A friend of mine recently picked up a .308 Win, primarly for deer hunting.

It has been a while since I did any real load development for this cartridge, and was limited to just a couple powers at the time. Anybody have any pet hunting loads they'd like to share?

Thanks in advance,

Canuck

I use 47.1 gr. of win. 748,rem. cases.cci 200 primers,and 150gr rem pspcl. less than 1 inch at 100 yds. in either my Remington 760 or 742. I also just started using the same load in an Encore 15inch barrel. It shoots well there too but I am still breaking it in and havent shot for groups. Hope this helps.

46 grs bal c 2 with 165 gr bullet or 45 grs of 4064 with 165 gr bullet both are listed as max so go slow

Hunting: 180 gr. Nosler Partition, WLR primers, Fed GM cases, 46 gr. N540, 2575 fps. Warning: this batch of N540 was about as slow as N550. I don't know why. I'll buy N550 next time.

I use 175 gr, Sierra MatchKings with 43 gr IMR4064 for 1000 yards -- 2625 fps at muzzle, still supersonic at 1000.

I use 168 or 175 SMK with 42 grains IMR4064 across the NRA course - 2575 fps.

Don

42 grains of AA2520, CCI 200 primer, and any 180 grain bullet you choose. This load groups well out of my Remington 7400 and Savage 99.

Hi Canuck,
I use 44 grs of Norma 202, federal cases, cci 200 primers and a 165 gr Sierra Gk. Pretty mild load but shoots extremly well in my rifle. A friend of mine uses the same load and primers but in sako cases and a 165 gr Nosler Ballistic tip
regards
Martin

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help!

If anyone else has anymore, please keep 'em coming.

Thanks again.

Canuck

Sierra 150 SBT, 44.2 grains W748, U.S. military case, WLR primer. The velocity may somewhat mild, but it has dopped every deer I have shot with it. This load is primarily for my Springfield Armory M1As.

Canuck -
It's hard to make a .308 NOT shoot well. 44 - 47 grains (depending on rifle and case) of W748, one of the 4895's, one of the 4064's, or R15 with 150 grain bullets; 1 to 1-1/2 grains less with 165 grain bullets; another 1 to 1-1/2 grains less with 180 grainers should make any .308 perk.

Most of the manuals show a max of 46 or 47 grains of I4064 with a 150 grain bullet, but, either of my .308's like 48 grains, Federal 210M primers, R-P cases and 150 Speer flat base spitzers. No pressure signs whatever, velocity in the 2850 range and excellent accuracy.
Good luck,
R-WEST

A case full of WCC-852 (fast lot) and a 150 gr Nosler ballistic tip.

For a mild-recoiling load that is deadly on whitetails, try the 125 grain Barnes-X with enough W748 or RL15 to chronograph 2900 fps from a 22" barrel. If this bullet shoots well in your gun, you'll not be disappointed in your results on deer and similar game.

52 grs of VV N550 with the 150 gr Partition in Win brass and a WLR primer gives 2850 fps in my 20" Ruger Ultralight (which is a fast gun with all loads). Three shots stay in an inch with a cool barrel. Velocity spread averages only 17 fps. This is a MAX load that goes around 7 reloads before the brass is tossed. The other is 55 grs N550 with the 130 Barnes XBT at 2980 fps in the same gun this uses the Fed 210M primer. My "short" .270! N550 turns the .308 into a little rocket.

Around 45gr Varget, 150gr Hornady Interlock. (whitetail poison)

In my 308 Win my favorite loads are:

Norma or Lapua Cases
CCI BR-2 Primers
VARGET Powder

150 @ 47.0 (Sierra GK or Nosler BT)
165 @ 46.0 (Sierra GK or Nosler BT)
180 @ 44.0 (Nosler Part.)

Match Grade accuracy in my SSG-69.....very happy with these loads.

Palma Match Shooters Pick VARGET as their Powder of choice for the 308 Win.

[ 07-20-2003, 05:09: Message edited by: Alaska Bush Man ]

46 gr. of RL-15 and a 150 bt shoots well in mine.

I used to have a BSA Heavy Barrel which I kept for about 12 months.
It was the most accurate hunting rifle I have ever owned.
I got shut because it was far too heavy for lumping up and down mountains.
The load I used was:-
150g Hornady Flat base
47.0g Vit 140
CCI 200
Bullet touching lands.
Group size .4"@200 yards,yes 200.
WARNING this load was OK in this rifle but a bit hot in other 308's.

Rob T.

Chris - I've killed a ton of whitetails with my .308 using the 150 Gr. Hornady Spire Point over 46.0 Gr. of IMR 4320. As ususal, work up to this load carefully.

150 Hornady over IMR-3031 or Varget.

Canuck, I hope you and your friend plan on hammering a couple of those moose and elk I hear inhabit Chetwynd these days!

I've never shot the .308 for hunting (using it for competition, instead) but I have a few friends who have.

Firstly, for hunting all the game you're likely to encounter up there, I'd suggest you stick with a bullet in the 165-grain range. Ideally, I'd recommend something like a Barnes X or a FailSafe, but you really can't go wrong with the plain old Nosler Partition. My best friend actually got his one and only moose just outside Chetwynd in 1986 and I believe the load he was using in his .308 pump was a 165-grain Partition pushed by 50 grains IMR 4350. This is his standard hunting load and it compresses the powder significantly, but it works well and yields relatively mild pressures.

Of course, 1986 was before the introduction of Reloder 15 powder. Another friend swears by that 165-grain bullet pushed by something around 45 grains of Reloder 15 for phenomenal velocity and accuracy. We clocked it at 2,760 feet per second out of his 24-inch barrel and his group was about an inch at 200 metres.

I believe that a similar charge of Varget would give similar accuracy but with possibly a little less velocity. Varget is the standard powder used for target shooting in the .308 these days, and it is ideal with all the practical bullets in that cartridge, from 150 grains through 180 grains.

Other people above have described excellent loads with BLC(2) and 748 powders. The only reason I might consider staying away from them in your situation is that those powders have been known to be very sensitive to temperatures. Shooting in northern B.C., you've got to expect cold weather, and Varget and the new lots of Reloder 15 are proven not to lose power even in extreme cold, plus they have phenomenal reputations for accuracy and velocity.

Let us know how it all works out.

46 Grains Re15 with a 150 grain BT. Very accurate.

Howdy Canuck!

My bench load is:

Bullet: 168 gr. SMK
Brass: Lapua
Primer: Fed G210M
Powder: 43 gr. Varget

Since this is for the bench each round is hand fed and OAL is just off the rifling.

My most used handload for the 308 is:
165gr Sierra Gameking HPBT [also works well with 165 Nosler Ballistic Tip and the 165 Nosler Partition] with 39.5gr of IMR 3031. This is a fairly mild load as I use the same 39,5gr of IMR 3031 with the 180 Sierra Gameking or 180 Nosler Partition.
42gr. of IMR 3031 with the Nosler 150gr Solid Base or Ballistic Tip shoots the same place at 100 yards as Military Ball in a H&K-91.
While there are many new powders that will give higher velocity these loads have performed so well I have not seen any reason to change.