Well ALMOST there

[DartonJager]

FINALLY got my hands on some powder specifically for 308 Win after many long months of looking. I usually never buy more than a single lb of any powder when developing loads for a all new caliber/rifle for obvious reasons, but the store owner assured me this was the first 308 specific powder he had gotten in 5-6 months and had no idea when he would get any more IMR4064 LET ALONE IMR4166/4895/8288BR, Varget or RL15 and was apologetic because all he could get were 8lb jugs. The fact that IMR4064 has a stellar rep with the 308 and the fact the owner sold it to me for $220/OTD sealed the deal.
Chose IMR4064 based on advice of members here and I gave up trying to find Varget.
Well with having secured a 8lb jug of IMR 4064 looks I have all my reloading components together. My 308 reloading component set includes:

Savage 10FCP with 24" heavy fluted barrel 5-R rifling Savage Accustock and Accutrigger
Talley 20moa base
Redding Body Only Sizing Die
Lee Collet Die
Forster MM/BR bullet seating die
5K same lot# Federal LR 210M Gold Medal Match primers
IMR4064 powder
Sierra 175 MK bullets
Burger 175 LRB
200 pieces of same lot# 308 LRP Lapua brass

Now to secure a scope which I will be posting a question here about that.

 

[Rugerman77]

Great powder for the 308. I run it in a couple and load some for some other guys. I've found it to be a mid to hot charge that shoots the best. I only load 165-168gr bullets for all of mine and others guns. All for hunting though.
Good luck

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

i agree 4064 has always been a solid reliable performer in the 308's ive loaded for.

they all seemed to settle right at max powder charge given the particular bullet weight i was using.

good luck!

 

[DartonJager]

You are both quite welcome.
When I bought the Savage I was absolutely certain that of the 2 dozen or more powder types I own made by IMR, HOD, Accurate, VV, RS, Alliant, and WIN that I would have one well suited for 308 reloads and if not I could always buy one.
Did a powder inventory and discovered much to my surprise, I only had a couple of powders that would work OK but were less than ideally suited for the 308Win. Then I sat on the rifle for over two years until my son needed it for last years deer season and I discovered while setting it up just how phenomenally well the rifle could shoot so I decided to get it set up and finally begin my LR shooting education. Then the PLANdemic hit and I found myself scrambling to acquire (unlike rifle) the only HG reloading component I lacked in large bulk numbers before the real panic buying began and unfortunately did.

After much much research it became apparent that four powders equally shined above all others for the 308Win and bullets from 160's-180 weight classes: IMR4064, IMR4166/Varget and RL15. When due to issues with sensitivity to high temps encountered in Afghanistan, the US military reportedly switched from RL15 to IMR4064 for their 308Win reloads for their snipers, that sold me on IMR4064 as being my #1 choice if I could get it, IMR4166 in their Enduron line of powders was also my other #1 if I could get it as it supposedly mimics the performance of Varget and is very temp stable and I had given up on ever finding Varget in stock ANYWHERE and I looked and looked.

As it turned out the first powder I came across of the ones I wanted was luckily IMR4064, but if I came across any of the others I would have jumped on them.
Now I just have to acquire a scope and are leaning towards a VX5 HD 3-15x44 HTMR.
Already bought a 20MAO base and once which height I need is determined are going with 30mm 4 screw Burris Signature Z rings.
Have used Burris Z rings for over 15 years on my hardest recoiling rifles and have been 100% satisfied with them and not having to lap them and no ring marks is a great plus.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Your right about the powder choices, found RL15 at high node to be very accurate for 308, but use 4064 in my 22-250 for accuracy as well. I keep holding on and waiting for varget to appear at some point for my 7mm-08's. Z rings and the leupold should be a good scope and rings combo, I like the offset bushing pack you can get from burris for centering reticle and overcoming any problems with mount holes being drilled off. Good Shooting!

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

Congrats of finding 4064! I haven't seen any in many months. Good luck on load development!

 

[wv270wsm]

4064 is an excellent choice sir . I think that it is a very versatile choice . I use it in several medium bore cartridges from 243 up to 30-06 with great results. My 7 mm 08 absolutely loves it . Good shooting

 

[Lowlander]

I think you'll find the IMR4064 great for the 308 too. It's one of my go to powders for my match loads. I have some 178 ELDM ladders loaded up ready to try out. It's a classic, easy to tune powder in 308. Pretty sure FGMM is loaded with it...

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Glad you were able to find powder I've been in the same boat trying to find powder for 308 and my 30-06 I just started hand loading about 6 months or so ago I have been able to find primers at a local shop and about all the powder I've bought I've had to order.i still find bullets from time to time but powder has really been a pain for sure

 

[Rick Richard]

My best 5 shot .308 group was done with 4064 and 168 AMAX. It measured .195.

 

[Lowlander]

Glad you were able to find powder I've been in the same boat trying to find powder for 308 and my 30-06 I just started hand loading about 6 months or so ago I have been able to find primers at a local shop and about all the powder I've bought I've had to order.i still find bullets from time to time but powder has really been a pain for sure

That's weird how it varies by area, I picked up a pound of BLC-2 for the 22BR today at the LGS. They had pretty much anything except Varget. So I go every chance I get and pick some up while I can. But there are no primers or any sign of anyone getting them. If the LGS owners are getting primers in, they are holding on to them, selling to buddies, gunbroker, etc...

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

My best 5 shot .308 group was done with 4064 and 168 AMAX. It measured .195.

I have some loaded up to try out now just trying to find the time