Author Topic: Handi 308 (Read 849 times)

Buffalogun · « **on:** October 10, 2004, 11:57:42 AM »

Mac,

I am working on loads for my newly aquired HB 308. You have stated the throating is long in the Handi's. How far off the rifling have you found to be the most accurate, as of now?

Buffalogun

handirifle · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2004, 02:51:33 PM »

buffalogun
If the 308's are anything like the 223, you'll never get close to the rifling. I just seat mine to factory specs and it does great.

Donaldo · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2004, 03:17:42 PM »

I made up a bullet seating gage using the two cases glued together, etc. The lands on my 223 ultr varm, if I seated the bullet to contact them, would be a minus about 0.020". In other words, if you wanted to seat the bullet to contact the lands, forget it. no way. You cannot seat the bullet in the case and have it contact the lands. However, the WW econo box 45JHP stuff shoots pretty good in my rifle and there is a CONSIDERABLE jump to the lands. The more I learn about these rifles the more confused I get.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2004, 06:53:10 PM »

The only bullet that I could get to touch the lands ...was a Sierra 220 grain match king...and this one barely made contact....some of the loads I worked up that gave fair accuracy and was way over the SAAMI lenght...but I was trying to go for accuracy any way I could.....and the OAL was 3.150" for the Nosler 165 grain BT...velocities came in at 2590 and BL-C(2) powder...using 45 grains of it...and I was worried that I would not get enough bullet pull with it out that far....I used some of the Federal Match Ammo same weight...and they are SAAMI lenght...and got slightly over 1/2" groups on last falls postal match....since then...my neighbor purchased my 308 and I haven't done any reloading for him yet...I gave him several boxes of Norma's factory 180 ORYX loads and a couple of Hornady light mags...165 grainers and he's tickeld pink with them...both giving 1" groups...go figure :roll: and those he'll be using this deer season to hunt with.... so my advice would be to load to SAAMI O.A.L. and go from there...you'll be able to keep the pressures down and not worry about cases sticking ...that's for sure...and they do seem to group better that way...I'll be trying that with my Whelen this coming week...and see if it holds true for it as well...one would think it would be just the opposite with these rifles...but so far...at least for me...it's not the case...

Mac

Buffalogun · « **Reply #4 on:** October 11, 2004, 01:17:18 PM »

Ok fellas,

I am working with my new 308 HB and here are some things that I found today.
Using my stainless steel caliper(yeah, I have a micrometer but I thought this would be close enough).

First, after driving a .309 Lee cast bullet into the breech, the bore slugs at almost exactly .308 groove and .301 land.

I measured some of the .30 cal bullets I have on hand and they are:

Speer 150g Mag Tip--------------------------.308"
Hornady 165g BTSP--------------------------.307"
Hornady 150g SST----------------------------.3075"
Nosler 150g Ball Tip---------------------------.307"
Nosler 125g Ball Tip---------------------------.307"
Barnes 130g XBT------------------------------.307"

I measured the distance from the breech face to the beginning point of the rifling and my rifle measures 2.240".(HLEP-Head to Land Engagement Point)

Using the above (HLEP) length, the following bullets can be seated to their respective depths and be snug against the rifling:

Speer 150g Mag Tip---------------------2.706"
Nosler 150g Ball Tip---------------------2.906"
Nosler 125g Ball Tip---------------------2.906"
Hornady 165g BTSP---------------------2.820"
Lee 150g cast----------------------------2.565"
Lee 170g cast----------------------------2.690

Subtracting the case length of 2.015" from the HLEP length of 2.240", means the rifling begins .225" from the mouth of the case. Or, just shy of a quarter inch. There is just enough room for the Nosler 125g Ball Tip to be seated close and still have appx. .10" of bullet in the case. Shorter bullets will not be able to be seated close. My Lee cast bullets should work beautifully.

My rifle is new, so it is possible that H & R has shortened the throating some. 2nd character in the serial # is "U".

Now, to fire for velocity!

FYI,
Buffalogun

Fred M · « **Reply #5 on:** October 11, 2004, 04:32:35 PM »

Buffalogun.

Quote

First, after driving a .309 Lee cast bullet into the breech, the bore slugs at almost exactly .308 groove and .301 land.

Now that bore is what it supposed be. This is not a Micro groove. Put some grease on the slug and push it al the way though, you will feel tight and loose spots. Nice to know. That barrel should shoot. 0.0035" is a perfect groove depth. Fred M.

Buffalogun · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2004, 12:40:02 PM »

Fred,

This afternoon, I pushed another .309 cast bullet through my 308 HB. After, it measured apprx. .3075. Not much change! I didn't feel any definite loose spots, however after the first 5-6" the resistance did lighten slightly and stayed that way through the end of the bore.

Buffalogun

Fred M · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2004, 01:11:43 PM »

Buffalogun.
You did not say which way you pushed the slug. Anyway .3075 is very good. Some very fine match barrels start out even and then have a slight choke at the muzzle, done by expert lapping. This makes up for a slight wear down the barrel. So if you have a 1/2 thou tight muzzle you are laughing. Fred M.

handirifle · « **Reply #8 on:** October 12, 2004, 05:36:49 PM »

Fred
I just remembered something. On the first barrel I had on my BC it was way too tight at the throat area and got progressively looser towards the bore. That rifle, too, shot patterns. A call to Marlin and NEF got the rifle sent back and a new barrel installed. I'd even had the barrel drilled and tapped forward of the chamber for a flip up sight, that never worked.

The new barrel had loose and tight spots but none as bad as the first barrel. The second barrel was very accurate too.

Maybe a dealer could send your 25-06 across the border to NEF for ya. See we do get after NEF, I had forgotten that incident cause I got rid of the gun.

Fred M · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2004, 06:08:23 AM »

handirifle.
No need to send it away, I got it tweaked to shoot quite well with good handloads and Rem Factory loads. With nearly 200 round through it it is well broken in too.

Next week I take it to my young friend and that will be the end of that one for me, and he will only use the factory loads and nothing else.

I gave him instructions how to look after it clean it and keep grit out of it. He is quite happy to get that rifle. Fred M.