Help on .308 reloading

[Snowboy]

Your rifle will dictate the proper combination. I'm a fan of varget in the 308. 43.5 low and 46 high node with 165 bullets. Think the partitions are the best hunting bullet listed.

What about CFE?

 

[Reloder28]

i will second the varget and 4064.
i like 4064 better( i actually have no varget in my powder selection. i am the one and only person that cannot get it to shoot better than another powder in my selection).
FEDERAL PRIMERS
nosler bullet

Try CCI primers.

 

[Reloder28]

Lapua brass
155 Scenar
Seat depth: push it down until it stops
CCI 200
48.5 gr's Varget
2900 fps
One ragged hole from each of my five 308's.

 

[Wolf76]

What about CFE?

What about it?
Varget, 4064, 4895, and rl 15 are the most common powders for the 308.
There are others, but there's a reason these get used the vast majority of the time.

 

[MudRunner2005]

What about it?
Varget, 4064, 4895, and rl 15 are the most common powders for the 308.
There are others, but there's a reason the others get used the vast majority of the time.

Yeah, it's because other people just simply don't try new things for themselves once they find something that works. I discovered both CFE223 and LeverEvolution are awesome powders for the .308 Win. during the Obama ban attempt when Varget could not be found. It helps if you keep a burn-chart handy, you can find out what is and isn't close to what you already use. LeverEvolution is ****-near identical to Varget, but in small spherical ball shape granules instead of longer-cut extruded kernels like Varget. CFE223 is a bit slower, and better for the heavier bullets (175+).

 

[orcldba]

I like H380 as well, but it's slower than the 4064/4895 series.

 

[elf]

I also vote for Varget and the 165 Nosler AB

 

[SMK1000plus]

I've used IMR 4064 with good results with 165gr & 168gr Sierra, 150gr Nosler and 150gr Barnes TTSX bullets, in multiple 308 Wins. I got better accuracy and velocity with Reloder 15 (RL-15) with the same bullets but, RL-15 was considerably more temperature sensitive than the 4064. Next I worked up some excellent loads for Varget and everything was great, for a while. Relatively temp stable, excellent accuracy and good velocity. Enter Obama, Varget disappeared! Then I discovered a brand new powder (at that time), Reloder 16 (RL-16)! It is the most temperature stable, and easiest to load powder that I have ever used. It is also the most versatile, producing excellent accuracy and higher velocities with multiple bullet weights, in many cartridges, including 308 Win. A bonus in 308 Win is that load work up was very easy with relatively large accuracy nodes, when using the Sierra165gr & 168gr and the Barnes 150gr TTSX bullets. My RL-16 loads consistently shoot sub-MOA in all of my 308 Win rifles. Now it seems everyone has discovered RL-16 and it is a bit harder to get lately. I initially ordered 32 lbs, several years ago, when I first discovered it. I'm down to my last 8# jug but, Midsouth Shooters Supply has some available, so I ordered another 32 lbs of it Tuesday. I like to order larger quantities at a time so that I don't have to deal with different lot # testing as often. I do the same with bullets, primers and cases. Once I have a load tuned, I can load it for quite a few years.

 

[Rick Richard]

My 5R loved 4064 with 168 AMAX. Shot a .195 5 shot group with it once, however it would normally print sub 1/2 inch 5 shot groups.

 

[okie man]

Cfe223 gives outstanding velocity but I found it very sensitive to load.with only 2grains or so between starting and max loads one must be very diligent in weighing charges to keep es and sd in check. I passed on it after about 50 rounds in favor of imr 4064

 

[JayCee49]

Hello All,

I have taken my time, but here are some results all at 100m:

Commercial ammo, Winchester Ballistic Silvertip (150gr.):

Reloads.
Sierra GameChangers (165gr), Federal brass, 45.8gr of Varget
Speeds were erratic: 2755, 2863, 2693, 2779 and 2847

Same as above but 45.9gr of W 748 instead of Varget
Speeds also erratic:
2636, 2578, 2804, 2747 and 2552 fps.

Your comments will be appreciated.

Regards,

JC
P.S.: Forgot to mention all tests have been done with a UK made sound moderator (Wildcat Evolution). jc

 

[xsn10s]

For me Fed210 standard or match primers helped with erratic velocity. Also I just saw a temperature sensitivity chart and it rated H4895 very well. So in the 150gr-168gr class bullets I'm going to go back to H4895. It gave me excellent accuracy and decent velocities a decade ago.

 

[sea2summit]

Imr4064 and varget are the 2 best choices. I run imr4064 for 2 reasons. I get outstanding velocity and es. WIth it. It also is cheaper and more readily available than varget.

That.

Only advantage to Varget over 4064 is it meeters better. Other than that 4064 all day long.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Looks like your getting your reloads sorted JC,,, only a suggestion when I'm working up a load...

I stick to 1 brand of bullet that I plan on using...

1 type of brass,,, 1 powder,,, CCI bench rest primers,,, and 1 bullet,,, Ha,,, I'm Fuzzy that way...

I do alot of prep on my brass,,, pay close attention to seating the primers,,, and watch my powder charges like a hawk...

0.3gr spread until I see signs of pressure,,, it seems that I find some pretty tight groups in the hotter loads,,, then I reduce the loads from my tightest group till I find the next tightest group at the lower node...

Now I have 2 awesome loads I can run with,,, 1 for hunting,,, the other for the 8 months of the off season,,, a win win...

I like the 1,1,1,1... It produces some of the tightest groups I've ever shot...

6 years running as I strive to improve my reloads everyday,,, the endless learning curve that many of us practic...

Keep up the good work JC,,, feel free to pm me if your interested in the simple man's ladder test,,, my old school shooting friend shared it with me since its easy to do and saves alot of time...

Cheers from the North