Reloads for FAL

[concretus]

Okay, I've read a bunch about alot of people preferring Varget to reload for the FAL. I've read that the charge for a 150gr bullet is approx 43-44gr. I'd like to try using Sierra 165gr hpbt. and I'm guessing that there van be some great performance achieved with Varget. I'm using LC-77 brass and Win LR primers. Any body out there got a good recipe using Varget? What about using Win brass?

On a side note. I want to mass load some 147-150 gr ammo because of the increasing cost of milsurp ammo. I have a bunch of IMR-3031 and H-4895. Any information on using any of these powders? Any results?

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Sunray]

FAL's have always been out of my budget range. Then they got declared evil, up here. However, The CF let me use their rifles for several years. Gave me the ammo too. Even though it wasn't greatly accurate ammo. Neithere were the rifles. Had a few extremely well maintained mid 50's vintage rifles on my MIU.
"...preferring Varget to reload for the FAL..." Varget is a good .308/7.62 powder period. You're not going to get match accuracy out of an FAL though. Good accuracy, but not match accuracy. FAL's are battle rifles. Anyway, one of the guys who came into the gun shop I worked in, long ago, said he got good accuracy with BL-C2.
"...want to mass load..." Work up the load first. Same as you would for any rifle. And just like any other rifle, you have to work up the load for your rifle.
Hogdon gives 44.0 to 47.0(compressed) of Varget for a 150 grain bullet. Hogdon has data for both IMR-3031 and H-4895 on their site. Compressed loads are nothing to worry about.
"...like to try using Sierra 165gr hpbt..." For hunting? Lotta rifle to lug around. Mind you, so is the M1 I've been known to lug. I think I'd go with the Sierra 165 SBT. Likely feed better. As long as it fits in the mag. They should.
"...LC-77 brass..." Once the primer crimp is gone, you'll have to reduce the charge by 10% and work up. Milsurp brass is like that. Winchester brass is not.

[concretus]

I've tried other powders but one hasn't really stood out. Yes you are correct, Very rare will you get MOA accuracy out of an FAL. But for some reason my rifle likes the 165gr bullets better as far as accuracy goes. I've tried the SBT's in the FAL (I use that bullet in all my hunting rifles) but the tip gets deformed bad. That's why I considered the HPBT. I wasn't intending to use the FAL to hunt with but I might get a wild hair.....
You are right also about the brass. (especially dropping charges when you use mil brass...) I bought a few hundred pieces of LC brass when I owned a CETME because they are real hard on commercial brass. They do not recommend using commercial brass in a CETME because of case head separation. (Enough sidetrack). Thanks fr the response..:beerchug:

[joem]

The only thing my CETME will digest is steel cased ammo. Brass cases seize up in the chamber after firing.

[NuJudge]

I've shot a lot of Remington 165gr soft point flat base bullets through a British FAL barrel on an Imbel upper receiver. I found it liked a moderate charge of IMR4895 and Winchester primers. Varget has never been a lucky powder for me.

I did shoot a number of reduced range US NRA National Match courses with it. It could shoot about 3.5 MOA. It did not seem sensitive to sling tension. For awhile I fitted it with a US hooded rear sight aperture, but that did not help much.

A lot of these rifles are really hard on the case rims. Shoot yours some to see if it bends case rims back on extraction. If it does, polish your chamber, use a smaller gas piston, and a stronger gas piston spring, as well as set your gas relief valve on the most open setting that will reliably function. A faster powder might also help, but I haven't tried that yet.

[Sunray]

"...165gr bullets...the tip gets deformed bad..." Hi. The .308 tends to like 165 grain bullets out of any rifle. It'll kill any game you are to hunt. Daft to use a battle rifle for hunting, given the weight of 'em, but why not? 1903A3's, Mausers, M1's and Lee-Enfields were battle rifles.
"...the tip gets deformed bad..." The point of any bullet doesn't matter. It's the base that matters.
"...considered the HPBT..." Try some 168 grain match bullets. They're HPBT's. Pricey though.
"...Brass cases seize up in the chamber after firing..." Cetme's are a rifle unto themselves. It's not an FAL. It came before the HK91, but give it a really good bath. Possibly a rough chamber. Mind you, if it's a Century rifle(and most of 'em in the U.S. are), it may not matter. Century has no concept of what QC is.

[concretus]

Well I was hoping to get as much information as I could to help make a good call. As far as reloading 7.62/308 goes, I was kinda sheltered. I used to shoot Highpower and Slow-Fire prone and used only one powder for .308 and .223. That was AA2520, When I got the FAL, it didn't group as well as I would have liked w/that powder so I'm sort of starting from scratch. With the understanding that the FAL is a battle rifle, I won't get the accuracy that I expect from my target rifle or mu hunting rifle. There is many of ya'll that have had very good results w/other powders and load recipes. I've tried, H-335, H-4895, IMR-4064, AA2520, IMR-3031. I bought some Varget this weekend to try (especially for 165gr bullets). I have a couple of hundred 147gr bullets that I want to load because of the rising costs of milsurp ammo. I figured I can use one of the other powders and get NATO ammo-like results.
Thanks everybody for your input.:super:

[concretus]

After dozens of combination and five different powders. I think I got the combination that works in my FAL. Took it for a ride this weekend at the range. Heck I'll use this load if I carry this FAL in the woods next year. Thanks to everybody for all the input. Now I'll work on a milsurp duplicate load w/ 147-150 gr bullets...This group was with LC brass, Win LR primers, 43.6 gr of Varget and 165 Sierra HPBT bullets off a bench @ 100yds with a Burris 4,5-14x scope. Measured at .90" beerchug: