Please delete

[Mulie87]

I usually load Hornady 165 SST’s in my .308 with 43.5grns of Varget. I loaded some test loads using the 165 Hornady GMX. The book says to use the same load data as the SST’s....so I did. When i attempted to seat the bullet to 2.800” it was sooooo hard to press. It was like i was compressing the powder so much that there was no space left to press. I was able to seat them, but with more force than is usually needed.  Now i’m scared to shoot them.

Has anyone else experienced this???

[jasnt]

I usually load Hornady 165 SST’s in my .308 with 43.5grns of Varget. I loaded some test loads using the 165 Hornady GMX. The book says to use the same load data as the SST’s....so I did. When i attempted to seat the bullet to 2.800” it was sooooo hard to press. It was like i was compressing the powder so much that there was no space left to press. I was able to seat them, but with more force than is usually needed.  Now i’m scared to shoot them.

Has anyone else experienced this???

reduce load and do a quick preasure test before shooting that load

[Mulie87]

Ya, I think that’s the best idea. Thanks.

[h20hunter]

Yup...that does not sound safe to me.

[duckmen1]

Not sure if thats the books max overall length but if you can go longer on your oal and still be clear of the lands maybe it will be easier to seat without so much compression. Just a thought.

[Mulie87]

I can go linger and not hit lands, but then I turn it into a single feed and cant use magazine🤷🏻‍♂️

[yorketransport]

I personally wouldn't worry about the level of compression; I've run some ridiculously compressed loads over the years (like 110% usable case volume!).

I do think that you'll want to back the powder charge down a full grain before trying that load. The GMX is significantly longer than an SST of the same weight, so with both seated to 2.800" the GMX load will have close to 2.0gr less usable case capacity. That's roughly a 5% difference and worth backing down the charge a little bit.

[bobcat]

 

It's not the compression that makes it a possible unsafe load. It's the fact that you used your max charge with one bullet with a different bullet.

[Mulie87]

All good advice. I’m gonna back the charge off and work my way up. Thanks guys!

[Mulie87]

Did some load testing with the GMX. Turns out 42.0grns of Varget was it. Wow, 1.4grns less than the sst’s take. Only 2,500fps, but this load’s sole purpose is for bear over bait. 10-20yds max. 2500ft/lbs of energy. I was going to use sst’s, but i just wasn't comfortable with the chance they fragment after hitting a bone and they bear escaping. I’m more comfortable with tje monolithic gmx in case it hits bone and knowing it will have no problem penetrating. 3wks till the hunt👍 

[h20hunter]

Nice! Good luck and post up once that tag is notched.

[duckmen1]

Anxiously waiting to see how your load worked out for you on your bear hunt. Any updates?

[Mulie87]

Hey guys. Just got here today. Hitting the woods tomorrow. I’ll post updates as they come👍

[syoungs]

excited to see the close range performance of that GMX, good luck with your hunt!

[Mulie87]

Well i’m finally back after 8dys. So it took 4dys to get a shot opportunity on a bear. This bear came in silent and wet for the bait that was hung on a tree. I was in a tree stand about 15’ up and about 10yds away from the bear.

The bear reached up which opened up the vitals. I settled the crosshairs behind his rigjt shoulder. I touched off the Remington 700 .308 and sent the 165grn Hornady GMX down range. The bear jumped and we watched him run only 38yds and pile up. No death moan, so I chalked that up to maybe a double lung. After about 30min we got out of the stand and approached the bear. Good thing we saw where he piled up, because there was no blood trail.

Due to my elevated position (and the bear standing up) the round entered behind the right shoulder, traveled diagonally and exited in front of the left hind leg. It had no problem zipping right through that bear.

After skinning the bear we gutted it and found that the bullet hit both lungs and tbe liver. 

[Mulie87]

Oh, 325lbs. Not a monster, but this was the night before my last day and my first shot opportunity in 4dys. It was crunch time!!