best powder for .308win

Ian M

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 3, 2001
Messages
2,410
Location
Sask. Canada
Two very successful powders for the .308 Win. are Hodgdon's Varget and IMR 4064. We are also getting great accuracy with Ramshot TAC but not sure if it is readily available.
45 gr. of Varget sends most 168 gr. bullets into one hole if the rifle is decent.
Another tip you could consider, we have standardized on one overall length - 2.830" and it works in every rifle so far.
I have an HS rifle in the Varmint model, it is a great shooter and will put five inside 0.5" if I can do my part.
Good luck with your loading and shooting.
 
N140, N150, N540, and N550 are all very hard to beat in 308 with the 167-168 grain bullet weight. You won't go wrong. RWS primers are very good with these powders, but I prefer the Speer-CCI BR-2 primer with these powders. Start with the manufacturer's recommended loads and work up to what your rifle likes best.
Good Luck.
 
The rifle is a HS Precision Heavy Tatical, I have had it since November, and now I can buy the scope, rings and bases - Baer steel rings, bases and a NF 8 - 32 x 56

I am going to use the ladder method as break in for the barrel, starting very low and working right up, if break in is necessary this is one way I feel would easy the barrel in for the rist 100 or so rounds.

I will be shooting .1gn powder increments, not because I believe there will be any difference in .1gn loads, but to get mroe shot on paper so as to better plot the groups.

I'll post the results here as soon as I get this done, over the next month or so.

Thanks.
 
That much shooting during "break-in" is probably more of an excersize than a necessity, there are lots of different opinions on the necessity and benefits of breaking in a barrel. Bottom line, it is shooting - and that is why you bought the rifle. You are assembling a fine rig.

You will probably find that the .308 is very easy to develope accuracy loads for - I would also suggest Winchester large rifle primers if you can get them.
 
Express,

Why such a BIG scope for the 308..?? the 32X is pretty useless in mirage.. I would suggest the 3.5-15 or the 5.5-22 and use the extra savings for bullets, brass and powder...

Varget is real hard to beat in the 308.. TAC is supposed to be real good but guys like me that live in the boonies.. have a time trying to get some...

my load for the new 308 is

44grs Varget, Fed 210M, 175 SMK, Win Brass and they just kiss the lands...
 
I am just about to get the scope for my HS Precesion rifle and want to get some loads ready to start testing with the ladder method.

At the moment I'm looking at using VV N140

The VV powders are the easiest, sometimes the only powders I can get here, but if anyone could give some reccomendations that would be great.

...sorry 167gn silver scenar.
 
Why such a scope? well just because I like to have the extra magnification.

I have a 3.5-15 that is basically used as if it were a fixed 15 for hunting and target.

I propably wouldn't use this scope on 32 all the time, but I figure at 22x it will be on line with the reticle proportions and let in more light. Even using it at 15 for hunting would be great, but if I'm shooting at a stationary animal at a know distance(drop) I would rather turn up to a higher mag.

Just a personal taste I guess.

Thanks for you help guys!
 
EXPRESS--in the VV line 48.5 of N550 works amazingly in my 308 with the 168SMK.

also varget and reloader 15 if you can get them.

JB
 
I have both the 3.5-15 and 5.5-22 on .308's and have used the 32x. I would not go above 22, you lose too much brightness, your wiggles as well as heat waves (mirage and barrel heat) are magnified and your field of view is reduced so much that you can lose time acquiring the target. Plus I believe that the 5.5-22x56 is the strongest NXS made so why not use the toughest.
The 5.5-22 with the NRP2 is an amazing scope, I almost never take mine off 22. There are a lot of guys here who use it, believe Brent and Len are two happy customers of NXS.
 
I also have 4 NF NXS'.... 3, 3.5-15x50 and one 5.5-22x56... You can't go wrong there...I am a VERY happy customer...
 
I've had good luck with 748 with 125 and 150 gr bullets, if you can find it reloader 12 works very good, 4895 showed some promise with the 168gr, i haven't had anything under 1" with varget or 4064, and as everyone else said get the 5-22nf you will not be able to see thru the 32 on any sunny day.

Good shooting
Brian
 
Warning! This thread is more than 21 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top