Looking for accurate loads for 24" DPMS 308

V

VaniB

New member
I just received a new SS fluted .308 24" Panther, and I'm looking to shoot it for accuracy.

I'm needing to order bullets, cases, and dies. I'm thinking of ordering Hornady 168 BTHP or 168 amax bullets. What loads have worked the best for you?

Also....It seems a lot of guys suggest small base dies too. Any recommendation on the brand dies I should buy? Bushing die? Standard seater, or Wilson seater? This is a semi-auto, and I realize I may not be able to fuss over the case preperation as I might do ordinarilly for a bolt action.
 
I've got a Bushmaster 5.56x45 AR with a factory barrel and an M1 with an arsenal barrel and neither of them need small base dies for proper feeding and function. I use a Redding bushing FL die to bump the shoulders back ~0.002-0.003" for the AR, and even with stiff loads and 75 gr bullets fired cases are a lot less swollen near the head than I've seen from some factory bolt action rifles. You're likely going to be loading quite a few rounds and a press mounted seating die will speed things up without losing any appreciable accuracy. A Redding Comp seater is what I use for the AR.

I prep my cases by trimming them and inside chamfering the mouths with a VLD chamfering tool just to make bullets seat easier, and uniform the primer pockets (under power with a Sinclair or Whitetail reamer in a 3/8" drill motor) so that ALL the primers will be below the head of the case. I've never experienced a slam fire and don't ever want to. Anything more is a waste of time IMHO, and having spent a bunch of time prepping cases to get them dinged or lost in the grass is AGGRAVATING.
 
Larry,

I own a Colt 6721, 6920, and RRA NM, so I am no stranger to the 5.56x45. Yes, like you I have never used a small base die for these rifles.

However, I have heard a couple of guys mention that they have a small base die for their DPMS 308 rifles.


It seems the way that DPMS has been able to provide 1/2" to 3/4" groups out of their rifle, is to produce chambers that are slightly tighter then SAAMI.

I was just wondering about brand preference, and if bushing dies are usefull or a waste of money.

Think I'll call DPMS!

Thanks for trying to help.
 
I don't know for sure, but given what most manufacturers put in their manuals if you mention handloads they fall into an apoplectic siezure and act like you've just mentioned something immoral, illegal, fattening, and disrepectful in church. If a rifle is chambered to accept factory ammunition it's likely to be SAAMI, and most FL dies will size a case to minimum SAAMI specs or smaller. Even a minimum SAAMI chamber is larger than a SAAMI maximum case so that the rifle maker isn't getting nasty letters from upset customers. I've got a Hornady .223 FL die that is so tight that cases FL sized in the Redding die require some effort, and once fired cases nearly need a cheater bar on the press handle.

If you can lay your hands on a standard .308 FL die, you could fire a factory load in your rifle, size it and see if the bolt closes readily on the fired case and extracts easily by hand. Unless of course you like being screamed at about shooting handloads.... :eek::eek::D:D:D
 
How silly of me.

You know......after I said that I would contact DPMS in the above post to say that I would ask them which dies were best for the rifle chamber, I got off the computer but immediately realized that I couldn't ask them for that kind of advice. And so I didn't call.

I have been so use to making phone calls latey to Dave at Pacific, Bob at Hornady, and Frank at Bartlein, and others for my 22x47L project, that I almost lost my head and wasn't thinking clearly that this is not the topic to discuss with them.

Thanks again for the help.
 
I reload quite a bit for my 308 LR:D
Using hornady dies with zero problems and excellent accuracy.
This rifle seems to shoot just about anything very well,but these are
my best loads for the 308LR 24 inch stainless barrel.
168 Match king or 168 Nosler CC
44 gr Varget,win prepped cases (even primer pocket,debur flash holes etc.)
CCI BR2 large rifle primers (Varget seems to like these)
OAL of 2.80
175 Match King
43 gr of Varget,Win prepped cases
CCI BR2 large rifle primers
OAL of 2.810
To assure cases are sized enough make dummy cases or just
place the sized case into the chamber and see if the bolt when
released will close easy and eject the cases without binding or
hanging up. Yes the chambers are on the min side of the wilson
case guage !!

I think the small base die thing is a bad idea,as this will
work the cases too much and lead to case head separation.
Later
John
 
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