Off the rack 700 VLS

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ekp

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Off the rack 700 VLS 308 Win

I continue to be impressed by the quality of my Remington 700 VLS. After working up a load with Varget for Sierra's 155 Palma I was able to achieve the results posted in the picture. I know it is only three rounds but I have probably put 160 rounds through the barrel working up the load.070814 Rem 700vls308..jpg
9
I am waiting on a shipment of 175 grain match to try next. I also have found better results using Rem 9 1/2 LR primers and PRVI brass
 
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John S said:
Varget, varget, varget
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The research I have done pushes the charge out to 45 grains of Varget. I spend a lot of time working up loads and with the supply and cost of components I have to try to economize a little. I think I will drop back between the middle and max and work my way up.
 
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stool said:
there are ways to home in on sweet spots in a load combination...without shooting 3 or 5 shot groups in every charge weight.....a simple 10 shot ladder test should help.
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I have to find a range with more than 100 yds. I tried the OCW method but I need a secretary to keep track or I screw up.
 
stool said:
skip ocw..just a waste of time and components....
as you found out...
while a ladder works better with some distance, 100 will help.
308 case is aprox 56 gr capacity so you would use .5/.6 gr steps...but i would start at the middle as you say and do .3.....8 to 10 steps.
put up some wind flags...sticks with surveyors tape works.
try to shoot in like conditions....
lots of people will help you figure out what happened based on the shots on the target.
highest scope power, aiming at a single small point of aim
how are you weighing powder ??
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Will results still be evident at 100 yards? I loaded eight rounds with two foulers
 
stool;737763esp if you shoot in a different condition crank your scope up or down so you do not impact the spot you aim at[/QUOTE said:
I don't quite understand the logic in this. Would you then have to consider them two different tests?
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IMO, if a balance scale does not move when you add powder, it is in serious need of some tuning. Than would include just about every one that I have tried. They are capable of doing a whole lot better than they can out of the box.
 
stool said:
log each shot as you shoot it on a blank target at your shooting position.
not conditions, esp if you shoot in a different condition
crank your scope up or down so you do not impact the spot you aim at
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I returned from the range today and attached are the results which to me seem counter intuitive.

The first two shots (43.5 gr of Varget) place side by side at 9 outside the bull. The second two shots (44.0) placed one an inch high and outside at 10 and the second fell into the first group at 9. The third group at (44.5) place the first one an inch outside at 9:30 and the second an inch out side at 8. The last group (45.0) was placed on the corner of the black square at 7 and the final low and outside at 7.

Now did I screw up or should this have been expected?
 

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Rflshootr said:
ekp I couldn't get mine to shoot anything over a 168 with the 12 twist. Your results may be different.
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I have heard complaints that the VLS would not shoot unless bedded and floated. Mine shoots great right out of the box. How does yours do? Have you tuned the rifle or is it just out of the box?
 
stool said:
i agree..100 percent!
but many(most?) reloaders have no clue...use dirty slow beams....
so when they move under a small weight change..they often do not swing smoothly and do not return a true value..
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The only problem I have noticed is the beam has a tendency to move towards the back which creates some friction with the damper. I have to make sure it is placed within the damper consistently. I have discussed my method before which is to keep the pan moving while trickling there by not requiring a tap after completing the weighing. The only thing I need to do is touch the pan to stop it. I have screwed up so many times in the reloading process sometimes I wonder if I have old timers disease.
 
ekp said:
I have heard complaints that the VLS would not shoot unless bedded and floated. Mine shoots great right out of the box. How does yours do? Have you tuned the rifle or is it just out of the box?
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I have 5 VLS's. 3 of which have nothing done except a jewell trigger replacement and the ejector spring lightened. The other 2 have been trued & custom barrels installed. The 308 is the worst of the 3 and shoots .4-.5 @ 100 fairly consistently. It took quite a few trips to the range to get the loads tuned in for the 3 different bullets I shoot, 110, 125 & 168 Sierra's. This rifle also seems to favor the faster burning powers for each bullet weight. I don't know about yours, but mine has a pretty rough barrel and if I don't clean every 20 shots or so, the accuracy falls off drastically shortly thereafter.
 
Rflshootr said:
I have 5 VLS's. 3 of which have nothing done except a jewell trigger replacement and the ejector spring lightened. The other 2 have been trued & custom barrels installed. The 308 is the worst of the 3 and shoots .4-.5 @ 100 fairly consistently. It took quite a few trips to the range to get the loads tuned in for the 3 different bullets I shoot, 110, 125 & 168 Sierra's. This rifle also seems to favor the faster burning powers for each bullet weight. I don't know about yours, but mine has a pretty rough barrel and if I don't clean every 20 shots or so, the accuracy falls off drastically shortly thereafter.
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I bought mine LNIB. I would say lightly used. Firelapped the barrel. Shoots great. I think I am going to replace the trigger also. I have it down to about 2 lbs. but when squeezing it the trigger like dragging your finger nails across a chalk board. Kind of grates in certain part of the travel. I have mounted a Lyman LWBR 25x scope on it and love the optics more than my Sightron 36x that is on my Cooper.
 
Rflshootr said:
ekp I couldn't get mine to shoot anything over a 168 with the 12 twist. Your results may be different.
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My stab at 175 today. Seated bullet .015 from lands. Had to feed single shot as bullet too long for magazine. Going to try BR primers to see if they are any better.
 

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Youre doing real good. Just making bullets touch is a feat most cant realistically achieve on a regular basis without benchrest equipment
 
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