Loading 308 Winchester with 200.20x

[Justin Todd]

Okay so I got an FTR gun now 30-in barrel 10 twist. I started putting together some loads for the 200.20x. I'm using Peterson Small rifle primer brass I put together an IMR 4350 load which shot nice up to about 45.5 grains but it ran out of case capacity. It capped at at 2,500 ft per second. I then put together a load with cfe223 which I've used in the past with 175 grain with no issues and I got some really weird results with the 200.20x. My velocity was all over the place. I'd have one charge that went off fine. The next it would get like a tink and it would be as much as two 300 ft per second less. The brass was really sooty on the slower velocity rounds with the odd sound and I'm assuming that it wasn't getting a proper ignition from the small rifle primer these were a book data load from Hodgdon other than coal being long. Anybody else have any thoughts on that? Also, I'm looking at testing out some VV N150 next.

 

[AkleyFan]

Tagging in. I suspect you'll be advised to try a small rifle magnum primer with CFE223. I have a jug of this stuff for my 308's but haven't tried it yet.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

FWIW, When Berger quit loading these for the 308, I asked them what powders they were using. Tech told me it either Varget or N540, depending on what they had available.

 

[Brathany]

RL17 was wonderful for my 30" 308 & 200.20X.
Surprisingly N135 shot better than any other powder in cold weather.