Help on .308 reloading

[orcldba]

Varget and 4064 are my powders of choice, but I've had good luck with 380, better with 4350.
I've not had good luck with 748 as loads developed in summer aren't solid in the fall.
Make sure brass is trimmed & necks annealed; that makes a huge difference in velocity.
My preference is CCI primers over Federal too. Lots of variables to play with.

 

[Highvoltage]

I'm interested in your results with varget and the 165 gamechanger. I shoot a 165 nosler ballistic tip( awesome bullet btw) from my tikka in front of varget and it does well. If the 165 gamechanger shoots like the 140 gr from my 270 it will be very easy to find a 1/2" load quick. Best of luck!

 

[skipglo]

Hello All,

After reading the very interesting and informative thread "One Powder to rule them all (30.06)", I thought I'd take advantage of the collective wisdom of this site and pose the following enquiry:

At the young age of 70 I have just acquired my first hunting rifle, a new Mauser M 18 in .308 Win. Just fired it yesterday for the first time with some military rounds to start breaking it in.

Where I am from there is very limited availability of reloading components and I have available (some friends actually) the following powders:
-W 748
-Varget
-IMR 4064
-IMR 4320
and some IMR 3031 (not a lot).

And the following bullets:
- 50 each of Nosler Partition Sptzer in 165gr
-100 each of Hornady Interlock 150 gr SP
-100 each of Sierra Tipped GameKing Gamechanger in 165 gr

I trust the knowledgeable members of the board will come up with proper combinations for fallow dear, wild boar and red stag, which is what we have around here as far as big game is concerned.

Thanks in advance for your contributions,

JC

If your Military loads are like ours then they are probably steel jacketed with copper and very hard on barrels!

 

[JayCee49]

Hello All,

(Better late than never).

Yesterday I tried out the following:
Lapua once fired brass that I resized
Winchester LR primers
Varget (46gr)
Sierra GameChanger 165gr
COAL 2.87 (my oal's are limited by the magazine)
Mauser M 18 with sound moderator (Wildcat Evolution made in the UK)
Caldwell Chronograph (10ft from muzzle)
Recorded average speed 2751.4fps (standard dev. 6.8)
Shot at 100m with some left to right crosswind
(First shot on the right I did not pay proper attention to a gust of wind)

 

[skipglo]

Hello All,

(Better late than never).

Yesterday I tried out the following:
Lapua once fired brass that I resized
Winchester LR primers
Varget (46gr)
Sierra GameChanger 165gr
COAL 2.87 (my oal's are limited by the magazine)
Mauser M 18 with sound moderator (Wildcat Evolution made in the UK)
Caldwell Chronograph (10ft from muzzle)
Recorded average speed 2751.4fps (standard dev. 6.8)
Shot at 100m with some left to right crosswind
(First shot on the right I did not pay proper attention to a gust of wind)
View attachment 156890

Well done!

 

[Cecil Higgins]

I agree with the target but I have found a very accurate,in my 308s, load of 46.5 grains with a 150 hornady sst bullet, and of all things winchester primers. Shoots equally well in both my rifles. This is my load and not intended for use by others , to do so is at your own risk....blag blag blah.. you get it. I shot clover leafs at 300 yards with both my Henry lever action long ranger and my ruger american predator rifle.



After reading the very interesting and informative thread "One Powder to rule them all (30.06)", I thought I'd take advantage of the collective wisdom of this site and pose the following enquiry:

At the young age of 70 I have just acquired my first hunting rifle, a new Mauser M 18 in .308 Win. Just fired it yesterday for the first time with some military rounds to start breaking it in.

Where I am from there is very limited availability of reloading components and I have available (some friends actually) the following powders:
-W 748
-Varget
-IMR 4064
-IMR 4320
and some IMR 3031 (not a lot).

And the following bullets:
- 50 each of Nosler Partition Sptzer in 165gr
-100 each of Hornady Interlock 150 gr SP
-100 each of Sierra Tipped GameKing Gamechanger in 165 gr

I trust the knowledgeable members of the board will come up with proper combinations for fallow dear, wild boar and red stag, which is what we have around here as far as big game is concerned.

Thanks in advance for your contributions,

JC[/QUOTE]

 

[Cecil Higgins]

Should say varget powder and I will add lake city brass

I agree with the target but I have found a very accurate,in my 308s, load of 46.5 grains with a 150 hornady sst bullet, and of all things winchester primers. Shoots equally well in both my rifles. This is my load and not intended for use by others , to do so is at your own risk....blag blag blah.. you get it. I shot clover leafs at 300 yards with both my Henry lever action long ranger and my ruger american predator rifle.



After reading the very interesting and informative thread "One Powder to rule them all (30.06)", I thought I'd take advantage of the collective wisdom of this site and pose the following enquiry:

At the young age of 70 I have just acquired my first hunting rifle, a new Mauser M 18 in .308 Win. Just fired it yesterday for the first time with some military rounds to start breaking it in.

Where I am from there is very limited availability of reloading components and I have available (some friends actually) the following powders:
-W 748
-Varget
-IMR 4064
-IMR 4320
and some IMR 3031 (not a lot).

And the following bullets:
- 50 each of Nosler Partition Sptzer in 165gr
-100 each of Hornady Interlock 150 gr SP
-100 each of Sierra Tipped GameKing Gamechanger in 165 gr

I trust the knowledgeable members of the board will come up with proper combinations for fallow dear, wild boar and red stag, which is what we have around here as far as big game is concerned.

Thanks in advance for your contributions,

JC

[/QUOTE]

 

[alaska]

Varget or IMR 4064 in the 308 Win with 168/165.
Fed Gold Medal Match uses IMR 4064 with 168/175 MK as well as military sniper ammo.

 

[alaska]

What about CFE?

CFE 223 very temp sensitive but great vel with 165 to 180 in 308 Win.
Slower burn rate than Varget.

 

[Cecil Higgins]

Not sure why my post didn't include my response but here we go.
I agree with the Varget powder.
My load for my rifles is a very accurate one.

my load is as follows and should not be used by anyone . If you use it ,you do so at your own risk.

I load my 308 Winchester with
46.5 grains of Varget powder
Lake City Brass
150 gr. (Yes 150 gr.) Hornady SST Bullet
Winchester Large Rifle primer

I can shoot clovers out to 300 yards then it open at about 375 to 385 yards.
At 400 it is about 1 inch and at 500 I'm at about 1 1/2 inches .
I have 2 different 308 rifles shooting this well with this load
1 is my Henry Lever action. Yes I couldn't believe it either but the bolt it self has 6 rotating locking lugs that lock it in place. Amazed me personally.
The other is a Ruger American Predator rifle. All the shooting was done from a bench.

500 yards is all I can shoot here but I would love to see a 600 and 700 yard target with this.
I wouldn't hesitate to take a Elk or Deer with this.

just my rambling.

 

[JayCee49]

Merry Christmas All!!!

Yesterday tried out a new "iteration" of what should become my all around hunting load:

Lapua brass that was fire formed in the M 18 and was neck sized and trimmed to 2.006
Federal Match primer
46.2 gr of Varget
165 gr Sierra Gamechanger
New mean speed of five shot group: 2773 fps
SD: 12.7 fps
Spread: 27fps
Again a little wind on one of the five shots

Best Season's Greetings!

JC

 

[JayCee49]

Oh, forgot COAL 2.870
Shot at 100 meters
There are NO signs of undue pressure. Should I try for 2,800 fps going to 46.4 or 46.5 grains? Would that "risk" be gilding the lily?

JC

 

[alaska]

Game changers 165
IMR 4064 @ 44.0
WW Brass
Fed 210m primer

 

[okie man]

That.

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

electronic powder dispenser took that out of the equation for me.