A friends son has received a .308 Win. and we would like to start him off with loads in the 2600 to 2700 fps. loads using a premium 150 gr. bullet.

Any recommendations for what you have found accurate? Fillers?

Many thanks,

Sam
eclemmons@hotmail.com

No fillers used..or needed...

Just start out with the starting loads that are used in most reload manuals with medium burn rate powders... IMR 3031, 4895, 4064, or W 748 or Rl 15....

or just use 300 Savage load data.. and that should accomplish the same outcome...

cheers
seafire

H4895 or IMR4895 have always had a good rep. for accuracy loads when loading on the light side.
Start @ 40gr & work up.
http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/308win-2005apr03.php

41grs. Benchmark is what I'd use, should give you 2650. Jay

BigSam
I have been shooting and loading for the 308 for almost 30 years. Below are some loads that have worked very well in many,many different 308's.
ALL are with IMR 3031.
For a great light load try 37 grains with a 150 grain bullet. I loaded some of these for a fullgrown man who had a short bbled light 308 and wanted a lighter kicking load. I used bullets designed for the 30-30. They killed deer like lightening.
I use 42 grains with 150 spz bullets to duplicate military ball is several semi-autos. I have killed several deer with this load in a H&K 91.
My favorite all time 308 load used 39.5 grains of IMR 3031 with 165 grain bullets. Either the 165 Sierra HPBT Gameking, the 165 Sierra SPZ, the 165 Nosler Partition, and the 165 Nosler Ballistic Tip. I have killed a lot of game with this load and these bullets.
For competition, Service Rifle and Metallic Sillhoute I used the 168 Sierra Match King.
For bigger game I used the same 39.5 grain load with 180 Nosler Partitions.
Long range target shooting I used 39.5 grains with the 180 [old style] Sierra Matchking.

ALL of these loads have been VERY accurate in EVERY 308 I have shot them in.
There are a lot of good powders for the 308, but I have never seen a reason to change from IMR 3031 for most uses.

My input for what little it is worth . i have loaded a few different 308 loads so far with a 150 spire point. My best combination so far was 40.5 grains of 4895 and ran my bullets at max length 2.810. Shot great and not alot of kick even for a little 308. But my experience is still very limited

quote:

Originally posted by BIG SAM:
...loads in the 2600 to 2700 fps. loads using a premium 150 gr. bullet.

Any recommendations for what you have found accurate? Fillers?...

Hey Sam, Depending on the specific "Premium" bullet your friend has in mind, he might be better off with a Standard Grade Bullet. Some of the Premiums work their best at a high Impact Velocity.

I've always found the good old 2-diameter 150gr RN Hornady to provide excellent accuracy and excellent on-game performance for the Beginners with Reduced Loads.

It will be difficult to find a Medium Burning Powder that works poorly in the 308Win. All of the ones mentioned above will do fine.

Hodgdon does have an H4895 recommendation that you can use it at 60% of any MAX Load you see for it with a specific Bullet weight. But about anything you put in it will work and work well.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by BIG SAM:
...

Hey Sam, Depending on the specific "Premium" bullet your friend has in mind, he might be better off with a Standard Grade Bullet. Some of the Premiums work their best at a high Impact Velocity.

I'll throw in with that. roger

The Sierra Gameking HPBT will work well for you on anything in NC. If you want to pay the price for premium bullets the Barnes TSX is a good one. $26 for 50 and the Sierra is 16 for 100.
The Imr4895 is a great powder for the 308 and 3006 and Varget works well also. The 4895 is sometimes easier to find locally.
Good Luck

quote:

Originally posted by BIG SAM:
A friends son has received a .308 Win. and we would like to start him off with loads in the 2600 to 2700 fps. loads using a premium 150 gr. bullet.

Any recommendations for what you have found accurate? Fillers?

Many thanks,

Sam
eclemmons@hotmail.com

Either the 150 NBT or SST will work just fine. Have shot the Nosler in the 308, very accurate and makes good blood trail. Jay

I have killed quite bit of game, deer, turkeys, and antelope with the Sierra 165 gr HPBT Gameking. It is a great bullet. It feeds 100% in H&K 91's, M1-A's, Garands, and FN_FAL's.
I have never recovered one. At 308 velocities it works great.

My son has been shooting a 308 with 125 gr. BT's at 2,350. We have killed five deer and one hog this season with the load. All one shot kills all complete penetration. The hog was shot at 20 yrds. and the fathest shot on a deer was 150 yrds. This load has very little recoil.

I'm not a fan of BT's but this load sure has been great.

Like Seafire says, have a look at 308 Winchester starting loads as well as data for the 307 Winchester and 300 Savage. Your new shooter might also like to try the Remington Managed Recoil 125s or the Federal Low Recoil 170s. At those speeds a fella may not need or want a premium bullet (if by premium you mean controlled expansion). Remington Corelokt 150s are inexpensive in bulk, accurate, and not a bad game bullet.

Thanks to all for the information.

As for the bullets....we were thinking about the poly tipped family; Accubond, Intrabond, Sirocco II, etc. I will also try the others mentioned that I have on hand.

We were thinking of starting at the beginning loads in the book but was hoping to learn of a universally used powder or two for these loads. It looks like we have more that enough to choose from to develop a great load with.

Thanks again for your time in responding.

Cheers,

Sam

The 308 doesn't need premium bullets. I've killed deer with Remington CoreLokt and Winchester Power Point 150-gr. bullets. Both worked just fine.


Okie John

[QUOTE Remington Corelokt 150s are inexpensive in bulk, accurate, and not a bad game bullet.[/QUOTE]

Please DO NOT try the 150 CLs, they DO NOT shoot for shit, tried them @80yds. from a Remington Varmint 308 which is a sub MOA with good ammo, CLs gave me 3" groups, they SUCK hind TIT! Jay

I have a Rem Model 7 with 18.5 barrel and it shoots under 3/4" with 44gr of 4064 with 150 gr speer hot cors little recoil

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Gorski:
[QUOTE Remington Corelokt 150s are inexpensive in bulk, accurate, and not a bad game bullet.

Please DO NOT try the 150 CLs, they DO NOT shoot for shit, tried them @80yds. from a Remington Varmint 308 which is a sub MOA with good ammo, CLs gave me 3" groups, they SUCK hind TIT! Jay[/QUOTE]

Jay,

YOu and I normally see eye to eye on most things.. but I have to disagree on this one.. I'd look at the powder or something on that mess up....

I shoot a lot of them just load testing because they are cheap.. but they give me good tight groups as long as the load is up to it..

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Gorski:
[QUOTE Remington Corelokt 150s are inexpensive in bulk, accurate, and not a bad game bullet.

Please DO NOT try the 150 CLs, they DO NOT shoot for shit, tried them @80yds. from a Remington Varmint 308 which is a sub MOA with good ammo, CLs gave me 3" groups, they SUCK hind TIT! Jay

Jay,

YOu and I normally see eye to eye on most things.. but I have to disagree on this one.. I'd look at the powder or something on that mess up....

I shoot a lot of them just load testing because they are cheap.. but they give me good tight groups as long as the load is up to it..

cheers
seafire
[/QUOTE]

Well, They were factory loads, btw. Saved the brass bought some Hornady dies, 165 Hornady bullets, tried some 2520 and H380, moa or just under. Then I was happy, especially since I shot me a doe the next year with the Hornadys. Jay