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Hello can I pick the collective brain please!
I have just been given 100 170grain Lapua Lockbase in .308 :cheers: I usually use 190 SMK's and was wondering if I need to take any special precautions or do anything drastically different when loading or seating these bullets.
Thanks in advance.
Ian.

Wahhhhh!!!! Brilliant bullets if you can get them to work, I have shot literally thousands of them through my AI out to 1200 yards and have the load data (N540 and N550) at home. I also have some load data from Lapua to get as close to the 170HPS factory rounds as possible, the 170HPS actually uses Bofors powder so cannot be directly replicated. You need to push them quite hard to get results and Lapua did say run at as close to maximum load data as possible.

The downside is they are pricey and not always easy to get hold off which is why I stopped shooting them.

I will dig the numbers out tonight when I get home, alternatively I am more than happy yo take them off your hands

Thanks for that Dave,
I am hopefully going to load some tonight so I can use them at Thetford Gallery in the morning.
Ian.

What powder do you have available, for me N540 had the edge over N550 and what is the rifle? They seem to work best at around .010" off the lands.

Atm I am trying to develop a load using TU3000 with the smk 190's-41.8gns seems to work well at 600. I have about 2kg's of the Vectan powder, 1/2 lb of Varget and 1/2 lb of IMR3031. I think the Vectan is a tad fast but I like it (it was cheap and is clean burning!) I will hopefully change over to Vit powder soon, when funds permit.

Sorry, bit hasty with the "submit" button there-I am shooting a modified and tickled Win M70 Stealth II with a 1 in 10 twist 26" barrel.

I would consider TU3000 as too fast (Try TU7000 from Peter Lawman if you get the chance) 3031 is also pushing it but you may get away with the Varget as a 600m load with the 170's

EDIT - I shot mine with a 1:12