Lapua 30cal 170gr FMJBT Lock-base Load Data

[Beautiful Mulberry]

does anyone have any experience with these Projectiles?
I have been loading them for my remy 700 308 16.5‘ 5R heavy barrel manners Chassis. Vortex diamond back tactical 6-24x50
The tightest groups I have achieved so far is just under half inch group- 5 shots. 100 yards
I stretch them out to 800 yards, no further.
I trying to tighten them up a little more.
My current load data
IMR 4064 44gr
lapau 170gr fmjbt lock base
OAL- 2.890
2.900 at lands
lapua brass

 

[diggler1833]

Looks like you might be the only one .

Seriously though, if you are actually able to get them to *consistently* throw half minute groups I wouldn't expect much improvement. Most guys running Lapua bullets in the .308 are either using the Scenar or Juggs.

I had a 700 5R back about 16-17 years ago. It was stupidly accurate with the 155gr SMK and Reloader 15. Like am idiot though I had it rebarreled to the new hotness at the time (.260 Rem), and eventually sold it.

 

[swampratt]

Lapua brass just does not have the capacity to send stuff fast.
For upper accuracy nodes in my .308 I had to use Winchester cases.
But you are not too light on your load as you are.

So to tighten groups in my Lapua cases I would pay close attention to shoulder set back and make darn sure in the group of brass I was loading all shoulder Ogives were the same.

I also made sure all the ID and OD's of case necks were the same and every time i fired a round that brass got annealed.
I have a lot of Lapua brass and both my .243 and .308 get the necks turned on Lapua cases for max accuracy.

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

Looks like you might be the only one .

Seriously though, if you are actually able to get them to *consistently* throw half minute groups I wouldn't expect much improvement. Most guys running Lapua bullets in the .308 are either using the Scenar or Juggs.

I had a 700 5R back about 16-17 years ago. It was stupidly accurate with the 155gr SMK and Reloader 15. Like am idiot though I had it rebarreled to the new hotness at the time (.260 Rem), and eventually sold it.

Your right its stupid accurate. i would say half inch is normal for this rifle. I have not tried the other 2 projectiles you mentioned, however, i have noticed they are popular. I have not tried reloaded 15 yet. Lapua said to start loading these lock base with your favorite load data for the 168gr fed gold match hpbt. this is a good projectile however i wanted a little more. this projectile i got half an three quarters of an inch. So this is how i worked up a load for these lock base.

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

Lapua brass just does not have the capacity to send stuff fast.
For upper accuracy nodes in my .308 I had to use Winchester cases.
But you are not too light on your load as you are.

So to tighten groups in my Lapua cases I would pay close attention to shoulder set back and make darn sure in the group of brass I was loading all shoulder Ogives were the same.

I also made sure all the ID and OD's of case necks were the same and every time i fired a round that brass got annealed.
I have a lot of Lapua brass and both my .243 and .308 get the necks turned on Lapua cases for max accuracy.

before I purchased the lapua brass i used Winchester and federal. I have noticed a big difference. Seemed like Winchester and federal cases were a little softer? (May be me) seemed like i was always trimming The cases.
this also bring back to you saying you annealed the brass. I have never done that. i do not have the equipment. This may be the problem i ran into. My lapua cases have been fired 5-6 times and are still strong. Is there a place i can send my brass to get annealed? I do have a lot of equipment. Turning the case necks… all i have is calipers, a rock chucker partner press and rcbs digital scale. My dies are standard rcbs FL. I full length resize every time. I have tried neck sizing and shoulder bumping, i did not notice a difference. Well, the way i have done it. for the shoulder bumping i used my FL die with a case in the press, ram up, screw down die till i hit the casing, lowered ram screw die down a quarter of a hair, measure case by putting a factory sized 9mm case on top of my 308 case neck, lift case into die, pull case out measure case again with the 9mm case attached to the 308, repeat process until desired length. Not sure if this all made sense. my friend says i have poor man’s accuracy because I don’t have all the good tools. my grandpa taught my when i was young how to do this. If it does make sense ill try and explain it a little betTer. There were 2 men i have learned most of my skills from. 1 my grandpa, 2 a man by name of Mr Fry. They called him preacher fry. Both have been gone for a couple of years now, with no one to ask questions i actually came across this site a few days ago and immediately joined! i will have a lot of questions so i hope y’all like to talk!

 

[swampratt]

Your 9MM case on top of a rifle case will work fine for the measurement.
Yes Winchester cases are softer and thinner and grow much longer than Lapua cases on each firing.

About 22 bucks for annealing kit.

Now I have tested 308 cases until failure and Lapua went 50 rounds before case head crack and that was FLS every time.
Winchester I think went 14 or 18 reloads R-P went I think 54 times.
Load was 41.5 gr and 165 bullet so low end of the scale.

The reason I anneal is not because I fear a case neck crack.
I do not get those.

It is because Annealing for me slightly tightens my groups.
If you shoot 200 or 300 yards at paper and get that occasional round in left field annealing can pull that round back in with the others.

Now when I seat bullets I pay very close attention to the force it takes to seat them.
If you have very even seating forces then annealing may not help you much.

But if you get to a point where you seat one and it slicks right in and then the next one needs twice the force to seat the bullet then annealing will help.


That is after all other things have been considered.
Did one case have more lube in the neck and cause the odd seating force difference.
Was one case measuring .3075" ID and another measuring .307" or .306" ID.
Did you rub your nose or forhead and then pick up a bullet to seat it ?
That oily finger just lubed a bullet.

By the group sizes you stated you get I am sure your prep is spot on.
100 yard groups are easy and for me do not tell the entire story.

I get to 200 yards and farther then i see things and find out what type of prep works and what does not.

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

Your 9MM case on top of a rifle case will work fine for the measurement.
Yes Winchester cases are softer and thinner and grow much longer than Lapua cases on each firing.

About 22 bucks for annealing kit.
View attachment 350723

Now I have tested 308 cases until failure and Lapua went 50 rounds before case head crack and that was FLS every time.
Winchester I think went 14 or 18 reloads R-P went I think 54 times.
Load was 41.5 gr and 165 bullet so low end of the scale.

The reason I anneal is not because I fear a case neck crack.
I do not get those.

It is because Annealing for me slightly tightens my groups.
If you shoot 200 or 300 yards at paper and get that occasional round in left field annealing can pull that round back in with the others.

Now when I seat bullets I pay very close attention to the force it takes to seat them.
If you have very even seating forces then annealing may not help you much.

But if you get to a point where you seat one and it slicks right in and then the next one needs twice the force to seat the bullet then annealing will help.


That is after all other things have been considered.
Did one case have more lube in the neck and cause the odd seating force difference.
Was one case measuring .3075" ID and another measuring .307" or .306" ID.
Did you rub your nose or forhead and then pick up a bullet to seat it ?
That oily finger just lubed a bullet.

By the group sizes you stated you get I am sure your prep is spot on.
100 yard groups are easy and for me do not tell the entire story.

I get to 200 yards and farther then i see things and find out what type of prep works and what does not.

You have a lot of wisdom! I’m going to look into this type of annealing. I did not realize it could be achieved with a torch. I have one. Thank you.

 

[swampratt]

If you have a sharpie permanent black marker then make a line on the cae to be annealed from the case mouth down past the shoulder then another line 180° from that one.

Hold that case in your fingers and hold the case neck in the flame spinning the case in your finger tips back and forth.

Watch for the black marker line to disappear .
Once it is faded your necks are annealed and you can anneal a bit of shoulder also.
Holding the case in your fingers that heat will most likely keep from over annealing.
Try it.

Now toss that hot case in a pan No water needed.
I use a steel can or aluminum baking pan it is not critical .. Just do not drop it on the carpet as the carpet will melt onto the case and become stuck chuck.

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

If you have a sharpie permanent black marker then make a line on the cae to be annealed from the case mouth down past the shoulder then another line 180° from that one.

Hold that case in your fingers and hold the case neck in the flame spinning the case in your finger tips back and forth.

Watch for the black marker line to disappear .
Once it is faded your necks are annealed and you can anneal a bit of shoulder also.
Holding the case in your fingers that heat will most likely keep from over annealing.
Try it.

Now toss that hot case in a pan No water needed.
I use a steel can or aluminum baking pan it is not critical .. Just do not drop it on the carpet as the carpet will melt onto the case and become stuck chuck.

Consider it done!
Sounds like you may have some experience with hot brass and carpet

 

[dlbleak]