ORIGINAL: duckdog132
first i want to thank EVERYONE who helped me in getting started reloading. i just ordered my first reloader and now trying to figure out where i should start with a 308 round. i am shooting a savage model 12 in stainless. it will be used for coyotes out to 450yards and target practice.im trying to keep down on the pelt damage(without lowering the cal/) what bulletand powder should i be looking at and if any of you are shooting a savage. what are you finding that works good through it?also how many round on ave can i get out of a pound of powder?
thanks you
Jeff S.
Jeff, I have found that with animals from which you want the pelts relatively undamaged,it is theimpactvelocity of the bullet that is the most significant variable, rather than bullet type. That is to say, particularly with pointed bullets, a high (2000 FPS +) impact velocity can oftendo a lot of damage even with a FMJ. The reason for thisis that such bullets very often tumble on impact, and make a significant exit wound. This would NOT be such a problem at ranges like 450 yards, because the bullet has lost a large perccentage of initial velocity by the time it gets there.
I recommend getting a Speer manual, and using their "REDUCED LOAD" recommendations, with the toughest, heavy, non-expanding (preferably round-nosed) bullet you can get in the caliber you are loading.
Well, a pound of powder weighs 7000 grains. So divide 7000 by the grain weight of the powder charg you will be loading, and the result is the number of rounds that pound will load.