Powder for .308 Winchester

[Rafter-S]

Gentlemen,

What type powder do you prefer for reloading .308 Winchester using 165 grain spitzer bullets? I have used IMR-4064 and IMR-4895 for 30-06, but now I want to load some .308 Winchester rounds.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I always had very good luck with both accuracy, and velocity using Win 748 powder with 150-165 grain bullets in my .308.

 

[Raven6]

I use 45 grains of Alliant Powder's "Reloader 15" under a 168 BTHP Sierra Match King. I'm getting sub-1/2 MOA with it under optimum conditions...

When I first obtained the rifle (a Remington 700P) I purchased a case of Remington Match .308/168g BTHP ammo, and a Leupold 3.5-10x50 VXIII scope with target turrets. I zeroed for that round and that lot number of ammo. I saved all of my brass, for I knew I would be reloading later. I worked up my load with RL15, re-zeroed the rifle, and have been using that load ever since...

Regards,
Mike

 

[29aholic]

H4895 has always worked well for me.

 

[NE450No2]

The powders that the above posters have recommended are good ones.

However back in 1975 or so a fella recomended this load to me.

I have used it ever since.

It has been super accurate for me in competition bolt rifles, Competition M1 A's and 308 Garands, in standard M1 A's and 308 Garands, FN FAL's H&H 91's, Sniper Rifles, Hunting Rifles, including a buddies Savage 99 in 308.

I have shot this a LOT at distances on paper, as far as 1000 yards, which is a stretch for a 168gr bullet, but it is under MOA at 800 yards all the time.

I have killed a LOT of game with this load over the years.

I have used this load with the following bullets:
Sierra 165 HPBT Gameking, 165gr Spitzer, 168 Matchking, 180gr Spitzer, 180gr Matchking. [It is a less than max load with a 165/168 gr bullet, and works great with 180's.

Nosler 165 Ballistic Tip, 165 Partition, and 180gr Partitions.

The powder is IMR 3031, the Charge is 39.5 grains [Thirtynine, and one half grains].

I have killed animals [antelope] with load and the 165 Sierra HPBT as far as 550 yards with this load.

In many rifles it will shoot even better than Federal 168gr Match...


There are a lot of newer powders, and there are a lot of higher velocity loads for the 308...

BUT I have NEVER seen a 308 that did not shoot this load pretty good.

 

[faraim]

I've loaded a boat load of .308s over the years and any moderate burning powder is going to be okay. The problem you are going to encounter is if you aren't careful, you'll waste a lot of time chasing that ultimate load when so many different ones are so darned accurate. I've used 4064, Varget, 748, 3031, and my favorite, H4895. Load a Sierra 168gr. MK and enough H4895 to drive it at 2500-2550 fps, and find out just how good your rifle will shoot!

 

[Treeman]

In addition to the excellent recommendations above let me add that I have had very good results with Accurate 2520.....and it meters beautifully.

 

[alwslate]

For full power hunting loads with 165 gr bullets try 46-47 grs of W-748.

 

[Homie]

4064 and 4895 should serve very well in your .308. It is a very easy round to load, and the accuracy ability of the rifle will be the determining factor.

Remember the 3 Bs- bullets, bedding, barrels!

Good shooting.

 

[mack1]

try 4064 if you have some on hand. Sierra reccomended accuracy load for 168gr bullet. I would add varget to the above listed powders.

 

[Jawfish]

IMR 3031 duplicates military match loads with match bullets. I've used it for years & swear by it.

 

[snowman.45]

IMR 3031

As NE450No2 and Jawfish said, 3031 is a fine .308 powder. I use 39.5 grains behind a Sierra 168 BTHP to get the same point of impact as the 168 BTHP Federal Gold Match round we use on my Sniper Element. I shoot this load through my FN PBR 18". Other members of my team are using custom built .308's based on Remington 700's (Tango 51) as well as Springfield M21's. The results we've seen are similar in all rifles. As you might guess, the brass is the once-fired Federal Gold Match from our duty rounds.

 

[whelenshooter]

For the 165 grain bullet, I've found Reloader 15 powder to give great accuracy with high velocity. For milder target loads I've used a lot of IMR-4064 with 165 and 168 grain bullets. I like IMR-4895 with the M1A because it was designed around this powder. Federal brass is extremely soft so only use it with very mild target loads, if you want to load them more than once. I will sometimes use Federal brass for heavier loads if I'm going to shoot them and let them lay. Even then I seldom use Federal Brass for this purpose. The stuff is so stinking soft I once had to use a hunk of 2x4 to hammer open my bolt WITH FACTORY LOADS! This pretty well scared me away from the stuff. I've noticed that even Federal factory loads often appear to have flattened primers. The primers aren't actually flat, the brass is so soft it is flowing to the edge of the primers making them look that way. I don't think Federal wants people to reload, or they would make better brass. Loads that are OK with Remington, Winchester, and military brass are often too warm with Federal brass, but only because of its softness. I use military brass for 7.62 NATO level loads in my M1A. For .308 level loads I usually use Remington or Winchester brass, with Lapua brass saved for special purposes (my most accurate rifles with the most accurate loads). By the way, there IS a difference between .308 Winchester and 7.62 NATO ammunition. Go here to see: 7.62x51mm NATO or 308 Winchester? What's the Difference?

 

[NE450No2]

As NE450No2 and Jawfish said, 3031 is a fine .308 powder. I use 39.5 grains behind a Sierra 168 BTHP to get the same point of impact as the 168 BTHP Federal Gold Match round we use on my Sniper Element. I shoot this load through my FN PBR 18". Other members of my team are using custom built .308's based on Remington 700's (Tango 51) as well as Springfield M21's. The results we've seen are similar in all rifles. As you might guess, the brass is the once-fired Federal Gold Match from our duty rounds.

How do the groups from your FN PBR, compare to the Tango 51's?

 

[WILDPIG]

Winchester 748. Meters well. Inexpensive. Clean. VERY accurate.

WILDPIG

 

[SPDGG]

- IMR 4895
- IMR 4064
- Reloader 15
- Varget

All topped with 155 Lapua Scenar, 168/175 SMK, 168/178 AMAX

I'll look up my past load data based "specific" rifle(s). re: Powder, Brass, Primer, OAL, Chamber, Barrel Info., Muzzle Velocity, AO

I would NEVER recommend to use any load data given without supporting specs of rifle. Even with that work up to any preferred powder load.

 

[Gary]

Please delete.

 

[SuperMan]

..another vote for 748.

46 grains with a Hornady 165 SST or a Sierra 168 Match BT gives .25 MOA out of a Remington LTR and a DPMS Panther...

Velocity with the 165s is 2730 and 2710 with the Sierra from a 20" barrel.

Primer is the CCI LR Benchrest, brass is Federal.

Bob

 

[MTKTM]

Winchester 748. Meters well. Inexpensive. Clean. VERY accurate.

WILDPIG

I'm firmly in the W748 camp as well, as are some earlier posters, for the reasons cited. Inexpensive, flows through a meter, accurate, not too hard to find and reasonably priced. I'm certainly not denigrating any of the other powders recommended, however.

Probably close to 90% of my rifle reloading is three calibers, 223, 308 and 45-70, and I've found excellent loads which use 748 for all three, so I use it more than all other rifle powders combined.

 

[Matt C.]

3031 is fine....

but I prefer 748