.308 Ruger Scout load development

[@edd5623]

Great video! Its good to see an Australian reloading video, in particular going into detail why your choosing bullet type etc.

[@barryw5911]

I have a similar scout to yours, 18.5 inch barrel, 2-7 Leupold. 45 grains 2208 with 150 Rem CoreLokt gives 2600 fps in mine. I found for more velocity in the short barrel a faster powder is better so I use 8208 and 46.5 grains with 130's for 2950 fps. Both go to same point of impact at 100M. All shoot MOA. Thanks for your video. Cheers

[@1boofy]

Great video, appreciate you taking the time to work through this and sharing your findings. Hopefully access to components will get better over time.

[@MarcosCaminante]

Well done. ES of only 13. With SD of 6. I would say you have a winner for sure. The speed is just about a perfect for enjoyable and useful hunting.

[@practicalnottactical]

Cheers Mark

[@Craqthump]

Great stuff mate, i have a RGS that i use has a scrub gun, i sometimes use a red dot, but recently been using a vortex lpvo, ive had very good results with adi 168g out to 300m

[@xezpra]

Beautiful rifle

[@tarquinhor2137]

Barnes TSX 150 grain worked well for me. Same powder and primers. Well under 1 MOA. I think 44 grains. It was a while back. Not a cheap projectile if I recall though.

[@stephencarmichael5156]

Not sure if you can get Hornady bullets in the bush but I have great performance out of the CX bullet that would also work well in your loads.

[@markgray2951]

I be measuring the length of your rifles throat to get a better idea of the projectiles seating depth. Ruger's are know to have long throats. Then try and seat the projectile out towards the lands but at the same time have the length of the whole bullet fit into the magazine. But I just checked and there is a supply of Speer 130gr HP readily available and I use 48grs of 2208 in my 20 inch Remington 700

[@practicalnottactical]

Exactly same load I use with the Speer 130gr.

[@darvinclement3250]

Varget is such a great powder. I was casually looking for 30 call bullets today online and it was pretty bleak. I think it's going to be quite awhile before we see good stocks of components again.

[@gunsitescout5535]

check out midsouth shooting supplies and midway USA I have found a decent selection with both, and Varget is a great powder 45 grains make a 168 gr Barnes or Hornady fly great. best of luck.

[@winter4953]

308 is the most practical

[@conservativesniperhunter7439]

How have you found the performance of the Speer 150gr Hot Cor bullets on medium and large pigs shots out to 200 yards ? You did say that you like to place the bullet in the neck of pigs but have you shot any big boars 🐗 in the boiler room or shoulder with the Speer Hot Cor bullets at 200 yards? Cheers 🍻 🍺.

[@drovercamping4wd]

That was a very informative video, I’m wanting to get into reloading for more options and better accuracy, seems like a crap time to be buying all the components though! Ps. A mate bought a Gunsite Scout in 308 and the bolt keeps binding up, any tips on getting it to cycle smoother?

[@practicalnottactical]

Gday Drover, make the jump into reloading mate, it opens you into a whole new level of satisfaction to the sport. There are still plenty components to keep us going, especially if you are just starting out. The Gunsite, like the Hawkeye, are not made with the finish as the older M77 Mk2. The trick to getting a Mauser style action to run smooth is mostly just technique. Your mate needs to practice putting the right amount of up pressure when opening, and almost no down pressure when chambering. He also needs to not be gentle, plenty of muscle on the bolt in both directions, you can’t hurt it. The action will get a bit smoother with use and you can reduce that time by just working the bolt. Clean out any lubricant from the action and bolt and run the bolt dry about 2000 times, deliberately trying to make it bind just a little.

[@drovercamping4wd]

@@practicalnottactical wow thanks for the detailed response, love your videos, always straight up with no BS, keep ‘em coming 👍

[@woodstockrifles8215]

Very nice rifle you have there. The gray laminate with stainless steel looks great!! How's does that rifle handle in the field for your spot and stalk? I have always had good load results with the Speer Hot Core in 150gr. 8x57 Mauser. Seems to be a good combination for medium power cartridge.

[@practicalnottactical]

I think it handles well, the laminate doesn’t make it light and I would prefer the new polymer stock available today, but it is short and handy, even when slung in the bush.

[@heerkrupp64]

Good Video

[@peterhopkins6535]

Hey mate. Have you done any load development in 308 with HRBC lead bullets and 2208. I'm trying to load. Thanks

[@practicalnottactical]

Hi Peter, I have not used 2208, but have used 2206H. You will find some literature online if you search for "Hodgdon reduced loads" where H4895 is the recommended safest powder for reduced loads. H4895 is an equivalent powder to ADI 2206H. The following load is the fastest I could get a HRBC .308 bullet to go before it started leading the barrel and also remain accurate; give this a try for a start. Bullet - HRBC 165gr SIL, Powder - 28gr AR2206H, Hornady gas check, C.O.L - 2.75" I think these produced about 1" - 2" at 100m and they absolutely flatten pigs.

[@peterhopkins6535]

Thanks Champ. With powders in limited supply I am trying to load everything with 2208. I know it's not optimal but I have heaps of it. I'll give 06 a burl. I'm using same scout rifle as you. 308 and 556. Very practical hunting tools. Resting over my pack with 45 gn of 2208 and 165 gn hornady interlocks, I can bang 9 inch gongs to 600. For a poorly made rifle they preform better than expected. Have you had any problems with steel mags jamming. I have three wild dog mags that you have to be very firm and deliberate when using the bolt.

[@practicalnottactical]

I haven’t had any problems with either mags, both standard supplied steel mag or the 5 shot plastic Ruger mag.

[@TheJVI1]

How do you like the trigger on that scout?

[@practicalnottactical]

I'm probably the last person to get excited about triggers, I simply don't care what they are like, I just learn to use them however they come. However, the trigger on the Scout is a single stage, medium weight trigger as you would expect from a hunting rifle, but does break crisp when it goes. I have three M77 Mk2s that all have a less refined trigger feel; single stage, heavy pull with some drag before they break. Being hunting rifles, the triggers are more likely to get pulled rather than squeezed anyway. If I'm shooting for groups, I actually prefer a military style two stage trigger with a medium weight break and a long follow through, that's just what I'm used to; but I'm a bit of a Neanderthal when it comes to target triggers.

[@168amax]

130 grn speer hp or 150 hp sierra bulk 500