308 Load info

[diriel]

Home About Us Contact UsCompany <--- berger bullets site.

-- Berger recently came out with the 30cal 155gr Hybrid bullet. You seat these about 15 thousandths off of the lands. These bullets are very forgiving reloading wise, and they are very good down range. You can reach 1k pretty easily, *Without* Hotrodding your loads.

-- Two powders: IMR8208XBR, and ARComp. Period.

-- Primers: Win LR, or Wolf LR

-- Brass: Win works well when sorted and prepped a bit. Newer Hornady seems to work pretty good. Lapua is the gold standard of course. I would try Win brass first. Oh, and LC brass when sorted and prepped has worked *VERY* nicely for me.

Seriously sir, save yourself some time and trouble and give the above a try.

Gary

 

[retiredcpo]

Went back out again today blc2 and rl 15 shot well got at least one 5 shot group all touching with both varget was scattered, Blc was slightly better than the rl15, Im going to load up more blc2 and im getting a lb of the cfe 223 powder and try it next weekend
retiredcpo

 

[etisll40]

Here's a good article on the 308 worth reading.

Top Gun's Trials-Winning .308

 

[7stw]

Went back out again today blc2 and rl 15 shot well got at least one 5 shot group all touching with both varget was scattered, Blc was slightly better than the rl15, Im going to load up more blc2 and im getting a lb of the cfe 223 powder and try it next weekend
retiredcpo

I have the same gun as you. In fact, how I got it is similar to the why and how you got yours. Well, let me tell ya' this one is a shooter. I shot it today as a matter of fact. My load is 42.2-8208-168smk@ 2.820. I am using CCI 200, or CCI, BR-2. they shoot same poi. Velocity unknown at this point. Weather has not permitted me chrono it yet. I have had the gun since may. I have shot 168 VLD's, smk's, and 185 Lapua's. It shoots them all with incredible accuracy. I was shooting at 100 yards today with the SMK's, and groups were in the 2's. This gun is pretty much stock, except for trigger adjustment. Barrel broke in nicely. I also have the same gun in 22-250. It is also a shooter. Since 8208 came out, I don't use anything else in the .308, or 22-250. Hope this info may be of help.
AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL. lightbulb 7STW.

 

[retiredcpo]

Good info thanks
Im shooting the 168 gr nosler bt's, I was hopping to chrono my loads but Last fall I took the tripod adapter off the chrono and put in on my spotting scope for hunting season, Did I put it back? Yep today AFTER I got back from the range. I think I am going to load up a bunch of each of the BLC2 and the RL15 loads that where under 1in and also try the CFE223 powder
retiredcpo

 

[diriel]

That was a nice write up you linked, thank you for that.


@retiredcpo,

I used to use Ball C2, just loved how well it metered. On a good day, in the right ambient ( what the load was developed in ) it can shoot fantastic. However, let the temps drop about 30* F. from the temps that the bl-c2 was developed in and suddenly you have a whole different animal. Back when I I was young and had unlimited energy and drive that was a *Challenge To Be Conquered!!* /shrug These days I prefer to load up a load that will do well in an extremely wide range of ambients, and then Just Go Shooting TYVM... I have not used bl c2 in about a decade because of this. I shoot rain, shine, or snow, so having to take my kit to the field with me to load up on the spot for that specific shooting session just is not my thing anymore. Load up about 1k rounds then go Shoot, Shoot, and Shoot some more

The new CFE223 or Pro2000MR are *WAY-WAY-WAY* more preferable than good old old old OLD bl c2 to be honest. Both of those will do a good job in a wide ambient shooting window.

By the way, if you are avoiding IMR8208XBR and Alliant ARComp because they are extruded, they measure very very well so no need to avoid them on that count.

Have a good one sir,
Gary

 

[retiredcpo]

diriel
Im not avoiding powders I have tried several but BLC2 and RL 15 have performed the best so far,
I have never heard of this Pro2000MR I will have to look for some thanks
Im really hoping the CFE223 works well
I have been shooting BLC2 in my 223 for a few years not It seams to work real well
retiredcpo

 

[diriel]

I hear you, if BL C2 works then great When I was learning my mentor made very sure that I learned to shoot rain, shine, or snow, and thus BL C2 made my No-Go list pretty quickly. That is just me and my circumstance however.

The CFE223 and Alliant Pro2000MR are very close cousins so having the Hodgdon's on hand should get you in the ball park. I would personally use the Win LR primers with this powder as they are an excellent balance of Briscance and consistency, they have a "flame" that is between an Magnum LR and most normal or BR type LR Primers. Essentially the Win LR primers are a fairly well kept secret I also like the CCI BR primers pretty good, and of course the excellent Federal 210M and 215M primers. Wolf has been good to me here recently as well, but it is a more mild primer than Win LR so they are used somewhat differently.

Good shooting,
Gary
P.S. Shamblin has a real good write up and test series on CFE by the way, it is in the Rifles Bullets Barrels & Ballistics section.

 

[retiredcpo]

Gary
I only use Win primers in all my loads
This Pro2000MR is interesting when I stop and get a lb of the CFE 223 I will see if they have any and try it as well. I really think Im leaning more to the RL15 over the BLC. I only use the BLC in my 223. Was really hoping to run them throught the chrono but as I said I screwed that up next week I will.
Retiredcpo

 

[diriel]

To be honest, RL15 was my absolute Go To powder for over a decade. I still have some, and still use it for one of my friends guns whom I load for. Dang good stuff, even if it is SomeWhat temp sensitive. Personally, I am pretty sure the newest RL15 lots have been somewhat improved over the much older lots. For quite a while the military used RL15 in their LC LR 7.62 ammo, which pretty much tells you it is fairly decent as that ammo was the "Sniper" / Match ammo used under truly extreme conditions. These days I believe the military has switched to one of the newer and vastly improved powder varieties for the .223 / 7.62. For the new 300WM military ammo they used good old H1000 that has seen a few tweaks and improvements. Not that H1000 applies to you, as it is way too slow in burn rate.

Have a good one,
Gary

 

[joe0121]

I hear you, if BL C2 works then great When I was learning my mentor made very sure that I learned to shoot rain, shine, or snow, and thus BL C2 made my No-Go list pretty quickly. That is just me and my circumstance however.

The CFE223 and Alliant Pro2000MR are very close cousins so having the Hodgdon's on hand should get you in the ball park. I would personally use the Win LR primers with this powder as they are an excellent balance of Briscance and consistency, they have a "flame" that is between an Magnum LR and most normal or BR type LR Primers. Essentially the Win LR primers are a fairly well kept secret I also like the CCI BR primers pretty good, and of course the excellent Federal 210M and 215M primers. Wolf has been good to me here recently as well, but it is a more mild primer than Win LR so they are used somewhat differently.

Good shooting,
Gary
P.S. Shamblin has a real good write up and test series on CFE by the way, it is in the Rifles Bullets Barrels & Ballistics section.

Is BLC2 not temperature stable? I know of people who have had good luck with it but that is in a pretty moderate temp range. Ohio is a different story though.

 

[diriel]

@joe0121,

Ball C2 is a nice powder overall, ... rather than relate my experiences, which I have alluded to..

BLC2 Temperature Sensitivity - Sniper's Hide Forums

I realise this may seem like yet another Internet Keyboard Commando Thing.... but exactly what a couple of those guys had happen to them, is what happened to me. I will say this, it was my truly Beloved and Most cherished of *ALL* of my guns - my Westernfield 336 in 30-30 that I had a load flake out on me. It did not blow the gun up, but I did have to send it to a gunsmith to get the shell out and things put back right. After that I said to-hells with BL-C(2) powder... I mean the "close calls" with a very sturdy bolt action are one thing, but my very first centerfire that my grand father gave me as my first hunting weapon.... HELL NO!!!!! Was it my fault? You're **** rights it was... but here is the kicker, that flat out would never have happened with one of the "Extreme" powders...ever. Nor has it ever happened with good old IMR 3031, which is not exactly the most temp stable powder in the world But ohhhhh it does good when it does good!! In my 30-30 these days I use only IMR8208XBR ... Period...!!! That old dog and me have WAY too many miles together and too many deer accounted for to ever risk another loading problem again!

Have a good one sir,
Gary

 

[joe0121]

@joe0121,

Ball C2 is a nice powder overall, ... rather than relate my experiences, which I have alluded to..

BLC2 Temperature Sensitivity - Sniper's Hide Forums

I realise this may seem like yet another Internet Keyboard Commando Thing.... but exactly what a couple of those guys had happen to them, is what happened to me. I will say this, it was my truly Beloved and Most cherished of *ALL* of my guns - my Westernfield 336 in 30-30 that I had a load flake out on me. It did not blow the gun up, but I did have to send it to a gunsmith to get the shell out and things put back right. After that I said to-hells with BL-C(2) powder... I mean the "close calls" with a very sturdy bolt action are one thing, but my very first centerfire that my grand father gave me as my first hunting weapon.... HELL NO!!!!! Was it my fault? You're **** rights it was... but here is the kicker, that flat out would never have happened with one of the "Extreme" powders...ever. Nor has it ever happened with good old IMR 3031, which is not exactly the most temp stable powder in the world But ohhhhh it does good when it does good!! In my 30-30 these days I use only IMR8208XBR ... Period...!!! That old dog and me have WAY too many miles together and too many deer accounted for to ever risk another loading problem again!

Have a good one sir,
Gary

Interesting.

I do love me some h1000 Might have to look elsewhere for my .308 when I get it put together I did have my heart set on BLC2 and 178GR VLD's.

 

[MHO]

I will have to remember that. It looked lonely. LOL. Thats Great. I have HAMMERED many Whitetail with the 150 Gr BT. They work well. You will be happy.