Developing a .308 Hunting Load with RCBS Reloading Equipment

There’s one thing deeply satisfying about taking the precision of handloading and bringing it full circle from cautious bench work from home to a clear, moral harvest within the area. As a comparatively new reloader, I not too long ago determined to work up a customized searching load for my .308 Winchester rifle utilizing RCBS reloading gear, Nosler brass, Nosler 180-grain AccuBond bullets, and Varget powder, with the aim of searching Axis deer in Texas. Right here’s a have a look at my journey from load improvement and testing, to hitting the sphere with whole confidence in my gear and ammunition.

Take a look at the primary 3 articles on this collection should you haven’t already!

Why Reload for Looking?

Manufacturing unit ammunition has served me nicely up to now, however I wished to get essentially the most out of my rifle by tailoring hundreds particularly for long-range accuracy and terminal efficiency. Axis deer are identified for being robust and infrequently current pictures at various distances within the brush or from a blind. I wanted a spherical that was correct out to 200–300 yards, dependable below various climate circumstances, and had glorious weight retention and enlargement.

The Nosler 180gr AccuBond stood out as the right searching bullet: heavy sufficient for deep penetration, bonded for managed enlargement, and extremely correct. Mixed with Varget a powder identified for its consistency in .308 Win and Nosler brass, I had the muse for a superb searching spherical. And to make sure consistency at each stage, I used solely RCBS reloading gear.

Reloading Setup with RCBS

Being new to reloading, I wished gear I may depend on. RCBS got here extremely beneficial for its high quality and precision. My setup included:

I additionally used a sturdy RCBS reloading bench tray and loading block to maintain the whole lot clear and arranged.

Brass Prep and Load Planning

I began with new Nosler .308 Winchester brass. Despite the fact that it was new, I ran each bit by the full-length sizing die to make sure constant neck stress and uniform dimensions. After that, I:

• Trimmed every case to 2.005″ utilizing the RCBS Trim Professional (https://www.rcbs.com/case-prep/trimmers/trim-pro-2-manual-case-trimmer/16-90370.html)
• Deburred and chamfered case mouths
• Cleaned and uniformed primer pockets
• Weighed circumstances to verify for consistency (they had been impressively uniform)

For primers, I used Winchester Massive Rifle, seated by really feel with the RCBS priming instrument.

Working Up Masses: Varget and 180gr AccuBond

Utilizing knowledge from Nosler’s load handbook and Hodgdon’s web site, I deliberate a conservative strain ladder to determine essentially the most correct cost for my rifle. I selected to check Varget powder in 0.5-grain increments from 41.0 grains as much as 44.0 grains.

Every check load consisted of 5 rounds. I stored general size (COL) at 2.800 inches, which labored nicely in my rifle’s journal and stayed inside revealed seating depth tips.

I labeled every field of check rounds rigorously and logged all the information in my reloading pocket book:

• Powder cost
• Case lot
• Primer kind
• Bullet seating depth
• Ambient temperature

Accuracy Testing on the Vary

With my hundreds prepared, I headed out to my native 100-yard rifle vary early within the morning to keep away from wind and warmth mirage. My setup included:

• A sturdy taking pictures bench
• Rear squeeze bag and bipod
• Goal board with labeled grids for every load
• Chronograph to measure velocity and consistency

Testing course of:

• I began with fouling pictures to season the barrel.
• Shot five-round teams for every load, letting the barrel cool between teams.
• Recorded group measurement and velocity.
• Seemed for strain indicators and recorded notes for each load.

Outcomes:

• The decrease expenses (41.0–42.0 grains) had been clear however grouped round 1.25 inches.
• The 43.0-grain load confirmed promise with a 0.8-inch group and really constant velocity (~2,540 fps, SD below 12).
• At 43 grains, the magic occurred: my group measured 0.56 inches, with a velocity of two,600 fps and a typical deviation of simply 8 fps. Primers regarded good, and bolt elevate was clean.

This load clearly stood out as essentially the most correct and constant in my rifle. With that mixture of efficiency and stability, I had discovered my searching load.

Closing Testing and Area Prep

To substantiate the 43-grain load’s reliability, I loaded up 20 extra rounds and examined them once more per week later below completely different climate circumstances (hotter, with a slight crosswind). The group sizes stayed tight nicely below 1 MOA and velocities remained secure.

At that time, I cleaned my rifle, loaded a contemporary batch of 20 searching rounds, and saved them in a weatherproof ammo case. I additionally did some sensible area taking pictures inclined and off taking pictures sticks to simulate attainable searching circumstances. The bullet’s level of influence remained constant, even in less-than-ideal taking pictures positions.

Axis Hunt in Texas: Placing the Load to the Take a look at

With my gear packed, I headed all the way down to the Texas Hill Nation for an Axis deer hunt I’d been trying ahead to for months. Axis deer are sharp-eyed and quick. You don’t at all times get a second probability, so I wished to be fully assured in my rifle and ammo.

On the second morning of the hunt, after a protracted, quiet wait in a floor blind, I noticed a mature Axis buck stepping out from cowl at 175 yards. I steadied my rifle, confirmed my dope, and took a deep breath. The 180gr AccuBond hit proper behind the shoulder simply as I’d practiced and the buck dropped inside 40 yards.

Clear, moral, and proper the place I aimed. That was the total circle second I’d hoped for.

Closing Ideas

Handloading with RCBS gear, Nosler elements, and Varget powder gave me extra than simply higher efficiency it gave me the arrogance to make a decisive, humane shot when it counted most. The method of working up hundreds, testing them rigorously, and refining for accuracy taught me a ton about each my rifle and me as a shooter.

In case you’re contemplating handloading your personal searching ammunition, my recommendation is easy: take your time, put money into high quality gear like RCBS, and doc the whole lot. When that good load lastly comes collectively and proves itself within the area, you’ll understand it was price each minute on the bench.

Andy Husek

Andy has been a lifelong Outdoorsman and has hunted and fished all around the world however his dwelling state of Michigan is close to and pricey to his coronary heart. He grew up fishing the Nice Lakes and largely hunted waterfowl and small recreation till his teenage years when he rapidly grew to become an avid huge recreation hunter. He has hunted North America from the northernmost components of Alaska to the southernmost components of Florida and in all places in between. When he’s not searching or fishing he’s teaching journey softball and watching his two daughters play the sports activities they love.