Powder options for .338 Win Mag and .308 Winchester

[daveschulz]

Wondering if anyone has powder recommendations for the following:
.308 Winchester using 159 gr FN bullets
.338 Win Mag using 225 gr SP bullets
Is there a powder that will work with both?

Thanks!

...Dave

 

[rnbra-shooter]

Best thing to do: go look at a load manual or two, and see what you see.

I regularly load .308 Win with 155 bullets, using medium speed rifle powders (4895, Varget, Rel-15, N140, etc). I occasionally load .338 Win Mag with 250 or 300 grain bullets, using slow rifle powders (e.g. 4831).

I would look to see if there a reasonable loading for .338 Win and 225 grain bullets using a medium speed rifle powder

I just looked at http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp and here's what I see;
- with full case of the slow rifle powders (4831, 7828, etc), you can get about 2800fps
- with powders which would be good for a .308/159 (H380, Varget, 4320, 4064, 4895) you can get 2642-2764fps using about 10-15 grains less powder than one of the slow powders.

I would expect that if ~2700fps max speed was OK with you, one of the loadings of (H380, Varget, 4320, 4064, 4895) ought to work well for you.

 

[daveschulz]

Thank you! This is very helpful.

...Dave

 

[chappy]

you could use imr 4350 as a usable powder for both. my prefernce would be rel 15 for the 308 and rel 19 for 338.

 

[blargon]

i use IMR4895 in the 308 and H4350 in the .338wm. both give the accuracy and speed I'm looking for.

 

[saskcop]

It is tough to choose one that will work WELL in both. You may find one that will work, but not necessarily well. I like W748 in .308. Varget is good too as is H4895. In the .338, H4831 is a tough one to beat for all bullet weights.

 

[sgt.rock]

you could use imr 4350 as a usable powder for both. my prefernce would be rel 15 for the 308 and rel 19 for 338.

THIS!!!
(but I sometimes experiment with VARGET in the .308 when using a new bullet. It's Like getting a second opinion from a doctor, only that doctor comes in 1lb containers, and he travels as a dangerous good. )

 

[daveschulz]

Thanks everyone for all of your advice! I will post what I end up with here and give you a full report!

 

[jfarrell]

I use R19 for my 225 grn Partitions in my 338

 

[Eagleye]

Reloder 19 is very hard to beat in the 338 Win Mag.
I also have had good success with Norma 204 and MRP.

However, my go-to powder in the 308 class chamberings is Reloder 15 or Varget.
These two are a bit "quick" for the 338, particularly with bullets from 225 grains up.

You may be better off to use two powders, rather than try to find a compromise.

Regards, Eagleye.

 

[superd222]

How about H380 ? I get great accuracy with 225's in 338WM and have had equal results with 150's in an old Remington Jam-O-Matic 308.

If I recall, 225gr is about as heavy as you can go using H380 in the 338WM.

Good luck!

 

[bigbang]

Yup i also use re 15 in 308 and re 19 in 338.