nov 20, 2018 Measured with Toms radar unit. 20 rounds each load
Lake City Brass Once fired from Scharch, 150 BTSP Hornady bullets, Standard Large Rifle Winchester brand primers, and 45.0 grains of varget. A very accurate load.
Average 2778, Extreme spread 57, Standard Deviation 16, High 2807, FPS Low 2752,
(Nato load spec is 2760.) this is for TWENTY rounds.

Below is the results of the Radway Green Surplus Nato loads that are 147 grain FMJ bullets
Average 2757, Extreme Spread 126, Standard Deviation 40, High 2802, Low 2676, TWENTY rounds.

AS it turns out, I LIKE Varget so much that I use it in the 223 and 243 as well. GOOD stuff with NO pressure or heat related problems!

IN my BOLT rifle (for 800,900 and 1000 yards) I used 45.0 grains of Varget. R/P Nickel Brass (easy to find in the grass), Std large Winchester brand rifle primers, and 175 Grain Sierra match kings. This is a STOUT load. NOT suitable for an M1A/ M14 !!!

[nf1e]

Getting down to the nitty gritty on a decent 100 yd load for the Savage 110 .223 20" 1-9 bull barrel. Scope is NF Competition 15-55x52. Brass used is new weighed Starline with 1 gn segregation. Cold clean bore 10 rnd group was shot with 23 gn Varget pushing same 73 gn Berger bullet for an initial cold clean bore .45. After each group was shot a dry patch was pulled through the bore and cooler run for 5 minutes. Me thinks the .2 moa final load will do nicely on the fly swatter challenge. Shot off a front rest with rear bunny bag. Whatta Hobby!








73 Berger Varget ladder..jpg

[nf1e]

Refining my 223 load ladder for the 73 gn Berger and Varget in Startline brass. Will be pulling a couple hundred bullets that were loaded with 23 gn now that I have taken the time to see the load was not refined enough. I do get impatient and tend to hop on one when it is close. 23. gn was a consisntent .45 moa load and simply adding another half gn brought it to a .2. New ladder will center around the 23.5 gn load and see what appears. For a 100 yd target, 1/4" dots make a great poa and keeping them in a 3 ring binder helps for future analysis. Keeping up with changes in variables gives us plenty to think about. Whatta Hobby!



Load ladder.jpg