Best powder for short barreled 308

[AcciDabbi]

Digging up the thread....again..
What about muzzle flash? Will a faster burning powder result in less muzzle flash?
The problem with many of the short rifles is that they are extremely loud. I believe they will be even louder with a slow burning powder. Am I right?

 

[Buttermilk]

Typically it's true that the same powder that produces the highest velocity in a long barrel also produces the highest velocity in a short barrel. There are some exceptions.

Different powder burn rates are in existence primarily due to bullet weights available for same cartridges, and also for different case capacities and calibers, not due to barrel length differences.

I've never noticed a difference in noise level based on powder burn rate. However, some powder have flash suppressants that seem to work better than others. In daylight, I've never noticed much muzzle flash when I'm behind the trigger of any powder, with the exception of perhaps RL22. That one produced a goodly amount of muzzle flash in one of my short barreled handguns (T/C Encore 15" bbl 30-06JDJ).

I have a Remington 700 with 16.5 inch barrel. Threaded for a brake. And no I didn't have it cut that short. It came that way from the factory. I disagree with the statement about a powder will produce top velocity in a long barrel as it will a short barrel. If that were the case there'd be no point to having different burn rates for powders.

 

[benchracer]

Digging up the thread....again..
What about muzzle flash? Will a faster burning powder result in less muzzle flash?
The problem with many of the short rifles is that they are extremely loud. I believe they will be even louder with a slow burning powder. Am I right?

I think Buttermilk's explanation is an accurate one. I would add that powder composition has a role to play, as well. Awhile back I was working up a load for my son's .243, shooting a 95 SST from a 22" barrel. RL-22 was blowing fireballs with every shot, which surprised me a bit. I had used it with excellent results from my 7x57 (also with a 22" barrel), using 160's and 168's. The more overbore nature of the .243 changed the equation, though.

I switched to H4831, which has a pretty comparable burn rate to RL-22, and the fireballs went away. I suspect the difference had more to do with RL-22 being a double base powder.

 

[Buttermilk]

Could have been double base vs single base, though I suspect it very likely has as much to do with flash suppressant coating on the powder as anything.

I should a lot of H4831sc out of short barrels (15"-17.5") and rarely do I notice a flash with H4831 (unlike RL22, which has a good fireball from similar lengths).

In shorter barrels even H4831 would exhibit muzzle flash if it weren't coated with a flash suppressant.

 

[benchracer]

Hmmm... Didn't know about the flash suppressant. I was aware of some pistol powders treated that way, but didn't stop to think of that being done with rifle powders. Would the MSDS offer clues to this?

 

[Buttermilk]

It's possible I'm incorrect on the flash suppressants on rifle powders though I suspect some have them. However, a quick internet search indicates that a lot of powders are flash suppressed.

Only have looked a few powder SDS's and those aren't conclusive on flash suppressants.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I usually use varget for my 26 inch barrel or 4064 if I cant find any Varget. But what powder would you guys recommend for best velocity in a short barrel. This is going to be my Wisconsin deer woods gun where 100 yards is a long shot. So I'm going for velocity over accuracy at this point. Firearm is a Remington 700 with a 16.5 barrel. I was thinking about H4895 as it is a faster burning powder and I still have 3/4 of a pound laying around.

Late to the thread, but years ago I read about testing the difference between fast powder and slow powder for longer and shorter barrels. Whichever powder gave the highest velocity in the longer barrels also gave the highest velocity in the shorter barrels.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Please remove. Digging up old threads annoys me.

 

[Yuktuk]

How have opinions changed on powder for short barrelled 308s? I'm sure there have been a lot of technological advancements since 2016.

 

[mtbullet1]

8208xbr

 

[RidgeTop]

I have 3 .308's and the only powder for a .308 is Win 748. I have tried most of what has been posted so far and in all 3 rifles I get excellent performance from Win 748.

 

[Yuktuk]

I have 3 .308's and the only powder for a .308 is Win 748. I have tried most of what has been posted so far and in all 3 rifles I get excellent performance from Win 748.

8208xbr

Are you two able to expand on your rifle setups (barrel lengths), bullet choices and measured velocities?

 

[mtbullet1]

Are you two able to expand on your rifle setups (barrel lengths), bullet choices and measured velocities?

20" bbl, using 168 gr.

 

[mtbullet1]

20" bbl, using 168 gr.

2650fps as i recall