308 Reloaders: Advice Needed

Most seem to think the 168 and 175 grain pills are best for longer range accuracy

168,175 Sierra match king is going to be the favorites with the most data online. It's almost like we could pick a load and hit at 1000 first shot there is so much data.

Can also try the 185 Berger juggernaut.

For powder I used h4895 and varget.

I don't remember my powder weights, varget is very temperature stable so you shouldn't see a whole lot of shift between summer and winter months. Pretty good for hunting loads.

What’s the twist rate on your barrel?

Faster twist is needed to stabilize heavier, longer bullets.

Barnes TSX all copper bullets are longer than their copper jackets counter parts. For hunting they are amazing.

I got the best groups with 42g IMR 4895 and Hornady 168 SST for hunting loads. For target I had the best with 155gr AMAX and I thin 43.5 gr of imr 4895

I reload the ttsx for several rifles and they all like a lot of jump to the lands so make sure you play with seating depth when working up a load.

I have used Varget and get very good results but the barrel that I had preferred 4895. I had really good accuracy but I know that the barrel could have done better.

That’s the fun thing about reloading to me. So many variables effect the accuracy. Just gotta get out there and shoot.

I switched that gun to a 6.5 cm and it’s just stupid. At 100yds I can easily hit a dime.

Congratulation on a new project, bapple.
The 308 Win is a very good gun to load for. As long as one's using the appropriate barrel twist, bullet and powder, it's hard to get a bad load. I load for two 308's, my son's Savage bolt action rifle and my Savage Striker handgun (14" barrel). I use different bullet/powder combinations for each gun. All my loads shoot MOA or less w/ acceptable velocity. The rifle loads use 2 different bullets, the 150 gr Sierra flat base spitzer and the 150 gr Nosler AccuBond, both w/ Reloder 15. The handgun loads are the 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip (Reloder 15), 125 gr Hornady SST (H4895), 125 gr NAB ((Reloder 15) and 150 gr Horrnady SST (H380). If you're going to be deer/hog hunting and have a 20" barrel, I'd suggest loading a 150 gr bullet. I'd prob first try the 150 gr NAB. As far as powders, it's hard to go wrong as long as you're using medium-fast burning powders like H4895, RL 15, H380 and Bl (C)-2. A recent Hornady load manual says" "The 308, as a rule, is not finicky as to the type of powder that works well in int_another reason for its popularity. In our test rifle, all powder listed, gave more than acceptable results, with IMR 4064 and Varget providing the rest results through the range of bullets." I'd check out the loading manuals (many have load data online) for specific load data for each powder.

Start w/ an appropriate powder, bullet, primer (I always use Rem 9 1/2. Personally, I've not found significant improvements in accuracy/velocity by changing primers unless changing to benchrest primers) and quality brass (I find myself using Lapua brass more and more. Yes it's more expensive, but the quality is vastly superior to everything else). Buy one pound of whichever powder you prefer and start loading. If accuracy is promising but not quite there, if not using Lapua brass, I'd next try using some benchrest brass preparation techniques (checking neck concentricity, deburring the flash hole and uniforming the primer pocket); if using Lapua brass, I doubt you'll get much accuracy improvements w/ these extra steps. Once you've settled on the powder, buy a 5# or 8# keg of powder, depending on how much you'll shoot. It can be an annoyance reworking up a load every time you buy a new 1# powder of a different lot from the prior can.

My seating depth is pretty much fixed since I am using AR10/SR25/LR308 mags. Just gonna vary the bullets and powder charges.

After a trip to Cabela’s here’s what I left with:

Hornady Black factory loads - 168gr A-max
Hornady Superformace factory loads - 150gr SST
Nosler 150gr Ballsitic Tip (x100)
Barnes 165gr TTSX (x50)
1 pound IMR 4064
1 pound Reloader 15



And here is my broad work-up to try and narrow what my rifle likes:



Damn Tiger, you really like RL15! Happy that with Cabela’s limited supply of powder I was able to get some. And good to hear that IMR
4064 is a good powder as well.

I’m actually using some old once-fired range brass I picked up years ago and it’s nato spec so the walls are thicker. I know that’ll reduce my case capacity but I’m going for a broad range first and will narrow it when I find what my gun likes. For what it’s worth, the loads I make for my brother (Remington 700 in 30-06) I used old M1 Garand military brass from the 70s and it shoots lights out with Superformance powder and Swift Scirroco 165gr.

Looks like you're off to a good start, bapple! That's a nice looking 30-06 load you've got. Yeah, RL 15's been a good powder for me having used it extensively since the early 90's. OTOH, I used H4895 and Varget a lot in other rounds, especially the 7-08. RL 15 and Varget both meter a lot better than H4895. But 4895 is a better to use for reduced and youth rifle loads. 6-7 years ago I bought what should be a lifetime supply (>20#) of a number of powders, including 8# of H4895, 5# of RL 15, 4# of Varget and 8# of H110.

Be sure and keep us updated!

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Any tips you guys have to streamlining this process is appreciated

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Shoot better