.308 best powder?
- Thread starter goindeep
- Start date
- Status
R.W.Dale
Member
varget varget varget and varget
RavenVT100
Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2004
- Messages
- 1,107
I favor IMR 4895 for that bullet weight.
Fatelvis
Member
RL15, Varget, H4895 or IMR4895, or IMR4064. I have the same rifle, and settled on RL15 after trying these. They all gave great results, but I am loading the 175 SMK instead of the 168. Good luck!
cpttango30
Member
Most 308 will eat any powder made for them.
IMR 4895
Varget
Benchmark
RL 15
RL10X
Win 748
Win 760
VV N140, N150, N540, N550
and bunches more
Soon to be released RL17 suposted to best RL15 by at least 200fps or more.
The 308 is not very picky when it comes to powder every powder I have tried in mine has produced 3/4" or better groups at 100 yards. Not good enough for me but I am getting there.
IMR 4895
Varget
Benchmark
RL 15
RL10X
Win 748
Win 760
VV N140, N150, N540, N550
and bunches more
Soon to be released RL17 suposted to best RL15 by at least 200fps or more.
The 308 is not very picky when it comes to powder every powder I have tried in mine has produced 3/4" or better groups at 100 yards. Not good enough for me but I am getting there.
DaveInFloweryBranchGA
Member
IMR4895 or IMR4064 are both good. Lots of others too.
It's not a picky cartridge like some, which makes it good to reload for in that respect.
Dave
It's not a picky cartridge like some, which makes it good to reload for in that respect.
Dave
308sc
Member
I really love IMR 4064, Varget, and IMR 4895. I Recommend against using BL-C(2) because for me it was so dirty...
NCsmitty
Member
Any of the medium burn rate powders work well in the 308. The slower powders are not as efficient and will not give top velocities. Check out some load manuals or the online load data bases that are available. Hodgden.com is a good one.
NCsmitty
NCsmitty
rbernie
Contributing Member
I've been using Varget, but will move over to Ramshot TAC when I burn thru my last lot of Varget.
Clark
Member
I like H335 for hunting and IMR4895 for targets.
I like Winchester 748 and 760.
Both meter well through my powder measure and are very consistent, which leads to pretty good groups.
I started with 748 but I've found that my rifle works fine with 760 and it's easier on the gas system, so why not?
Both meter well through my powder measure and are very consistent, which leads to pretty good groups.
I started with 748 but I've found that my rifle works fine with 760 and it's easier on the gas system, so why not?
Yosemite**Sam
Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2006
- Messages
- 156
I've used both IMR 4064 and 4895 with excellent results. You can't go wrong with either.
I tried 748 and wasn't too impressed, but it was my first shot at reloading. I switched from 165g sptizer to 168gr BTHP, (both hornady), and 41.3gr of Varget and found the "sweet spot" for shooting my AR10B. I'm sticking with Varget.
BTW: I did work up my loads using a bench tie down, with 5 rounds of each load.
BTW: I did work up my loads using a bench tie down, with 5 rounds of each load.
jaholder1971
Member
42 grains IMR 4895 and Sierra 168's have been a benchmark load forever. If your rifle won't group that there's usually something wrong. Ditto 41.5 and a Sierra 175. OAL 2.830"
Varget and RL15 have a stellar reputation in the long range shooting 175 and 180's. My hunting/F class load is 42 grains RL15 and a Nosler 180 BT.
Varget and RL15 have a stellar reputation in the long range shooting 175 and 180's. My hunting/F class load is 42 grains RL15 and a Nosler 180 BT.
Me, too. I did some head-to-head comparisons of Varget and H-335, and my H335 loads came out SLIGHTLY more accurate. Haven't seen any issue with temperature variance...yet...
But that's just my rifle and my load for 150gr. bullets.
fitz47
Member
i found Ramshot Tac an excellant powder for .308win using 150 gr to 168 gr bullets works well in semi auto G-3 and Rem 788
robsc
Member
Win748 or H380 or IMR3031
A method to select powder is to look at the manual for all of the powders for the .308win. Select the powder that uses the least charge weight to achieve the highest velocity, to get the most shots per pound of powder. Those powders that give the lowest charge weights to get the 2400-2750 fps will give more shots per pound.
H380 was always the #1 choice for benchrest accuracy. Hodgedon stopped making it for a long time but demand and inquiries for it prompted Hodgedon to start making it again. Win748 took over as the preferred powder for the .308win after Hodgedon discontiued H380.
Varget, Vitavori and some others have since some along and also give consistently accurate shooting in the .308win., but are more expensive than the Win748, H380, 3031, 4895, BLc2.
The.308win. is not persnickety about the powder used in it. Some powders do work better than others. What you can afford to shoot in it also affects your choice.
Best velocity for whitetail deer using the .308win. is around 2500fps. with 165 or 168gr. bullets. Not too fast, nor too slow to avoid wounding the animal and it escaping nor causing excessive meat damage. I lost six deer using 150 grain bullets. I was using a Remington 742 1/10inch twist, which was accurate with 180grain bullets. The 180`s were tearing up too much of the deer. I was throwing away neck, both shoulders and both ribs, getting only the back and hind quarters for the freezer. The 150 grain bullets were not accurate. I flipped the Remington 742 for a Browning Abolt 1/12 twist. More accurate. 180 grain bullets are better for elk. I still get meat loss with the 165`s but not 50% of the deer.
42grains - 42.5 grains of Win748 gives .5 m.o.a. accuracy and velocity spread from 2500 - 2518 fps. (42grains) with my rifle.
The .308win. is a fine deer/elk hunting caliber.
A method to select powder is to look at the manual for all of the powders for the .308win. Select the powder that uses the least charge weight to achieve the highest velocity, to get the most shots per pound of powder. Those powders that give the lowest charge weights to get the 2400-2750 fps will give more shots per pound.
H380 was always the #1 choice for benchrest accuracy. Hodgedon stopped making it for a long time but demand and inquiries for it prompted Hodgedon to start making it again. Win748 took over as the preferred powder for the .308win after Hodgedon discontiued H380.
Varget, Vitavori and some others have since some along and also give consistently accurate shooting in the .308win., but are more expensive than the Win748, H380, 3031, 4895, BLc2.
The.308win. is not persnickety about the powder used in it. Some powders do work better than others. What you can afford to shoot in it also affects your choice.
Best velocity for whitetail deer using the .308win. is around 2500fps. with 165 or 168gr. bullets. Not too fast, nor too slow to avoid wounding the animal and it escaping nor causing excessive meat damage. I lost six deer using 150 grain bullets. I was using a Remington 742 1/10inch twist, which was accurate with 180grain bullets. The 180`s were tearing up too much of the deer. I was throwing away neck, both shoulders and both ribs, getting only the back and hind quarters for the freezer. The 150 grain bullets were not accurate. I flipped the Remington 742 for a Browning Abolt 1/12 twist. More accurate. 180 grain bullets are better for elk. I still get meat loss with the 165`s but not 50% of the deer.
42grains - 42.5 grains of Win748 gives .5 m.o.a. accuracy and velocity spread from 2500 - 2518 fps. (42grains) with my rifle.
The .308win. is a fine deer/elk hunting caliber.
Average Joe
Member
I use IMR 4895 for the .308
kennedy
Member
H4895, so far have had 2, five shot groups at 100 yds in .4in, most are .6 to 1 in groups.
waffentomas
Member
I tried Varget, H4350, WW 760, RL 15, and found all pretty good. But WW 748 kept giving the tightest groups. So it's my .308 powder.
Tom
Tom
- Status
