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Posted: 10/4/2011 8:07:46 AM EDT
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I can't quite find what I'm after from Hodgdon's load data. The bullets are 62gn Privi FMJ. They will have a crimp applied as it's helped accuracy with these cheaper bullets in the past, although I haven't tried Privi specifically; so if anybody has found them more effective without, please let me know. The rifle they will be fired from is a 20" inch 1:9 twist barrel Steyr AUG.
The powders available are Viht N140, Varget, and Benchmark. Remington standard primers and also their brass. Thanks for reading. |
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You are correct. Hodgdon does not list a 62 gn FMJ. However they do list a 63 gn SP Sierra (could be flat base) for Varget, etc., powders.
I would be tempted to start with that recipe for their 63 gn for my workup. Their start for varget is 24.5gn, max. for varget is shown as 26.4C gn. That would be conservative for actual bullet weight of 62 gn. The SS109 bullet for the M855 NATO round might be considered by some as a 62 gn FMJ. It does have a steel insert, so the length would be a bit long relative to copper jacket, all lead core, FMJ. All that to say, be careful with your overall assembly length and your rifle twist rate. My Israeli M855 runs 2.250 overall. |
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Quoted:
You are correct. Hodgdon does not list a 62 gn FMJ. However they do list a 63 gn SP Sierra (could be flat base) for Varget, etc., powders. I would be tempted to start with that recipe for their 63 gn for my workup. Their start for Varget is 24.5gn, max. for Varget is shown as 26.4C gn. That would be conservative for actual bullet weight of 62 gn. The SS109 bullet for the M855 NATO round might be considered by some as a 62 gn FMJ. It does have a steel insert, so the length would be a bit long relative to copper jacket, all lead core, FMJ. All that to say, be careful with your overall assembly length and your rifle twist rate. My Israeli M855 runs 2.250 overall. I used data for a similar bullet and worked up from the starting load watching for pressure signs. In my case I was loading pulled SS-109, 62 gr FMJBT's and I used Speer's data for their 62 gr FMJ. I was able to work up loads that were close to the max listed charges for Speer's bullet. Remember YMMV. Speer manuals from #12 and newer have this data. Bad news is Speer doesn't list the powders in your list. In my AR, I worked up to 26.5 grs of Varget, LC brass with a SS-109 seated to mid cannelure, no crimp. Start 10% lower and work up. Good luck. |
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I took a few loads with these to the 100yd range today. 24gns with Varget and Viht N140, 24.2gns with Benchmark. The first two or three shots were within an inch firing two of the loads, but the other seven (10rnd groups) were dropping about 5" inches down and 2" inches right. Once they began to drop, the groups really opened up.
I am wondering if I was a little too conservative with the load. It's very disappointing for a rifle that has managed 2" inch groups at 300yds in the past. Too late to purchase SMKs and zero it with those, which shoot very well. Booked to shoot a competition with it this weekend, but there's no chance past 300yds with it shooting like that. It was probably silly of me not to opt for 77gn in the first place since we would shoot to 600yds. |
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Quoted:You can try and see if you are stuck with alot of them like me.
Luckily I sold the rest within a few hours of advertising them. I never did like Privi factory rifle ammunition much (inaccurate in most rifles I use), although some get decent results. Supposedly they make a 168gn FMJ .308 which is decent in some Remington barrels, but they're not easy to source in the U.K. FWIW, S&B 55gn are cheaper and shoot quite well out to 300yds (furthest tested by me). I think they are plated, copper washed, or something like that, and they certainly leave pretty bad copper deposits. Can't complain for roughly £7 per 100. Using a crimp definitely seemed to help accuracy with them. Thanks anyway folks! They were worth a go. |
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Quoted:
I took a few loads with these to the 100yd range today. 24gns with Varget and Viht N140, 24.2gns with Benchmark. The first two or three shots were within an inch firing two of the loads, but the other seven (10rnd groups) were dropping about 5" inches down and 2" inches right. Once they began to drop, the groups really opened up. I am wondering if I was a little too conservative with the load. It's very disappointing for a rifle that has managed 2" inch groups at 300yds in the past. Too late to purchase SMKs and zero it with those, which shoot very well. Booked to shoot a competition with it this weekend, but there's no chance past 300yds with it shooting like that. It was probably silly of me not to opt for 77gn in the first place since we would shoot to 600yds. You may be too conservative. If 24.5gn of Varget is start for 63 gn Sierra SP, then probably 25.0 would be a good start for a 62 gn FMJBT, not 24.0. If 26.4C was max for the 63 gn. Sierra SP bullet then 26.6 C gn might be max for the 62 gn FMJBT, as long as it was NOT a steel core. |
I have a friend who has one. The thing with good ammo is deadly accurate.
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