Favorite powder for .308WIN in a carbine barrel?

I've used the same load in my Steyr for nearly 20 years now...the plain old Remington Corelokt 150gr. It works..but "better" is the enemy of "good enough".

The rifle is quite accurate, but little groups isn't the rifle's forte. It's killing critters from bayonet range to 300yds isn yds..but more likely half that. In that vein- I'm thinking 150 or 165gr Speer Grand Slams or Sierra Pro Hunters. No need for boat tails or tipped bullets at the ranges I'm likely to shoot the rifle at.

What powders are you folks liking in your carbine barrels? The rifle has a 19" tube with a 1:12 twist. There's dozens of powders that would work- but narrowing down the starting point would help.

My tactical loves RL-15 and Varget, well under 1/2 MOA, with both powders and 168 grain Nosler Custom Competition bullets. For hunting I would use the AccuBond.

IMR 4064 and pick your pill 150 SP flat base has been a winner for me from the wife's 20" barrel, as well as various military rifles from 18 to 20" (FAL, G3, Enfield jungle carbine, Israeli K98). Never clocked velocity, but it dings steel and knocks down deer sized critters with authority.

Currently running a couple grains under Hodg data max in the Wife's .308. I think 45ish grains. Currently running the 150 Speer flat based mag tip in that one. Have gotten great accuracy with the 150 Speer Hot Cor and Hornady interlock, both in flat base configuration. My old Remington 788 liked the Hornady a little better. Both do very well on deer. As close to a slam dunk .308 load as you can get. 4064 does well in shorter tubes with this cartridge. Minimal muzzle flash in the brake/flash hider equipped military rifles indicates efficient burn.

46.5gr Benchmark under a Barnes 130gr TTSX has been shooting under .5moa at 300 yds regularly in my rifle. I use Lapua brass and Federal 210M primers.

Shot a nice 8 point buck at just over 200yds. Buck was walking towards me when the hammer dropped. The buck just collapsed and never even twitched. One of the fastest kills I've ever seen.

Elkman":1q003u4x said:

My tactical loves RL-15 and Varget, well under 1/2 MOA, with both powders and 168 grain Nosler Custom Competition bullets. For hunting I would use the AccuBond.

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I’m with Bill here. 15, VARGET, 4895 or 4064 would all be at the top of my list.

I almost never load anything but 165 gr Noslers and either Varget or RL-15 for a .308 Win, no matter the barrel length.

My oldest son has a 20" Browning BLR I occasionally shoot. It just gets 165's over Varget. Does fine.

Guy

Last time I checked, Hodgdon was showing velocity for both 24" rifle barrels and 15" handgun barrels in some cartridges, like the .308 Win.

The powders that produced the most velocity from the rifle barrels, also produced the most velocity from the pistol barrels.

I haven't checked that in a while to see if it still holds true.

Guy

As most have said Varget is my choice in my Rem. 7400 in 308 with 150gr Hornady SPs.

Seems like Varget, RL-15 and IMR4064 are perennial favorites in the .308.

I should be able round one or two of those up pretty easily.

CFE223 has shown to have best velocity and great accuracy out of my 16” barreled 308


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IMR-4064/4895, RL-15 or Win 748 is where I would start. Varget or Benchmark would be solid choices as well.

I bet you would find it harder to find a bad powder than you will finding a good powder.

Thebear_78":1rs265uc said:

CFE223 has shown to have best velocity and great accuracy out of my 16” barreled 308

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I haven't tried that one yet, but I hear good things about CFE223.

Guy

16” 308
168 berger classic hunter
Lapua brass
48.0gr CFE223
F210m
2.88” coal






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IMR 4895 is what I run in my 308 Win rifles. I have found super accurate loads and I also have 24+ pounds of it that was pull down powder from military ammo I bought a number of years ago. It shoots the same as new canister powder for me. If your critters are white tail deer size and under you might give (work up to it) 46 grs IMR 4895 under a 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip a try. Super accurate in everything I have shot it in and it kills deer like lightening struck them out to a little over 300 yards so far. Runs 3000 fps from my 21 1/2" barrel.

CFE223 looks impressive from a 16" barrel!
Good show.

JD338

JD338":bgjyfjk7 said:

CFE223 looks impressive from a 16" barrel!
Good show.

JD338

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That's what I was just thinking.

2600+ fps, with a 168 gr bullet from a 16" barreled .308 Win is impressive!

Guy

I have always had great results with 150gr PAR or TTSX and Win748 for both speed over my Chrono and accuracy.
Win748 or benchmark with 125-130gr bullets from Nosler, Speer and Barnes TTSX has been very good to me.
I have an 18" barrel custom rifle much like the Rem Model 7.

"The powders that produced the most velocity from the rifle barrels, also produced the most velocity from the pistol barrels.

Ditto...

My Rem 600 is finicky as hell as to what it will shoot well. It took a lot of trial & shotgun like patterns to find 4064 w/180 BT's and get under MOA. Killed my biggest buck with it. Heavy quartering frontal shot, found the bullet just under the hide on the off side rear flank. Stem to stern penetration.

Try Power Pro 2000-MR or TAC.