H380 in 308

[Alderman]

Loaded my first ammo for the 308 with H380.
48 grains with a 165 Nosler Partition went 3.625"
50 grains went right at 1" which is plenty good for a hunt load
This is a compressed load in the Hornady Match cases.

Will retry the 50 grain load to see if I can do this well consistently.

 

[DrMike]

That is looking very promising. I've had good success with H380 in 308s with several bullets in the past.

 

[Alderman]

My second attempt with the 50 grain load went 3.75 inches. Shots 1 and 3 went in the group. I would think the WLR primer should be hot enough. What causes one shot to go low?

 

[DrMike]

Disappointing after such a rich promise. If it is the same shot that is low each time, it could be attributed to fatigue or mechanical interference. If it is random, then it is likely that you are seeing the true potential (or lack thereof) for the load.

 

[Divernhunter]

That is a ball powder. Try a mag primer.
I had the same results(or lack of) using H-450 in a 257Roberts. Only change was a mag primer(win or Fed) and it produces all in one hole groups when I do my part on a constant basis.

Rule of thumb I learned long ago was to use mag primers with ball powders. For all hunting loads I use mag primers anyways now and still get excellent groups with stick powders and such.

 

[Alderman]

Will back off a bit and try a mag prime to see if there is any improvement.

 

[Guy Miner]

My shop is a disaster right now, with all the home renovation stuff going on and I can't get to my old notes. Way back when dinosaurs prowled the earth, I had black hair, and Dr. Mike was a young man...

H380 was a favored powder in the .308 Win for "Hunter Benchrest" competition, to 300 yards. I shot some very good groups with it, and saw some, even better, by serious competitors.

Eventually I got interested in longer range competition and needed more velocity than I could safely get from the H380, so I haven't used it with the .308 in 15+ years. Maybe more like 20 years... But it can deliver the accuracy. I'm talking 1/4" five shot groups from a match barrel, at 100 yards. Some of the most accurate shooting I've ever done from 100 - 300 yards, was done with that powder and the 168 grain Sierra Matchking.

I don't recall the exact load - but muzzle velocity was poking along at about 2400 fps, lots of drop and wind drift on the 600 yard line so I went to a different powder with a higher velocity for long range competition.

Guy

 

[DrMike]

True, dat, Guy. I think I killed the last dinosaur (it was like yesterday). :shock: I never get great velocities out of H380 in the 308, but it has always given me excellent accuracy. It worked marvellously with 168 grain TSX and TTSX in the 308. I don't use it much; but when I have a truly challenging problem, it will receive consideration. I recall one rifle that delivered consistently 0.1 inch groups. Velocities weren't great; but for punching paper at nominal distances it was sure impressive. For moderate distances in hunting, it would still be a powder that I looked at.

 

[SJB358]

It doesn't look horrible at all in QL.

Cartridge : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 168, Sierra HPBT MK 2200
Useable Case Capaci: 48.603 grain H2O = 3.156 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder : Hodgdon H380

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 83 38.00 2167 1752 30412 6802 87.8 1.467
-18.0 85 38.95 2223 1843 32510 7023 89.1 1.427
-16.0 87 39.90 2278 1935 34759 7238 90.3 1.387
-14.0 89 40.85 2333 2031 37172 7448 91.4 1.349
-12.0 91 41.80 2389 2129 39760 7650 92.5 1.306
-10.0 93 42.75 2445 2229 42538 7844 93.6 1.266
-08.0 95 43.70 2500 2332 45523 8030 94.5 1.227
-06.0 98 44.65 2556 2438 48731 8206 95.4 1.190
-04.0 100 45.60 2612 2545 52184 8372 96.2 1.153
-02.0 102 46.55 2668 2656 55904 8527 96.9 1.119 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 104 47.50 2724 2768 59916 8670 97.6 1.085 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 106 48.45 2780 2883 64251 8801 98.2 1.052 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 108 49.40 2836 3001 68941 8917 98.7 1.021 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 110 50.35 2892 3120 74025 9020 99.1 0.990 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 112 51.30 2948 3242 79546 9108 99.5 0.961 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 114 52.25 3004 3367 85557 9179 99.7 0.932 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 104 47.50 2853 3035 72014 8528 100.0 1.006 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 104 47.50 2552 2430 48327 8388 91.3 1.189

 

[HTDUCK]

I've shot 48 grs of H380 and 165 BTs at whitetails for years .
Never chronoed them though.
Never had to shoot a deer twice either.

 

[Alderman]

I plan on playing with the H380 some more when I get my shooting range back.


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