Reloading .308 7.62 X 51

[27hand]

I'm not unfamiliar with the process and reload for my .300 WM, 30.06, 30-30, ,44 mag, .357.

I have 2 milsurp rifles in X 51. An Ishapore 2A1 and a Spanish FR8 that I have purchased, Indian OFV 75, R1M1 and blue plastic plinking ammo.

Palmetto State had their PA10 on sale last year and I got a lower and upper. I put a 3X9 Bushnell (leftover hunting scope) on it.

I didn't have much .308 brass but about 300 casings of the OFV.

My process of reloading these ( I did 25 with 147 gr IMI FMJBT and IMR 4064 and varying powder charges from 42 grains through 44 grains in half grain increments) is as follows.

I tumble the brass for quite a while.
Inspect, lube with RCBS lube on a pad and decap /resize.
I put a shell holder in a battery drill, and with a reasonably clean rag, spin it several revolutions to remove the majority of the lube.
While in the shell holder drill, I trim it to length, and chamfer the inside and outside of the neck.

One thing I've never done is lube the neck so my first question is is it necessary. My thoughts were always to not do it. I guess for fear of getting some lube into the casing.
So thoughts on this.

Now, for the first time, I'm trying milsurp casings with a crimped primer.
I took a primer pocket tool (also in a battery drill) to remove that ridge.
Then, perhaps overkill, I take a hunting license pin and run it around the primer pocket base.
Then a primer pocket flat scraper to remove any residue from the base of the primer pocket.

I retumble the brass to remove the balance of any lube, visually inspect the flash hole and use the hunting license pin to clear it.

From that point, it's primer install, powder charge, bullet seating.

Second question.
My buddy in Indianapolis has a Lyman case prep station.
I read up on it and am thinking about possibly getting one.
I'm not sure how much it may speed up the process so I'm asking if you guys. that do a lot of this, use a maching like this or another brand.

I don't do .223 but will start some .357 sig not too far down the road when I get bullets and primers.


The PA10 is a 2" gun at 100 with the 2 milsurp cartridges I have.

Should I expect better?

The IMR website lists 4064 loads for 150 gr bullets from 43 grains through 47.7 gr.

Third question.

I'll chrono the 5 loadings I have and the 2 milsurp bullets ( 5 rounds each and list speed and group spread ) of what I have.

I stopped at 44 grains to see what it chronos at as opposed to the milsurp rounds.

I was going to continue the 1/2 grain increments up to 47.5 but wasn't sure if those numbers might be a problem in a semi auto.

Should I have a concern about the higher grain loadings? It looks like they will be compressed loads.

I doubt I would use this gun for hunting even if semi's become legal but would like to work up a decently accurate load for something out to the 300 yard range if it's possible with the gun I have.

I only have a single stage RockChucker.


Thanks for any input.

27

[DukeConnor]

I load alot of 308.
first i resize and decap on the rcbs

Military crimps get removed with a dillon super swage
https://www.dillonprecision.com/supe...8_8_25263.html


i trim,chamfer and debur in one step with a Giraud power trimmer
https://www.giraudtool.com/giraud-power-trimmer.html

They aren't cheap but I love it and wish I would have bought it years ago.
I got it when I started cutting 5.56 to make 300 bo.
Trims, chamfers,deburrs a case in a few seconds in one step. They sell a tri way that you can just put in a drill,

I then pin tumble in a Franklin arsenal pin tumbler. Brass looks new inside and out with shiny primer pockets.

If I am using the RCBS I just roll them on the pad and load them up. I have never lubed the inside of the case neck.

I do a few things differently if i am loading them on the dillon 650 progressive but lately I leave that set up for small primer and do large primer on the RCBS.
(it is a pain to do the change over)

As far as powder charges, I load for accuracy and not velocity. I use a RCBS Charge master lite. set the weight and it throws the charge into a pan automatically.
My clubs max out at 300 yards and I don,t hunt with 308 so I am not concerned about velocity.
I try to get a lighter load that is still get good groupings. I don't like beating up the M1A with heavy charges.
lately I have been using WC846 powder.
https://americanreloading.com/en/rel...er-16-lbs.html
It isn't canister grade, but it is cheap in bulk when it goes on sale and I have found it to be accurate as anything in the M1A.

For bullets I got some great deals on pulled 147,s and 175 smk's from RMR and American reloading.

Half grain increments is pretty high if you are trying to squeeze the most acuracy from a rifle. I usually do 2 tenths increments when I find a promising load.

[Nate7667]

Remember that 7.62x51 nato ammo is less pressure than commercial 308. So i would watch on certain rifles when you reload for velocity.
Like Duke stated, go for accuracy. You have 300wm if you feel the need for "scoop/scrape/smoosh" reloading for speed.

My favorite load for 308, copy of Fed Gold Match.

175 smk
42.5gr IMR 4064
2.800 COL

[cephas]

One thing I've never done is lube the neck so my first question is is it necessary. My thoughts were always to not do it. I guess for fear of getting some lube into the casing.
So thoughts on this.

I utilize a carbide size button on the decapping rod.
Found my mileage varied on what I was sizing. I do when forming cases from one caliber to another.
In this case a little case wax on a Q tip works well followed with another tumble.
Have at one time or another used motor mica or graphite powder as a lube. Used a small prescription bottle filled with small shot and then added the powder, gave it a shake to coat the shot and dipped the neck of the case into it.
Have never tried any commercial product available that claims no powder contamination.

[wanneroo]

I would get the Lyman case prep center. Everything is right there spinning and it allows you also to remove the crimps from brass.

As you probably know, 7.62 NATO brass has less case capacity than 308 brass.

I do my brass in bulk and I use the Dillon spray lube. I just put the brass in a plastic container, spray on the lube, agitate until all is coated and then let it semi dry. The alcohol evaporates. After resizing, I then do the Lyman case prep thing on the brass. Then I wet tumble the brass which gets rid of the brass shavings and lube.

I typically do not load my 7.62 brass to max, usually I am 2-3 grains under max in the manuals. For me I am shooting out to 100-150 yards so it's a waste of powder. I think the thing to do is test out loads in your specific rifle for accuracy and through the chrono to see what works best. I have gotten 1 MOA with 150g Hornady FMJ bullets.

[Yellowfin]

PA10 can get good accuracy with a load that it likes. I would say that the difference between what it does best with and what it doesn't is farther apart than some of my other rifles-- a good load will be 1 to 1.25 moa but one it doesn't like will be 3moa. Mine does very well with 168gr Amax with CFE223 or XBR. I test loads .2gr apart then fine tune if necessary with .1gr retests.

[MD66948]

Here is a good 308 reloading video done by Tony Ben on the M14forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzF0-o6JNSY

[abner13]

Remember that 7.62x51 nato ammo is less pressure than commercial 308. So i would watch on certain rifles when you reload for velocity.
Like Duke stated, go for accuracy. You have 300wm if you feel the need for "scoop/scrape/smoosh" reloading for speed.

My favorite load for 308, copy of Fed Gold Match.

175 smk
42.5gr IMR 4064
2.800 COL

Several reloading manuals have '7.62x51mm NATO SERVICE RIFLE LOADS specifically for semi-auto battle rifles.

[27hand]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

I believe I'll get the Lyman case prep station and will tighten up the loads I'm using to get to a reasonably accurate preliminary loading and then try to fine tune it.



I'll continue to use up the 500 147 gr IMI FMJBT bullets I have and the 4064 powder.
I only got a pound of the powder.

Thanks again

[27hand]

Yesterday was a great day to be out and at the range.

I had a few decent 5 shot groups out of the PA10 but seem to have issues with flyers.

Since I had already loaded 25 rounds in half grain increment, I loaded an additional 25 and split the difference to approximately .25 grain increments.

My best group was at 3/4" for 4 rounds and a flyer out about 4 inches. That was 42.75 grains

2019-02-04_11-33-11 by poofy27, on Flickr

I also had a couple runs of 1 3/4" and 2"

2019-02-04_11-28-45 by poofy27, on Flickr

I think I'll get some factory new brass and heavier bullets to try as well and will run .2gr at each step.

I'll change the glass so didn't zero the optic. I just shot for groups.

Thanks again for the input.


I had an issue with my chrono near the last 3 loadings. Might have been too close at about 10 feet out from muzzle.