Reduced LOad Accuracy--moderate ranges

[tonyd]

Hello all
new to the forum and to TC Pistols--great information here!

Have an Encore in .308 --not my first choice because of recoil but got a great deal on it.  I  want to try some jacketed bullets at low to moderate velocities to reduce recoil.  I am not looking for  benchrest type accuracy here--just some recoil reduction with decent accuracy.   Also looking at 100 to 200 yard paper punching only accuracy--not hunting, steel targets, etc.  My first test at velocities of about 1300 FPS were very good--4 of 5 in 1" at 100 yds.--is this typcial?  Have only done one test with  a .30 cal cartridge and am wondering about different other calibers--especialy the 6mm's? 

QUESTIONS:

1.  What is the effect on accuracy at moderate ranges of 100 to 200 yards max. with  drastically reduced loads of say 1200 to 1600 FPS 

2. How about moderateley reduced loads vs. accuracy--i.e., using loads 10% or so below listed starting/minimum loads in the manuals--again at moderate   ranges.

Realize that:
--higher velocity means less time in flight/wind deflection/etc. hence better accuracy all  else      being equal
 --really light loads can causes case shortening
 --recuced loads and slow powders don't mix
 --jacketed need at least 2000 FPS or more for expansion on game

 and finally that cast bullets are the obvious solution to light loads--but I want to use jacketed --have spent years shooting CB's and want to fiddle around with something different.

I love the Encore even with the heavy trigger--will be going out for a trigger job shortly.  I am already looking at getting another bbl. (I feel another pathetic addiction coming on) and my choice could well depend on what others have found with reuced load accuracy. 



Thanks for any advise

Tony Dedrick

 

[nilescoyote]

You may want to look on some powder websites like hodgdon's or others. I know some of them have reduced loads (most of these are for suppressed firearms) as for accuracy I have no experience with the 308 at reduced loads, I have played with 30-30 at 1000fps using Trailboss powder and lead bullets. Accuracy with the 30-30 was good I just ran out of elevation on my rear ironsight past 150 yards and had to hold over about 12" at 200 yards.

[WayneS]

check Speer's reloading manual, they list reduced loads for most bullet weights in most rounds.
Several bullet makers offer bullets designed to expand at pistol speeds
The limiting factor with reduced loads on accuracy is the same  as with any load and that is the shooter

[Lone Star]

Reduced velocity has a dramatic effect on the practical accuracy of a bullet.  Shooter ability aside, slow a bullet down dramatically and several things happen.  As mentioned, it becomes much more susceptible to wind deflection, a real factor at 200 yards.  Next, barrel time increases, meaning that the way the firearm recoils will have a greater effect on where the bullet goes when it exits the barrel.  Handling the gun thus becomes much more important, insuring that the way it recoils is the same shot to shot (the shorter barrel of a handgun reduces this effect a little).   Some bullets will not shoot well if slowed down too much, particularly if bullet stability caused by the rotational speed is reduced too much.  This means that all else equal, shorter bullets may shoot better than long ones unless the barrel twist rate is high enough.   

This is just the effect on the bullet.  As important - especially for 200 yard shooting - is the velocity spread shot to shot.  This is often more difficult to control with larger cases like the .308.  One would think that bore size would have an effect, but IME I haven't seen that happen.

I have had outstanding accuracy with low velocity loads in three handguns in particular.   One is a 12" twist .250 Savage XP-100, where I got 1/2 moa grouping with 87-grain bullets and AA-5 powder and velocities around 1300 fps.  Accuracy was good enough to win a number of Precision Shooting postal matches.  Second is a 10" twist BF pistol in .25-20, firing 87-grain bullets at 1500 fps with H110; accuracy was again in the 1/2 moa range.  The last is a 10" twist .300 Savage Contender, with 165-grain bullets cutting 3/5 moa groups at ~1100 fps with BlueDot.  These groups are all at 100 yards; I did some shooting at 200 meters, and the wind was the biggest factor in groups size - just like it is with .22 RF shooting at this range.  The 165-grain MK was less susceptible to wind that the 87-brain .257" bullet, as one would expect.

Not all jacketed bullets need 2000 fps to expand...look at the Speer Varminter for your .308 for example, it will expand well under that velocity.

10% below "starting loads" should have little effect on the bullet, although powders may not burn consistently enough for good accuracy.  For dramatically reduced velocities, don't use slow rifle powders, use faster ones to improve ignition and burning consistency.  I like BlueDot for most of my reduced loads in larger cases, others like RedDot.  Check the following sites for more info:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_19_46/ai_65017381

http://members.shaw.ca/cronhelm/DevelopSubsonic.html

http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/reload/reload.pl?noframes;read=31006


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