OAL for .308

[ckcollins2003]

Alright, my uncle got himself a new Savage bolt action .308 and since I reload for mine I told him I'd hook him up with some ammo. I was reading around about OAL and this and that, while loading his rounds for him, I set them to an OAL of 2.785" since the paper on my neck resizing die states that max OAL is 2.8". I usually load mine to 2.795" since I know my bolt will close.

My question is, is the shorter round that I loaded for him going to be alright? I know length can cause different pressures, but I figured if anything I'd want it shorter rather than longer so that his bolt will close and they will fit in his magazine.

Not sure if it matters, but I am loading 168gr A-MAX with 40.5gn of H4895. Any insight on this will be greatly appreciated since I just started reloading this past spring and have only done it for myself.

Thanks

 

[IndyGunworks]

as long as your starting on the lower end of the reccomended loads you should be fine.... otherwise, i would load to the reccomended length. i always load around 2.8 or longer if i can, but i also start low.

 

[ckcollins2003]

as long as your starting on the lower end of the reccomended loads you should be fine.... otherwise, i would load to the reccomended length. i always load around 2.8 or longer if i can, but i also start low.

Yeah, I know 41gn is what Hodgdon states as the maximum load for the 168gr A-MAX, so I went .5 lower than that for him. He said his range only has 100 yards anyways, so there's no reason to put more in to it, or so I figure. I actually thought about going down to 39gn, but I don't know if I really want to go that low...

I checked the rounds in my rifle, and they still hit the rifleing in the barrel, but he's not sure what model his rifle is, I just know that it's not an Edge like mine. Don't know if that will make a difference for the chamber, but I know his barrel is a 1:10 twist which is the same as mine.

And as always, thanks for the info Indy, tried to rep you again, but I guess I gotta spread it around a bit...

 

[indyjohn]

since I just started reloading this past spring and have only done it for myself.

Thanks

Go the next step in the reloading disease: measure the chamber of every rifle you reload for and then you have a new variable to play around with....

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Bolt Action - MidwayUSA

 

[Aszerigan]

You'll be fine. I load some .308 to 2.770", depending on the cannalure of the bullet. H4895 is an awesome powder for the .308. Good choice.

 

[sloughfoot]

Everything you are doing looks good to me too. Bullet, powder, powder charge, OAL. If his rifle, or any rifle, is not accurate with your load, there is something wrong with the rifle.

 

[EODThree]

You need to be careful loading for multiple rifles and/or multiple bullets. The overall length of the loaded cartridge will vary depending on the ogive and meplat of the particular projectile. For instance, the OAL of a .308 Winchester loaded with a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip will be greater than the OAL of a .308 loaded with a round-nose bullet. If you don't have load data specific to the projectile you're using, use an OAL for a bullet with a similar profile and keep the loaded length on the short side. The bullet ogive should NOT touch the lands.

 

[ben992]

Go the next step in the reloading disease: measure the chamber of every rifle you reload for and then you have a new variable to play around with....

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Bolt Action - MidwayUSA

This is what I do....I have a 700 and a Savage 10 (.308) and the OAL difference is huge between the two. I run a 185 gr Lapua bullet at a 2.88 OAL in the 700 and 2.76 OAL in the Savage. Savages have tight chambers, not a bad thing, but you really got to watch the powder charge.

 

[Aszerigan]

EOD is right, but for normal bullets, your OAL is never going to be below 2.750 and never over 2.800. For examples (from the Hodgdon Manual):

140gn Bullet = 2.800" SP
150gn Bullet = 2.800" SP
155gn Bullet = 2.750" HPBT
168gn Bullet = 2.800" HPBT
175gn Bullet = 2.800" HPBT
180gn Bullet = 2.800" HPBT

The only reason a 155gn is shorter is because the bullet itself needs the neck tension to hold it in place, hence the shorter OAL.

 

[ckcollins2003]

Go the next step in the reloading disease: measure the chamber of every rifle you reload for and then you have a new variable to play around with....

Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Bolt Action - MidwayUSA

Interesting... might have to do that some time, but I probably won't ever be loading for another rifle other than my own and my uncles. If I do, I might have to try this out.

You'll be fine. I load some .308 to 2.770", depending on the cannalure of the bullet. H4895 is an awesome powder for the .308. Good choice.

Thanks! A guy I work with shoots competition and he is the one that got me into reloading them and I pretty much just use his entire set-up. Bullets, brass, primers, powder... it's all the same so we can split the cost on orders.

Everything you are doing looks good to me too. Bullet, powder, powder charge, OAL. If his rifle, or any rifle, is not accurate with your load, there is something wrong with the rifle.

Yeah, I'm sure his rifle is going to out-shoot him anyways lol. He's more of a handgun kind of guy, but after shooting my Edge he had to go and buy a .308 for himself. Then he out-done me and got a really nice Savage... hopefully he will remember who got him interested when it's time to get rid of it


Now on my way to rep everyone for their insight and knowledge!