Like eld x just wish they made more mid weight bullets in caliber. I think a 150ish eld x would be greater for shorter 30 cals and 120-130ish for shorter creeds

155 AMAX

Sierra seemed to be targeting that area of bullet weights with the new GameChanger line of hunting bullets. The 30 cal being 165 and the 6.5 at 130

This is exactly what I was asking. Once again, I shall go through the proper procedure of shooting lower to higher. BUT i still don't want to waste time loading a bunch of rounds I can't shoot because the sets were loaded too high. The hornady book for 178 eld is 42.4 grains, which is lower than the start load you are suggesting. So are you saying that IF my rifle has no issues, than Lapua brass is generally ok with higher loads? Based on the hornady manual load data alone, I was going to load sets in 0.3gr increments from 41.4 to 43.5gr of Varget.

Fireman, I know how you do your ladder test process and finding a good load, but unfortunately I get very limited time to shoot so any going back and forth to pull bullets and load more and it wastes a whole day for me. I have a 1.5 and 3 year old girls and I'm trying to better than just be a decent at parenting, i have to take actual vacation days to shoot. The worst thing for me would be to arrive and I can barely shoot anything because I quickly reach a point of overpressure signs on the brass.

I ended up at 44.2gr of Varget, in Lapua brass, using the 178ELD-X. But my particular rifle seems to like hot and fast. I speculate that it has something to do with 5R rifling putting less squeeze on the bullet. Velocity is about 2715fps at the muzzle.

Would also like to add that I experienced early pressure signs on VIRGIN Lapua brass; but that cleared up after a couple of firings.

Dang that is fast. I’m right at 2600 with 43.8 out of tikka ctr 308 factory barrel.

What barrel length? Mine is 24"

Think I read somewhere that they need some velocity for expansion and the min velocity is low...


Put a 143 in a hog tonight. Blew a 1 in exit wood in the lungs and she still kept running for almost 100 yards. I shot her and she charged me and I could see the blood shooting out.

I know many have lots of reservations of going that high above published max. I've seen lots of loads consistently shoot great, and are safe well above book max. H-Varget in a .308 with 178's and H-4350 in 6.5 Creedmoor and 140's are pretty much known quantities. Thousands of rifles shoot terrific well above Hodgdon's published max. But if you're uncomfortable with going that far above published max, it is your call.

Load 3 shot groups. If shots #1 and #2 don't group well, move on, dont shoot the third. Shoot them at, at least, 200 yards if possible.

Gotcha, I start on the 300 yard line. I plan on doing something like a single shot from each set for a ladder test and then have 10 shots per different load to do two seperate groupings, regardless of ladder test results (barring any overpressure signs). Based on this conversation, i think I might narrow my range to somthing like 42 to 43.5 grains with smaller intervals or something like that.
As per usual, thanks to all who chimed in. This helps more than yall know.

KR,

Chad, and myself will step a cartridge like the .308 Win in .3 gr increments.

42.9
43.2
43.5
43.8
44.1
44.4
44.7
45.0

^^That is what I would do if you handed me your rifle. Many times 44.4 and H-Varget is the one, with a 178 gr. But again, I have not used Lapua brass, and that is a factor.