Howa Apline MTN rifle - .308

[ERSS]

Purchased this rifle last fall, and finally got around to shooting it a bit and working up a load. Put a Leopold VX3i from Schmalts on it, and was real happy with the results from its first use yesterday.
Found it to like 45 grains of Varget as the best recipe for a 165 Nosler Accubond, loaded 2 hundredths off the lans.

Appears to be a real shooter, looking forward to getting the CDS dial set up

 

[LMD423]

Looks good my wife shoots a vanguard in 308 it is a good shooting rifle also.

 

[Art Vandeley]

That's on my wishlist right now...

 

[noharleyyet]

There's a lot to like about the Alpine...pretty well parted out platform.

 

[1_pointer]

Very nicely done! That rifle/load will cover a whole lot of bases.

 

[MTorWY]

What's your procedure for working up a load?

 

[SwampLander]

Whats the weight if u hapen to have weighed it. Im interested in the same setup but in 7m rem mag. I know thar wil add a rew onces but would be bad close.

 

[Big Fin]

Whats the weight if u hapen to have weighed it. Im interested in the same setup but in 7m rem mag. I know thar wil add a rew onces but would be bad close.

The Alpine Mountain Rifle only comes in short action cartridges, so the 7mm RM is not an option.

 

[ERSS]

What's your procedure for working up a load?

I am sure there are many ways to do it, but this is how I learned and still do..

Measure chamber for total OAL with the bullet I will be using - then deduct 0.02 and set press for that OAL

Get in the books or online - I use Nosler bullets for the most part, so I look at specs for loads on their website

Then I load up 5 rounds at 1 grain intervals ( 43 grain, 44 grain, 45 grain for this load )

Shoot them and see which groups best

If all is good, I stick with that load and OAL. If not, and want to continue to fine tune - then start moving the bullet in or out by 0.01 and see if groups tighten up

 

[Deleted member 28227]

You have any tips for working up a load when there is little to know book info out there? I am trying to get a load together for my .264 and there is almost nothing out there and what is is very sketchy. I'm trying to use retumbo and one manual says a max load of 63.5 grains with a 140 grain bullet and another says 68 grains... seems like a terrifying jump to me.

 

[ERSS]

I would start low and look at your primers as a gauge for when you are nearing dangerous pressures

Or....switch powders and go with this info

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/264-winchester-magnum/

 

[mtmuley]

You have any tips for working up a load when there is little to know book info out there? I am trying to get a load together for my .264 and there is almost nothing out there and what is is very sketchy. I'm trying to use retumbo and one manual says a max load of 63.5 grains with a 140 grain bullet and another says 68 grains... seems like a terrifying jump to me.

Take the Hodgdon max, reduce, and go with it. IF the data is for the bullet you want to load. mtmuley

 

[1_pointer]

I would start low and look at your primers as a gauge for when you are nearing dangerous pressures

Or....switch powders and go with this info

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/264-winchester-magnum/

Might be worth tracking down this issue of Handloader. John Barsness did a write up on the 264 Win Mag and "new" powders.
https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL285PARTIAL.pdf

 

[mtmuley]

I bet I have that issue. I'll check this evening. mtmuley

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I bet I have that issue. I'll check this evening. mtmuley

Would really really appreciate it if you do, I plan on working up slowly with the Hodgdon data if all else fails, but it would be nice to have some reliable data to have as reference.

 

[mtmuley]

I'll let you know. mtmuley

 

[Dougfirtree]

Purchased this rifle last fall, and finally got around to shooting it a bit and working up a load. Put a Leopold VX3i from Schmalts on it, and was real happy with the results from its first use yesterday.
Found it to like 45 grains of Varget as the best recipe for a 165 Nosler Accubond, loaded 2 hundredths off the lans.

Appears to be a real shooter, looking forward to getting the CDS dial set up

If you load 2 hundreths off the lands, can you still use the magazine!? Nice rifle and nice group!

 

[ERSS]

If you load 2 hundreths off the lands, can you still use the magazine!? Nice rifle and nice group!

Yes, with OAL at 2.94 they still fit in the mag. I have just the standard floor plate style, not the extended mag.
I was worried if it would fit, have run into issues with .300 WM and Winchester rifles in the past, had to use them as single shot.

 

[ERSS]

If you load 2 hundreths off the lands, can you still use the magazine!? Nice rifle and nice group!

Just tried filling the mag......dang it! Holds and feeds one round OK, but hangs up on 2 or 3. Gonna have to shorten them up

 

[ERSS]

Whats the weight if u hapen to have weighed it. Im interested in the same setup but in 7m rem mag. I know thar wil add a rew onces but would be bad close.

Used the bathroom scale method....got 7.2 lbs twice and 7.0 lbs once.
That is rifle, no rounds, with leupold VX3i 3.5-10 and aluminum one piece rings/bases