So I just got my second .308...a Remington 700 AAC-SD. Along with it I also bought dies and bullets.

I am having a hard time finding load data online for 150 grain Hornady SSTs and 155 grain Hornady Match BTHP using Reloder 15.  


My data sheet that came with the dies talks about using 43.5 or so grains of Reloder 15 as a STARTING point for 150 grain bullets, but when I measured it out and poured it into the case it came up REALLY close to the top and I figured it might be a good idea to ask y'all. The sheet also has the OAL listed as 2.700, which seems awfully short to me and means that the base of the bullet is compressing the powder.

Here ya go...

Hornady 8th edition manual shows 150-155 bullets, including 155 SST and 155 BTSP.  BTHP Match isn't listed, but data shows the same for all 150-155's.

RL-15, Starting 38.3 grains, 2300 fps in test rifle, C.O.L 2.735" for SST, same for BTSP

RL-15, Max 47.2 grains, 2800 fps, same COL as above

Hornady/frontier cases, Federal 210 primers, Winchster 70 22" test rifle

If the data sheet you are referring to is the sheet included in Lee Dies, toss it out.  Now.  Its garbage.  I've encountered truly shitty data on Lee data sheets before.  Its not to be trusted.  (And if you are using those damned little dipper thingies, toss em and get some sort of s decent scale too.)

Some loads will compress the powder.  Get a decent loading manual.  Many will state a load is 95% capacity, 98%, 100% and occasionally as much as 106% of capacity.  Anything over 100% is a compressed load.  No problems.  Alliant's manual (available online, as is Hodgdon) will show loads like the following max load:  308 Win, 150 Speer SP, RL15, CCI200 primer, 2.700" COL, IMI case, 49.0C charge weight, and velocity 2919.  The 49.0C means 49.0 grains is a compressed charge.  You'll feel powder crunch and crush as you seat.  its fine.  

For what its worth Alliant's publish reload manual shows 14 different loads for 308 Win.  8 of the 14 max loads are compressed charges.  Its fairly common.

Fro

Thank you very much, that was helpful.

Suggest you buy 2 reloading books. I have a hornady and a nosler. Also, check out alliant reloading web site as well as Hodgdon web site for load data too.

I just placed the order for the most recent Hornady edition.

Alliants webpage is seriously lacking in load data, unfortunately. I have been using a 2004 paper reloading booklet that they distributed for making handgun loads.

Most recent Hornady book

I have been using 47.5 gr reloader 15 with several 150 gr bullet's for years with good results, it's a full case but it's ok.

Quite often with a load that fills the case, you'll want to swirl the powder into the case by using a powder funnel and pouring the powder into the case on a tangent to the edge of the funnel.

When you do that it starts with some sideways movement and that results in a fair amount of swirl at the bottom of the funnel as it enters the case.  That packs the powder much more tightly and helps fit a compressed load into the case.

Is it safe for me to reload 7.62 NATO brass (specifically ZQI and LC type brass) to .308 pressures?

I know that .308 is supposed to be a little hotter than 7.62 NATO and I was told that the NATO brass typically has a thinner case wall



That is completely bassackwards in regard to the brass.

7.62X51 brass has less case capacity than commercial .308 Win brass.  That means loading 7.62 brass with the same charge used in for .308 Win produces higher pressure.  Reduce the load about 2 grains to start.

The spec pressures for the two cartridges are different, but be certain to compare CUP to CUP or piezo to piezo pressures, the two are no interchangeable and there is no conversion between the two methods.

I accidentally edited this post instead of quoting; I'm going to leave my comments here anyway.  AeroE

ZQI brass is soft.  I had loose primer pockets after 2 loads.

as for LC (my go to brass), there is less case volume so you will need to reduce the max load by about 2 grains.  also depending on your guy and where the LC came from you might need to use small base dies the first time to get the case into spec.  all the LC I have was fired from machine guns with very loose chambers.  without the small base dies I could not get the cases to gauge and were a little stiff to chamber

So probably ditch the ZQI brass after one more loading (it will be twice fired at that point), and stick with Federal/Remington/Winchester/Hornady/Lapua brass?

just watch the zqi brass is all.  I woun;dn't use hot loads in it

personally I am of the option to usually use mil brass when I can.  it is abundant to get, cheap, and usually decently within spec of each other.  it might take a little more work for the first loading but after that it is no different than the rest

 My load for a Rem. 700, 24" barrel, 1/10 twist

 Hornady 150gr SST
 Lapua case
 CCI # BR- 2  primer
 42.2gr IMR 4895
 2.862  COAL  ( 12 off lands )
 ( cases and bullets weight sorted )

 ( when I use Military cases primer is slightly flattened with this load
 but I am not going to change it because it uses the same hole at 200
  yards when I do my part )
 ( When hunting I am not going to leave a Lapua case, so I use other cases )

Watch Federal brass as well. In my experience, FC brass has loose primer pockets.

I'll load it once in .308, straight to scrap bucket in .223.

Federal pistol brass is great, but their rifle brass is suspect.

I just accidentally trimmed some brass to about 1.999, is it too short to use?

My micrometer is being all screwy with me, and it told me I was trimming to 2.009 when in fact I was a whole .010 inches off.

No...............I routinely trim .308 to 2.00" without problems.

Thanks. All the brass is Hornady and PMC (the good stuff) and I would hate to have to scrap it.

For Handgun buy the Lyman 50th and it will serve too as a cross check for rifle rounds, too.

But, buy the manual for the bullets you are using!

Always beware of the brand of brass that was used to generate the data!  It does make a difference.  Make sure you work up loads with the same headstamp brass.
As a load worked up in one head stamp may be a problem in another.  
Reduce 10% work up for a reason! Be safe!

Surprised that nobody commented on this.

I don't know specifically about ZQI but all the normal 7.62x51 NATO brass has LESS internal capacity than commercial .308 Win brass. I don't know if its thicker or has thicker case head but this is a well know fact.

Don't believe what you hear about pressure between the 2 either. The type of measurement is different the "real" pressure limit between the 2 is very similar.

Most reloaders find that a reduction of 2 grains of powder will yield similar results in NATO brass. That being said, I have 3 to 4 different headstamp 7.62x51 brass and all are not equal. I'm actually finding some commercial brass that weighs more than some of the NATO brass so load work up is a must.

So the simple answer to your question above is YES. You can load 7.62x51 brass to .308 Win maximum pressures. In fact I prefer to.

Personally, I use IMR-4064 in my bolt action and semiautomatic (Rem 742) hunting rifles with the Hornady 150gr SST

I use Varget in the M1A *Loaded with the SST. It's a light load but I've watched my son shoot MOA with it using the NM iron sights.

BTW: H-335 was just as accurate in the M1A but we wanted something more temperature stable.

Motor

* "Loaded" is a model name for the M1A. It has certain features that make it potentially more accurate than the standard model.