Hi guys, I'm planning on using IMR8208 for my M&P 10. Wanted to see if anyone has any experience with this powder for 175 gr smk bullets. Want to get some info on what you think about it, good or bad?

Thanks in advance!

I can't speak to a 308 load but I'm having great success with my 5.56 69 grain loads. I like this powder.

It is very similar to H-322. I bought an 8 pound Keg when it first came out. It didn't perform in my 308 bolt guns as well as WW748 or Varget. I tried it in my 22BR bolt gun and H-335 & H-322 out performed it. I still haven't tried it in 6PPC, but I'm not holding my breath.

It was made to be an exact replacement for T-32 (a powder, reclaimed from a bad batch of Vietnam era tracers, and used in Bench Rest competition). There were 3 batches of T-32, 2 were good, one had poor consistency. 8208 had about the same problem, of the first two batches (10 tons each) one was great and one wasn't even so-so!

Ivan

I did some load development with 8208XBR and it worked good with 150ish grain bullets in 308 but nothing of high precision. I had much better luck using 8208 in my 223 Varmint AR15 with 69 gr bullets. Never really dove deep into load development as I purchased 3 lbs of 8208 back in the height of the powder scare when nothing else was available.

I was trying it in my 6.5 Creedmoor and have had great results but not great consistency. I'll shoot a one-hole five-shot 100-yard group and 15 minutes later shoot a 3/4" group with the same recipe. I've just about given up on it. Varget, on the other hand, is being far more consistent.

The Creedmoor, a Ruger Precision Rifle, was the only rifle in which I've ever tried it that I actually did get good results.

Ed

This speaks more about the rifle than the powder!

Personally, I am a big proponent of Varget and Sierra 155 Palma bullets in 308! I would buy the Varget and shelve the 8208 (which is what I did). Why waste the components and limited range time on loads that don't show promise! (Just to use up powder that you paid for? Gift it, trade it, sell it! but don't use it!

Ivan

Thanks everyone for the input so far!