It's been 20 years since I've loaded for a .308 Winchester. Now I find I'm going to be loading for two of them. Time doesn't allow me to experiment like I did years ago. I'm looking for a standard/consensus starting point load for both of them, using a 150 grain or 165 grain bullet, suitable for up to whitetails but not a premium bullet.

My first instinct is to use 4895 powder, but there are several new powders on the scene that I am not used to. And which standard offering bullets would you suggest?

I have secured a quantity of once fired Federal match brass (non-nickeled) so that isn't a problem.

RL15 (Alliant) work up to from 45 to 49grns with 150 grn Hornady Interlocks. IMR4064 is great too (max 48). I've shot those combos well for years. I just tried some Blc(2) (Hodgen) this weekend and early results look good too.



insert usual disclaimers here.

have fun,



ned

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/261581

great bullet for the price. cant go wrong with them.

Matt
I have used this load in 308s for over 25 years. It has been accurate in every different 308 I have tried it in from Para-Military rifles to custom sniper rifles. If your two 308's do not shoot this load good throw them away and buy two more.
165gr Sierra HPBT [also works with the Sierra Spz, the Nosler 165 Partition, the 165 Nosler Ballistic Tip],
39.5gr of IMR 3031. I use CCI or Federal Match primers. I have killed all manner of game with this load.
There are lots of good powders and loads for the 308, but this one has always shot good.

165 grn Hornady BTSP and IMR 4064. I've made this combination shoot submoa in 5 different 308's.

Imr-3031 is great for a 308.

Matt-

I load a 165 Hornady SP over a medium charge of H4895 for my fiance. She has taken quite a few whitetails with this load, and it shoots great. I haven't tried a max load with this combo, as the recoil becomes a little more than she enjoys. Accurate as hell though.

Regards- Gib

I'd lean towards the 165 gr. Hornady Interlock SP over RL15, Varget, H4895, or IMR 4064, in that order.

So, Matt, there you have it pretty much. Just about ANY medium-fast powder and ANY good bullet will do ya' in the 308. What a great caliber to load for - makes you look good no matter what combo you use



My personal preference runs to 4064/4895/R15 and 150 or 165 Rem Core-Lokts, Speer Spitzers and Hdy BT Spires.



Is that Federal Gold Medal Match brass? I've seen that brass run a good bit heavier than other (R-P, W-W, etc..) commercial brass, with a resultant grain or so less powder capacity.



R-WEST

Here's another vote for Hornady interlocks and IMR4064.

IMR4895 is very good also and more accurate from the powder measure, but if you are going to weigh each charge then the IMR4064 gives slightly better results.

I have not tried RL-15 in the 308.

The Sierra gameking tends to shuck it's jacket too easily in my experience, but they may have fixed it by now. It was always accurate.

I'd go with the 165 grain bullets.

Don

I've had great luck on Whitetails with 150 Gr. Hornady's and IMR 4320. I must be the only person who uses this powder since I never hear anyone else mention it for the .308. It shoots slightly better for me than IMR 4064. Anyone else ever try it?

I've been testing, amoung other things, wcc844 powder(cheep) in my .308. The rate of fire was about 5 shots in less than 2min. The load was 39gr. of wcc.844, WLR primer and FC.match cases once fired, behind-150 gr.Sierra pro hunter,-165gr. Hornady interlock, and-175gr Win. flat point. All these loads had 5 shot groups at 100 yds. right at 3/4". All of these common or standard bullets have harvested thousands of deer of all sizes. The 150 had a velosity of 2525ft./sec the 165 had a velosity of 2450 and the 175 was flying at 2400 ft./sec. Any of these light loads are capable killers with the 150gr having a little less recoil.Just right for boys women and old farts like me. I haven't tried any heavier loads with this powder yet. roger

I've assembled a variety of the powders suggested here and have some different bullets. I'll cook up a bunch of test loads. This weekend it's suppose to be nice so I will dust off the chrony and spend a couple hours at the range.


Besides, I've been spending too much time in front of this computer!

Tried Nosler 165 Ballistic Tips and Hornady 165 SST's. Tried several powder combinations that were suggested here. Ultimately the best group in my rifle proved to be with 42 grains of 4895 with the Hornady 165's.

Blatantly absent among the various powder suggestions is likely the best available at present, Hodgdon's Varget.

42.6 of AR2208 (Varget) under the 165 SST.

41 grs of Vit 140 behind a 165 gr Hornady HPBT.

quote:

Originally posted by RuffHewn:
Blatantly absent among the various powder suggestions is likely the best available at present, Hodgdon's Varget.

Agreed. Varget works well in this cartridge.

I have learned that most any .308 seems to like IMR-4064 or winchester 748. Of course RL-15 varget have been good in some or moist of the .308s I have loaded for.
I have never tried tried 3030or 4895, but 3031 is one i should try, cause with low charge weights you can get alot of loads out of a LB of powder !
...tj3006

My suggestion is 165 gr Remington Corelokt bullets and Varget powder.

150 sierra sp b.t. and 45.0 grs. of RL-15

Labman your not alone I also use IMR 4320 with 150 gr Barnes X bullets. In my rifle this combo will shoot 1/2" groups. Rich