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.308 Winchester powder question

Shade

Shade

.22LR
I have not reloaded a lot of .308 Win. up to now but will be working up a number of loads for the new
MVP Rifle I just purchased.

For the break in ammo I loaded Sierra 168g Matchking (#2200) this is my target and GP .308 bullet, I
generally have a "good stock" of them on the shelf. I also used 38.7 gr. of Varget for the break in loads.
I can also see me loading some Barnes TSX bullets in the 180 gr. range for hunting. I am a big fan of
the TSX style of bullets, with Nosler Partitions as my backup for hunting.

But herein lies my question; What are your favorite powders for .308 Win. and why?

TIA.
 
Before I chime in let me just say that I'm really looking forward to some other members commenting here. There are lots of good powders out there for .308 Winchester.

And welcome to the forum and the reloading section!!!
 
Shade, unfortunately I won't be much help other than to plus one on the Varget and 168 gr. Matchkings. I did load some .308 recently with CFE223 for shooting in an AR10. I shot a few of those in my bolt gun and they seemed to do ok. I have also loaded some .308 and .243 with H414 but haven't shot them yet.

Good luck and I hope you share how that MVP shoots (pics too please).
 
carbinemike said:
Shade, unfortunately I won't be much help other than to plus one on the Varget and 168 gr. Matchkings. I did load some .308 recently with CFE223 for shooting in an AR10. I shot a few of those in my bolt gun and they seemed to do ok. I have also loaded some .308 and .243 with H414 but haven't shot them yet.

Good luck and I hope you share how that MVP shoots (pics too please).
Click to expand...
I posted a pic over on the Gratuitous MVP thread and I started a thread of what the break-in shots are looking like in the MVP forum.
 
Varget is a good choice; but, if you can, try Reloader#15 under that 168gr bullet.
I've been handloading rifle cartridges since 1977, so I have some pretty good loads to offer.
.308 Win, .30-'06, .25-'06, 270 Win, .30-30 Win, 7mm Mag.
Almost forgot: .22-250 Rem.
 
For my precision rifle I use the 168gr Matchking on top of 45 gr. of Reloader 15. This is giving me an average velocity of 2695 fps. Very accurate in my Remington 5-R. I have found that RL-15 seems to shoot best at the high end of pressure. Your mileage may vary. For my Ruger Scout I am shooting a 200 gr. cast lead, powder coated bullet on top of 41.8 gr of IMR4064 giving me an average of 2465 fps. The cast lead bullet is not capable of the quarter minute accuracy of the Matchking but but I can get .96 to 1.07 inches at 100 with a 16 inch barrel. I'm happy with it. Reloader 15 is the go to powder for .308 anymore. It is very consistent and pretty forgiving. With the 168 gr matchking I have also used VV-N140 and Reloader 12. Neither of these gave me the consistent accuracy I have with Reloader 15. Another great performing old standard is IMR 4895.
 
I have not tried this load yet but I have heard this is a good "all around load" if there is such. I will be trying soon.

Powder- Varget
Bullet- 165 Hornady SST
Brass- Your choice
Charge- 42g
OAL- 2.750
Crimp- Very light
Velocity- 2550
 
I shoot a DPMS LR308 w/ a 24" bull barrel. The rifle weighs 14.5#, fully loaded. I also have a
Nikon 6-18 Scope with BDC mounted on the rifle. Shooting off of a bech at 100 yds the rifle
will shoot 5-shot groups of less than .299" c2c. I shoot he below loading year round and have
found little difference. Some of my friends shoot loadings similar to mine using Varget and 4895
with similar results.

Powder- RL15
Chrg- 42.0 g
OAL - 2.80
Chrono Vel.- 2505 fps
Brass- Federal 7.62x51
Bullet- 168 g SMK
 
I have always used H335 for both .223 and .308... 55gn and 69gn in the minor calibre, 155gn and 178gn bullets in the major.

Off the top of my head (I'm at work!) I used 42gn of H335 for the 155's, and 38gn with the 178's. These are both fairly slow loads (the 178gn Amax's are more like artillery fire!) but I'm only short range paper-punching.

With the new European REACH regulations, H335 is one of the powders that we won't be able to here, so I've been trying Ramshot powders and Sunday i tested some batches using "Wildboar"... sorry, its a European only powder...

I was pretty impressed, and one 5 shot group using 155gn SMK's ended up looking very promising, certainly sub MOA.
 
I don't recall ever firing a match bullet from a 308. I have fooled with 150, 165, 180 and 200gr bullet's though. Settled on the 165gr Hornady interlock for everything many years ago. They were called spire points then. I have used H335, IMR 3031, BLC/2, IMR 4895, W748 and probably a lot other's I don't recall. Thing I discovered with my 308's is it doesn't seem to matter what you feed them, they shoot well. Now have to admit that I've never looked for match accuracy in much of any rifle. If I did I'm sure I wouldn't have the skills! As I recall I settelled on the 165gr SP/IL Hornady with IMR 3031 powder. Shot well under 1" at 100yds and never found a store that didn't haveit in stock. Never found the 150gr bullet in them to be that great accuracy wise. Also the 200gr wasn't but when you consider the need for it, 1 1/2" groups was more than good enough.

The impression I get from most handloader's is they chase perfection and never even come close! Have to admit I'm one of those guy's. But I've only chased it with special cartridges. 222 rem was far and away the most accurate cartridge I ever had, a class of it's own. Then I like to fool with accuracy in my 243's. No special pains just bullet selection and fooling with different powder's. One shoot's a 75gr V-Max into right at 1/2" and the other 70gr SMK into about the same! The only real special pains I take with any of my loads is rifle bedding and bullet seating but couldn't tell you how much any bullet is off the lands!

OP, choose your bullet on the intended use of your rifle. And then the powder based on what shoot well in that rifle and is fairly easy to get in your area. There are no wonder powder's and no wonder bullet's. I use today mostly powder's I could get 50yrs ago. Why? They always worked!
 
For my M1A I have had best accuracy with Varget loaded to 7.62-51 velocity and a 168-gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Of course, IMR4895 and IMR4064 with 150~168-gr bullets are highly recommended for a gas gun. Did you know that "IMR" stands for "Improved Military Rifle"?

I have so much powder that it'll be a while before I get to try RL-15 but I hear great things.
 
I bought some cfe223, but haven't used any of it yet.

What's a good load for 150 gr or less 308 and 55 gr 223 with it?
 
Oh, and Shade...

I didn't mention my reason for choosing Varget but here's what it came down to, even though IMR4895 and IMR4064 are great.

My M1A rode in my trunk at my work, in summer heat and winter cold and was brought inside every day when I got off work. It was just supposed to be more impervious to temperature changes.
 
Been a few years like more than 5 since i pulled the handle. But for .308 il second or third the RL15. Im sure I used good ole Varget also im sure either would get you going.
 
I have run AR comp, and Reloader 15 with my .223 77 gr. Loads with good success. I like seeing I can use them for .308. Means I can eliminate the 4064 from my stock.

Sent from my SM-J727V using Tapatalk
 
John A. said:
I bought some cfe223, but haven't used any of it yet.

What's a good load for 150 gr or less 308 and 55 gr 223 with it?
Click to expand...
I like 48gr using 147gr Fmj , blasting ammo . About 2530 out of a 16” barrel . I’d have to dig around for 223 bit I don’t recall liking it much ....I used it for shooting Fmj atvsteels if I recall .

TAC is awesome too . Here is a killer load for 150gr SST . 16” barrel
004D504D-780C-44C1-9F88-6579581311B8.jpeg
 
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