Pet load for yer FAL/SLR.........................

[FUUN063]

I loaded up some the other day and wondered what ya'll's favorite load is for yer FAL's. I loaded up some 168 grain Sierra's with 41.5 grains of IMR 4895 and Winchester primers. It seems this load has been used by for years. What say the hive?


Leland

 

[Hebrew Battle Rifle]

168gr Nosler Custom Competition HPBT over 44gr WCC846 in a commercial .308W case and capped with Fed/Win/Rem LRP.
WCC846 is a surplus bulk powder. This load is safe for the lot that I have. With all surplus powders, you must work up a load for each lot.

 

[hkshooter]

What ever the Portuguese used.

 

[meltblown]

43.5 varget on a 150 gr ball. Not necessarily a pet load but one that seems to work ok. The flyers are a little closer in...

Not

 

[moonbat60]

44.5gr. Ramshot TAC with a147gr. FMJ. You can up it to 45.0gr. if you want to.

 

[W.E.G.]

44-ish grains TAC and a 150-ish grain bullet always works real good.

If I’m shooting expensive 168 SMK’s in 308, I like 41.1 grains TAC. Prints about same as 41.5 IMR-4895.

 

[JDK15]

44-ish grains TAC and a 150-ish grain bullet always works real good.

I’ve been loading the hornady 150s over 44gr of TAC. GTG so far.

 

[lew]

41.4 grains IMR 4895, CCI 400 primers, Hornady 150 FMJBT, and mixed military cases.

Yielded 2650 fps. and a standard deviation of 11. Extreme spread of 55. Over 40 rounds.

 

[Twisted Chemist]

46 grs of 20 year old BL-C(2) behind 147 gr IMI FMJ using mixed surplus/commercial brass sparked by 20 year old CCI 200's. Never fails to feed, fire or cycle and does not beat the hell out of the brass, strangely enough. On the other hand the brass is thrown at the 1 o'clock position anywhere from landing on my feet out to 30 feet. Makes brass collection at the range difficult.
Commercial ammo ends up with smashed case mouths and deep dents with the cases being thrown from 12 to 6 o'clock. The SAR4800 functions on whatever I feed her; FMJ, SP, HP, Ballistic Tip, Silver Tip, Match, S&B, white box, UMC etc.. and bullet weights from 147gr to 165gr.

 

[whisky_n_hot_dogs]

Not a pet load by but I'm working to mimic NATO loads and have IMR 4064 to work with. Trying out something a little hotter but below maximum charge per a couple sources. I was originally running 43gr just for fun, but the impacts were well below point of aim at 50 yards. Some Perfecta NATO ball was hitting higher than the 43gr load. So I get to fucking around with the front sight post but thinking I should get the velocity up and try 45.5gr of 4064. I knew the maximum charges were listed as compressed but holy hell even 45.5 is filling the case past the shoulder. I'm not that worried since my OAL is 2.810" compared to the 2.71" in all my data sources.

 

[YJake]

Hornady 150grn FMJ Projectiles
44gr of Accurate-2460
Unfired Lake City Brass/Primers
Mild crimp
2755 fps average out of an 18” FAL

A little faster than the Norma or Ammo Inc. factory loads I tested, but still almost a full grain below max load data. I still need to test group size at 100 yards but it shoots true enough to ring the 1’ plates from 50-150 yards without adjusting point of aim.

-Jake

 

[moonbat60]

I also used Alliant's AR-Comp in the past, 44.0gr. with a 145 / 147gr. FMJ.

 

[brunop]

Bama Steve's pet load is pretty interesting, and my StG-58s shoot it into tiny (for an FAL...) groups.

I think it starts with a Hornady 125 gr. SST .308 bullet. I think it's going 2750 fps. I was impressed.

 

[whisky_n_hot_dogs]

Not a pet load by but I'm working to mimic NATO loads and have IMR 4064 to work with. Trying out something a little hotter but below maximum charge per a couple sources. I was originally running 43gr just for fun, but the impacts were well below point of aim at 50 yards. Some Perfecta NATO ball was hitting higher than the 43gr load. So I get to fucking around with the front sight post but thinking I should get the velocity up and try 45.5gr of 4064. I knew the maximum charges were listed as compressed but holy hell even 45.5 is filling the case past the shoulder. I'm not that worried since my OAL is 2.810" compared to the 2.71" in all my data sources.

Yea that load was a little high pressure and I had at least one pin hole leak on a primer. Gonna assume the Hodgdon and Lyman data is too aggressive and work with a different powder.

 

[CTW]

I use my FAL rifle once a month to shoot in a military Bench rest match at My gun club. My favorite load is 41.5 grains of IMR 4895. Using a 168 grain Hornady Amax. This load works great with Sierra match king 168 also. I use primed Lake City brass but I’ve also used commercial brass and either or seem to shoot really well.

 

[L Haney]

Bama Steve's pet load is pretty interesting, and my StG-58s shoot it into tiny (for an FAL...) groups.

I think it starts with a Hornady 125 gr. SST .308 bullet. I think it's going 2750 fps. I was impressed.

I still have the paper.

 

[Mebsuta]

41.4 grains IMR 4895, CCI 400 primers, Hornady 150 FMJBT, and mixed military cases.

Yielded 2650 fps. and a standard deviation of 11. Extreme spread of 55. Over 40 rounds.

That sounds way too reasonable.

Since I'm the biggest s1ssy I just use 41/150 & any LR primer if IMR4895.

Lately I use another s1ssy load: 43/150 BL-C2 any primer.

 

[hagar]

Jason C posted on Facebook about a really small group he shot at 100, with a photo. He is using 125 grain bullets as well. Maybe that's the magic trick, load them fast enough to exit muzzle before barrel whip

 

[lew]

That sounds way too reasonable.

Since I'm the biggest s1ssy I just use 41/150 & any LR primer if IMR4895.

Lately I use another s1ssy load: 43/150 BL-C2 any primer.

Yeah, buddy. It's a milder load that shoots well, so I am not wont to change it. I know these old rifles can handle abuse, but I don't see a reason to beat up them or my brass. The stouter stuff gets fed through other rifles.

 

[Mint]

Only thing I can add is that my particuler rifle does not care for 175's with RG 4895, and shot a lot tighter with commercial 147 ammo.

 

[brunop]

Anybody had success with a low power/light recoil hand load for shooting range say 100 yds and under that’s cycled reliable in a FAL? I’ve been wanting to try something like this but don’t really have a starting point.

Bama Steve's pet load is pretty interesting, and my StG-58s shoot it into tiny (for an FAL...) groups.

I think it starts with a Hornady 125 gr. SST .308 bullet. I think it's going 2750 fps. I was impressed.

I still have the paper.

View attachment 219199

This is:

Light recoil (125 gr. bullet...).

Accurate + Cycled the rifle = Successful.

A starting point.

HTH

 

[moonbat60]

This is:

Light recoil (125 gr. bullet...).

Accurate + Cycled the rifle = Successful.

A starting point.

HTH

Nothing wrong with shooting light bullets, as long as the accuracy is there.

I'm currently working on a load with some Barnes 130gr. TSX.

Looking at 45.5gr. TAC.

 

[CTW]

This 20 round target was shot with my load I mentioned earlier. I use it all the time to beat 1903a3’s and M1 Garands. Granted we’re only shooting 100 yards. At further distances they would probably get me. I used to shoot at 200 meters against them and I didn’t win as many times. The groups just seem to open up a little more at longer distances with the FAL rifle.

 

[FUUN063]

I'm hoping mine group nicely, too, CTW. We'll see on the next range trip. Right now, I gotta get over this vertigo thing, though. It's like I'm on a three day drunk and Mark and I were partying way into the next morning in some Mexican bar.

Leland

 

[CTW]

Leland I pray you get better bud. That’s a horrible feeling.