I only hunt whitetail with my 308 and usually use Varger, IMR 4895, or IMR 4064 to work up my loads. With powder being tough to find I am having to try new ones and I am not sure what to do. Anyone know of any powders around these days that would be ok for 308? I have seen IMR 4007 SSC for sale lots of places and Hogdon lists loads on their website with it - Anyone have any experience here? Should I just wait for my favorite powders to come back?
Good 308 hunting powder
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Don McDowell
Member
I use 748 mostly, with some smattering of RL15, in the 308's.
I've heard some good reports on Ramshots Biggame and TAC powders, I bought some of the Biggame to try, but ended up ran most of it thru the 30-30 ai, and never got around to trying it in the other cartridges I had in mind for it.
I've heard some good reports on Ramshots Biggame and TAC powders, I bought some of the Biggame to try, but ended up ran most of it thru the 30-30 ai, and never got around to trying it in the other cartridges I had in mind for it.
Zeke/PA
Member
I use IMR 4064 in almost everything and a few years back my Buddy and I , mainly to beat the HazMat costs split a 10 Lb. batch.
I have enough for quite awhile and I guess the Shooting gods were smiling down.
I have enough for quite awhile and I guess the Shooting gods were smiling down.
The good news is that almost any powder works well in a 308. Varget and RL-15 are my prefered powders, but 3031,4895, 4064 work great as well. Ramshot TAC is often overlooked, cheaper and still on shelves in many places. Ramshot Big Game could be used with 165 gr or heavier.
Kachok
Member
Varget, RL15, and 748. Lots of guys swear by 4064 but I can never find the stuff even before the crunch hit.
KansasSasquatch
Member
Superformance appears to be a little on the slow side for .308 according to Hodgdon's burn rate chart. http://hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html Hodgdon only list data for .22-250, .243, 6mm Remington, .243WSSM, .25WSSM, .280Remington, .30-06, .300RCM, and .300WSM. Looks like it's mainly intended for some of the smaller bore magnum cartridges or they just haven't found the time to test it with other cartridges. I'd look for something between H322 and H414 on that burn rate chart. 4007 would fall into that range but there's no guarantee it will work perfectly for you, get a pound and test it out.
gandog56
Member
My go to rifle powder is H4895. I reload everything from .223 to 8X56R with it.
According to:
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=25&cartridge=80
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=12&cartridge=80
R15 beats R17 with 150's and 165's by 100-150 fps. 180's are only about 30 fps faster with R15. They show no data for R19 in a 308.
I get good results with R17 in my 300 WSM, but I'm not convinced it is a good 308 powder, but would be interested to hear what your loads and speeds are like.
newfalguy101
Member
I have been using WW748 as long as I have loaded .308
Using a 24" barrel and a 150gr SP at a nominal 2.800" OAL, here are the top two dozen powders in order that pass of the test of:
≤ 55,000psi
≥ 90% case fill
≥ 95% burn
Alliant Reloder-17
Ramshot BigGame
IMR 4895
IMR 3031
Winchester 748
Hodgdon BL-C2
Alliant Reloder-15
Accurate 2520
Hodgdon H4895
Accurate 2495
Hodgdon H380
IMR 4320
Alliant AR-Comp
Ramshot TAC
Vihtavuori N540
Vihtavuori N530
Hodgdon H322
Hodgdon VARGET
IMR 8208 XBR
IMR 4064
Accurate 2460
Vihtavuori N140
Accurate 2230
There's about a 100fps range from top-to-bottom, but the 308Win eats about any mid-speed powder
≤ 55,000psi
≥ 90% case fill
≥ 95% burn
Alliant Reloder-17
Ramshot BigGame
IMR 4895
IMR 3031
Winchester 748
Hodgdon BL-C2
Alliant Reloder-15
Accurate 2520
Hodgdon H4895
Accurate 2495
Hodgdon H380
IMR 4320
Alliant AR-Comp
Ramshot TAC
Vihtavuori N540
Vihtavuori N530
Hodgdon H322
Hodgdon VARGET
IMR 8208 XBR
IMR 4064
Accurate 2460
Vihtavuori N140
Accurate 2230
There's about a 100fps range from top-to-bottom, but the 308Win eats about any mid-speed powder
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LeonCarr
Member
In order of most consistent (Lowest ES/SD, best accuracy) results:
1. IMR-4895
2. IMR-4064
3. H4895
4. Varget
5. Ramshot TAC
Most of the deer and hogs I have shot in my life (Around 150 animals total) have been shot with the 150 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip and IMR-4895 in the .308 Winchester. Match Grade Accuracy (Sub-MOA in just about any bolt action rifle, right around .5 MOA in my slightly tuned Remington 700PSS) and excellent terminal performance on game.
Keep looking online DAILY, be prepared to jump with CC info ready, and you can find the above powders. The only one I have not seen at all during this drama is Varget. IME Ramshot TAC will do anything that Varget will do in terms of velocity, but IME it is not quite as accurate on paper or as consistent over the chrono, but YMMV.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
1. IMR-4895
2. IMR-4064
3. H4895
4. Varget
5. Ramshot TAC
Most of the deer and hogs I have shot in my life (Around 150 animals total) have been shot with the 150 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip and IMR-4895 in the .308 Winchester. Match Grade Accuracy (Sub-MOA in just about any bolt action rifle, right around .5 MOA in my slightly tuned Remington 700PSS) and excellent terminal performance on game.
Keep looking online DAILY, be prepared to jump with CC info ready, and you can find the above powders. The only one I have not seen at all during this drama is Varget. IME Ramshot TAC will do anything that Varget will do in terms of velocity, but IME it is not quite as accurate on paper or as consistent over the chrono, but YMMV.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
FROGO207
Member
I like Tac and BLC-2 the best for my 308 loadimg.
But I have used 3031, IMR 4895, and Varget with OK results in my bolt 308's.
But I have used 3031, IMR 4895, and Varget with OK results in my bolt 308's.gandog56
Member
My go to powder has ALWAYS been H4895. But beware, H 4895 and IMR 4895 are not grain for grain equivalents! I usually have like a 2-3 grain difference for the same bullet weight.
SlowFuse
Member
The last time I bought powder (around 3 months ago) I took a burn rate chart and ended up with Alliant and Ramshot variants. I have always been a Hodgdon/Winchester user but I branched out and found powder that worked and loads I liked. None of my usuals were on the shelf so I made do, and found a couple of loads that worked just as well as my standard ones. Others, most were ok and will keep me shooting until things loosen up a bit.
Mehavey and leoncarr provided what looks like nice lists to get you started.
Mehavey and leoncarr provided what looks like nice lists to get you started.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
You are lucky because there are about 20 powders that will do a good job in the 308. If 4007 is available you can use that powder. My 2 favorites are 4895 and 4064 but in these times we have to make due...
morcey2
Member
I can't believe so many of you are suggesting IMR4064! It's completely worthless in a 308. If you use it you will have to clean just like you would from corrosive ammo in a Mosin except it corrodes faster, your groups will open up to be measured by lattitude/longitude instead of MOA, your bullets will keyhole out the _side_ of your barrel, and will cause male-pattern-baldness even if you're not male.
Maybe that will get enough people to stop looking for it so I can find some. It's the only powder I use that I haven't been able to find.
Matt
Maybe that will get enough people to stop looking for it so I can find some. It's the only powder I use that I haven't been able to find.
Matt
dragon813gt
Member
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W748. I've never found a good reason to use anything else. It's been working great w/ my cast bullets as well. I did pick up some Varget but only because it was there. It seems to be a powder that has good results in a variety of cartridges so I found no reason not to buy it.
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LeonCarr
Member
Hey Morcey,
I hear ya, and like your tactics to discourage buyers.
IMR-4064 rocks in the .308 with one caveat. IME you have have to weigh every charge due to the long powder grains. When I weighed charges thrown straight from the measure they were all over the place, sometimes +/- .3 grains from an RCBS Uniflow, which is unacceptable to me. Weigh your charges, drop charges slightly under weight and trickle to target weight, and IMR-4064 will sing a pretty song.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
I hear ya, and like your tactics to discourage buyers
.IMR-4064 rocks in the .308 with one caveat. IME you have have to weigh every charge due to the long powder grains. When I weighed charges thrown straight from the measure they were all over the place, sometimes +/- .3 grains from an RCBS Uniflow, which is unacceptable to me. Weigh your charges, drop charges slightly under weight and trickle to target weight, and IMR-4064 will sing a pretty song.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
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gandog56
Member
Which is why I love my Pact scale/automatic dispenser. Just dial up my load and it weighs each one automatically.
Still give the cases the old mark I Eyeball test before I seat the bullets to make sure powder levels are equal in the case. But haven't caught the Pact with an error yet.
Still give the cases the old mark I Eyeball test before I seat the bullets to make sure powder levels are equal in the case. But haven't caught the Pact with an error yet.
Centurian22
Member
Tagging this for ref as I currently load .308 with IMR4895 and will be on the prowl for more powder soon myself.
jack44
Member
Varget!.
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