I am going try a handload for my .308 Win with 165 gr Nosler Part. bullet, IMR 4350 powder, and CCI 200 primers at 47.0 gr of powder. I want to stick with the IMR 4350 powder because I have had great success with it in the past. Nosler website does not show any reload data for the .308 Win using IMR4350 powder. Does anyone out there use similar powder, primers and bullet weight with a successful powder charge?
.308 Winchester handload powder charges?
- Thread starter Nosler06
- Start date
Not surprising. IMR4350 is not considered a good powder choice for .308 Win.
You won't find loads for it even on IMR's website.
Try Varget, or my favorite Reloder 15.
Sticker
4350 is too slow to get max velocity, you can't get enough into a 308 case. You will leave about 100-150fps on the table. That being said, if your not a speed freak, it will likely show good accuracy. If you already have the powder, try it.
Around 50gr will be max compressed, should give you in the neighborhood of 2600fps.
Around 50gr will be max compressed, should give you in the neighborhood of 2600fps.
I agree. I've loaded for a buddy with exactly this combination and I had to use a full 50 grains of IMR4350 (right up to the mouth of the case) with a 165 Partition. It gives 2,700 fps and mild pressures (I don't think you can physically put enough 4350 into this case to cause a problem), and it gave him better accuracy than Varget. Go figure.
The only tough part is actually getting that much 4350 into the case. Winchester cases tend to have a bit more capacity, so that is the brass to use.
Feel free to start at 47 grains, but don't hesitate to work up to 50 grains. This recommendation is for a bolt rifle only -- not a semiauto.
The only tough part is actually getting that much 4350 into the case. Winchester cases tend to have a bit more capacity, so that is the brass to use.
Feel free to start at 47 grains, but don't hesitate to work up to 50 grains. This recommendation is for a bolt rifle only -- not a semiauto.
Thank you for the information. I presently have 7 lbs of 4350 powder for my 30-06 and .308. The .308 is an older Browning BLR lever action with a fixed power 3X Leupold scope. I guess that is why I can get 1/2" groups out at 200 yds cosistantly. I may look at some different powder for it, but This rifle has dropped it fair share of elk for me and can't count how many deer and black bears. I started shooting this rifle when I was 8 yrs old (36 yrs ago). I have inhereted it from my dad and love it.
That is what I use. For hunting I use 150 grain Accubonds over 44 grains of IMR4064.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I load 44.0 grains of this powder under a 155 Scenar for my Wichita target rifle.
I reload LOTS of .308 win. IMR 4350 is better for a .30-06 sprg.
I use H4895 for .308 win. In particular, a good load is 45.0 gr of H4895 with a 155 gr bullet.
The majority of us who shoot TR/Palma use Varget with a 155-grain match bullet, and Varget generally works very well with a 165. It is very close to IMR 4064, which is close to Vihtavuori N140, which is in the same ballpark as Reloder 15. These are generally the preferred powders for the .308.
But this post was about whether IMR 4350 can work in a .308 with a 165 Partition. The answer is that it most certainly can -- and in style. But you have to slowly dribble all of that coarse powder into the little .308 case and crunch it down when you seat the bullet. This is not a problem, but it is a bit "fiddly" and time consuming.
But this post was about whether IMR 4350 can work in a .308 with a 165 Partition. The answer is that it most certainly can -- and in style. But you have to slowly dribble all of that coarse powder into the little .308 case and crunch it down when you seat the bullet. This is not a problem, but it is a bit "fiddly" and time consuming.
So what you are saying p-17 is it would be less finicky and troublesome to switch to a IMR4064 powder. Do you think that this would be a better choice than the IMR4895? Also what I am reading is my velocity will go up significantly switching from IMR4350 to IMR4064.
Prior to 1992, IMR 4895 was THE standard powder for Palma/TR shooting at ranges out to 1,000 yards. It still works, but it maxes out with pressure before you get really high velocities.
For example, most people will agree that a standard hyper-accurate .308 load is 41.5 to 42.0 grains of IMR 4895 pushing a 168 Sierra. This is one of those "universal" magic loads, and it still works today. However, if you chronograph it, you might find that it's not giving you more than 2,550 fps velocity. At 1,000 yards, this would be trouble, but for closer ranges, it's still great. This is essentially .303 British-level power and should be good for hunting.
On the other hand, these days most 1,000-yard shooters want a powder that will push a 155-grain bullet at or above 2,950 fps (out of a 30-inch Palma barrel). Varget has no trouble doing this, and it is cheap and readily available. Theoretically, IMR 4064 should give very similar performance, but anecdotal reports suggest that it is more sensitive to changes in temperature, and it tends to give a bit more signs of pressure at the top end. This is why the majority of shooters use Varget.
If you really want to stick with IMR powders, that's totally fine. I'm confident that IMR 4895 and IMR 4064 should work with the 165 Nosler for hunting loads. Personally, though, I prefer Varget -- but I'm a competitive shooter and I go through pounds and pounds of the stuff.
Once again, for a hunting rifle, even your idea of using IMR 4350 with a 165 Nosler should work fine. You don't need to buy the other powder unless you actually want to play with it.
For example, most people will agree that a standard hyper-accurate .308 load is 41.5 to 42.0 grains of IMR 4895 pushing a 168 Sierra. This is one of those "universal" magic loads, and it still works today. However, if you chronograph it, you might find that it's not giving you more than 2,550 fps velocity. At 1,000 yards, this would be trouble, but for closer ranges, it's still great. This is essentially .303 British-level power and should be good for hunting.
On the other hand, these days most 1,000-yard shooters want a powder that will push a 155-grain bullet at or above 2,950 fps (out of a 30-inch Palma barrel). Varget has no trouble doing this, and it is cheap and readily available. Theoretically, IMR 4064 should give very similar performance, but anecdotal reports suggest that it is more sensitive to changes in temperature, and it tends to give a bit more signs of pressure at the top end. This is why the majority of shooters use Varget.
If you really want to stick with IMR powders, that's totally fine. I'm confident that IMR 4895 and IMR 4064 should work with the 165 Nosler for hunting loads. Personally, though, I prefer Varget -- but I'm a competitive shooter and I go through pounds and pounds of the stuff.
Once again, for a hunting rifle, even your idea of using IMR 4350 with a 165 Nosler should work fine. You don't need to buy the other powder unless you actually want to play with it.
"...at 47.0 gr of powder..." You have to work up the load, not just pick one and hope.
Nosler's site is decidedly limited. They want you to buy their manual. In any case, load for the bullet weight. Who made it doesn't matter.
Hodgdon's site doesn't list IMR4350. Just means they didn't test that powder. Likely be data in their manual.
My old Lyman book gives 46.0(2409 fps) to 50.0(compressed)(2631 fps) of IMR4350 for a 165 grain bullet. Don't worry about compressed loads.
"...anyone used this powder before?..." IMR4064 is one of the 'go to' powders for the .308 and .30-06. Along with a bunch of other cartridges. Max and close to max loads are compressed too. However, if you're getting 1.5" groups at 200 with a lever action, don't change your load.
Nosler's site is decidedly limited. They want you to buy their manual. In any case, load for the bullet weight. Who made it doesn't matter.
Hodgdon's site doesn't list IMR4350. Just means they didn't test that powder. Likely be data in their manual.
My old Lyman book gives 46.0(2409 fps) to 50.0(compressed)(2631 fps) of IMR4350 for a 165 grain bullet. Don't worry about compressed loads.
"...anyone used this powder before?..." IMR4064 is one of the 'go to' powders for the .308 and .30-06. Along with a bunch of other cartridges. Max and close to max loads are compressed too. However, if you're getting 1.5" groups at 200 with a lever action, don't change your load.
Something that seems to be missed in this discussion on powders is barrel length. The fellow shooting competitively and using varget out of a 30" Palma barrel and getting over 3000 FPs with a 150-155 grain bullet is right about the powder choice in that combination. However, if you try Varget in a 21" sporter barrel you will find the velocity maxs out at about 46 grains and about 2850 fps with a 150 grain bullet. More powder beyond that, the velcoity actually starts to drop. In that same 21" of barrel 4895 will do 3000 FPS. IMR and H 4895 are about 70 on the burn rate chart, Varget is 82 and 4350 is 92. So you can see that both are a fair bit slower.
If you are happy with the accurracy, don't change, but if you are using a standard sporter length barrel, and since you are shooting a lever my guess is you have at most 22" of barrel to work with, then you are giving up a lot of velocity using a powder as slow as 4350. If everything you shoot is under 200 yards, no problem, if you want to reach a little further, the extra 400 fps will make a big difference. There are guys going to Ultra mags and burning 30 grains more powder than the 75 grain load in a standard magnum, to gain 200 fps. You can get 400 fps by spending $32 for a new can of 4895 or Benchmark powder.
Stictly your choice but my input for what it is worth.
If you are happy with the accurracy, don't change, but if you are using a standard sporter length barrel, and since you are shooting a lever my guess is you have at most 22" of barrel to work with, then you are giving up a lot of velocity using a powder as slow as 4350. If everything you shoot is under 200 yards, no problem, if you want to reach a little further, the extra 400 fps will make a big difference. There are guys going to Ultra mags and burning 30 grains more powder than the 75 grain load in a standard magnum, to gain 200 fps. You can get 400 fps by spending $32 for a new can of 4895 or Benchmark powder.
Stictly your choice but my input for what it is worth.
