.308 Pet Loads

[trsmith1818]

NR,

I recently, as in 5 minutes ago, purchased a TC Icon in .308. I am looking for some pet loads to start me on the way to reloading the caliber. Powder and bullets would be great.

I always hear of people claiming they have good accuracy out to 400 yards with their 308...etc If socan you share your recipe

 

[Too Tall]

You wait till Guy gets back from his hunt. He loads and shoots the .308.

 

[.300winmag]

In my .308 I have had great success with the following loads. All use Lapua brass and Fed. 210M Promers.

168 grain Sierra Matchking
41.5 grs IMR 4895
0.015" off the rifling
2640 fps out of my 24" Krieger

168 grain Barne's TSX
43.0 grs IMR 4895
0.015" off the rifling
2740fps out of my 24" Krieger

180 grain Sierra Gameking
43.5 grains IMR 4064
0.020" off rifling
2,760 fps out of my 24" Krieger

165 grain Sierra HPBT GameKing
45.0 grains VARGET
0.015" off rifling
Not sure of velocity

All of these loads shoot well under a MOA for me, the 168 grain Sierra Matchking load is a true 1/2 MOA or better load out of my rifle, definitely not a screamer in terms of velocity but it is an excellent paper punching load. It has performed well for me out to 800 yards at 5500' elevation, past that it starts going transonic and weird stuff happens with it, but this is typical of this bullet, something about its design makes it unstable in the transonic portion of flight. But I hope this helps.

 

[CMBTshooter]

I use a 168 grain Nosler Custom Competition with 44.5 grains IMR 4064 loaded to magazine length. Good accuracy out to 600 yards. I'm not sure of the velocity though.

 

[trsmith1818]

I should elaborate a touch...im looking for hunting loads. Thanks for the awesome info though

 

[JD338]

Congratulations on your new 308 Win.
Medium burn rate powders work real well in the 308. What are you going to hunt and what bullet(s) are you planning on using?

JD338

 

[trsmith1818]

well primarily deer, and I have a bunch of 150gr AB lying around.

 

[Polaris]

The .308 is inherently accurate and versatile i.e. not generally powder fussy.

In the 2 I've loaded for I was able to acheive excellent accuracy using several powders in the apropriate burn rate.

In my old Rem 788, BL-C 2 at either 46gr or 49.5 grains was the top accuracy load using Rem brass, rem 9 1/2 primer and either the Hornady 150 gr SP flat base or the Hor 155 Amax.

In my wife's savage 110, the top load so far is a book load from minus 1 grain to max per Lyman data of IMR 4320, Rem brass and Rem primer with the Speer 150 gr. "mag tip".
The 150 gr speer either in "mag tip" or standard hot cor configuration are real knock out bullets for deer in this round combining good expansion with thorough penetration. The price is right too so you can get lots of practice with your new boomstick. The speer hot cor has a pretty respectable BC despite being a flat based bullet.
I've also had excellent results with IMR 4064 and Viht. N140 in this caliber, but the above were/are my go-to loads. Hope this helps.

 

[vodekzz]

For me Varget 44.5 gr, Lapua brass, CCI B2 primer with Burger 175 gr. COL as long your rifle can take.
5 shots almost in the same hole. Varget always worked for me in Sako 85 and 22 inch barrel. Velocity 2600 FPS. very consistent.

 

[russ808]

I like the Varget@44.5 grains also. But with 168 B-tips and Nosler brass.
Russ

 

[onesonek]

Mine tends to like RL-15, with the 165 and 180 gr. AB's. Can't wait to give the new LR AB a try. But they wouldn't be needed for 400 yds. Either of the other to designs will suffice nicely. But yeah, stay with the Varget/RL-15 powder range be my choice's. Beyond that, each rifle to it own particular liking.

 

[Mortis]

These are the loads for my CZ550 Varmint in 308. OAL is based on longest the magazine will accept.

165 grain Hornaday SST
Powder - 44.5 grains of BLC2
Primer - Federal 210M
Case federal, Win or Rem


180 grain Hornaday Interlock
Powder - 45.5 grains of H380
Primer - Fed 210M
Case Federal, Win or Rem

Over all length - 2.833

 

[oldchet]

Anybody have any load data for the 140 grain Custom Competition?

 

[Guy Miner]

Well, somehow I missed this thread, likely because I was hunting on Veterans Day weekend! :grin:

Love the .308 Win. Great little .30 cal cartridge, easily capable of excellent accuracy. I'll highly recommend this article for good info on loading it for accuracy:

http://www.6mmbr.com/308Win.html

Oldchet, I've never used the 140 gr CC bullet, sorry. Do have it bracketed with good loads for 125 & 150/155 gr bullets, using Varget or RL-15. Both work well.

There are so many good powders for the .308 Win, that it sometimes seems hard to make a recommendation. I typically use Varget or RL-15, but many others work well. IMR4064 is an old favorite. H4895 can be superb as well.

Lapua makes what are likely the best brass cases I've ever used, but truth be told, a lightly cleaned up Winchester brand case can also provide superb accuracy and long life. Federal cases seem a little "soft" but have also produced excellent handloads for me.

The .308 works real well with match grade primers from either Federal or CCI. Not that it does at all badly with standard primers.

The barrels I've used, mostly Krieger with the '95 Palma chamber, haven't been real picky about overall length, so I just load to 2.8" for easy feeding from the short-action magazine. The biggest thing I pay attention to when loading the .308 Win is to seat the bullet very straight, with minimal runout. To do this I use Wilson inline type dies and an arbor press. Others get equally good results from Redding match dies in a standard press. I really do like the arbor press & Wilson dies...

Accuracy can be 1/2 MOA even at 600 yards, from prone, rested over such rudimentary things as my hunting pack or even off a bipod.

Favorite hunting bullet has been, and continues to be, the 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, moving out at 2750 fps via Varget. Literally match-grade accuracy, coupled with a bullet that both expands well, and penetrates more than enough for deer. Exit wounds are typical - you would be amazed at the amount of jacket material around the base of the newer Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets. Was always a fan of them, even back in the 1980's, but they've come a long way towards being a tougher bullet that generally exits - and have retained their wonderful accuracy capability.

Can ya tell I like the .308 and Nosler Ballistic Tips? :grin:

Mine has a 1:12 twist and is best with bullets no more than 175 grains, but it has shot the 190's well too. A 1:10 twist should do better at stabilizing longer, heavier bullets.

Enjoy your .308's! Except for the great bears, I'd hunt any North American big game with a good .308 Win.

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

That is truly impressive performance Guy.

 

[oldchet]

Thank you for the info. I too use RL 15 almost exclusively. My pet load is with the 165 ballistic tip/AccuBond. I have been using the same load since 1998. A large group is .75 inches. These are 3 shot groups from a Howa 1500 with a Richards thumbhole stock. My wife now has that rifle and she shoots quite well. Maybe the new Nosler manual will have some data. I find it strange that the 125 grain loads do not use RL 15. Maybe I'll but some Varget and experiment a little.

 

[hunting1]

44-45 grs of Varget and the 165-168 pill of choice! I can't believe I lived so long before getting a .308, they rock!

 

[Woodycreek]

I have had great results with 48-49gr of Varget with the 150 BT or AB.

 

[trsmith1818]

So I think Varget might be my choice, especially since its not sensitive to extremes of temperature.

The CFE223 looks great with the added speed but no one much to say about it and those that do havent had much luck with accuracy