Depending on weight of your bullet, Hornady manual recommends IMR 4064 and Varget. I tried both, IMR is my work horse I use exclusively (168 BTHP Match), Varget on the other hand did not work for me. But also, there is Hodgdon BL-c(2), which is the very original powder designed for 7.62x51 Nato, practically a military version of 308 and I had very good results with that too and if I could get it in bulk for same price I get the IMR, I would use it because it meters much better than IMR.
.308 reloding advice
- Thread starter 50calguy
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Depending on weight of your bullet, Hornady manual recommends IMR 4064 and Varget. I tried both, IMR is my work horse I use exclusively (168 BTHP Match), Varget on the other hand did not work for me. But also, there is Hodgdon BL-c(2), which is the very original powder designed for 7.62x51 Nato, practically a military version of 308 and I had very good results with that too and if I could get it in bulk for same price I get the IMR, I would use it because it meters much better than IMR.
2700 FPS is very fast for 42.7 grains of varget and 175-178 projectiles, in fact 2700 FPS is the upper limit in most load books (and typically require 44 grains or more to get there with 43.5 typically gets you closer to 2660). If you've managed to get on that node with 42.7, good on you, but your results are Atypical.
It depends somewhat at which distances you intend to shoot, but what's suggested below is difficult to beat out to 1000 metres. You can substitute other bullets, e.g. Sierra or Berger 155's, and various 178's, right up to 210 gr and still do well. I'd suggest you buy the Varget and Lapua brass and a few (lots of 50-100) different bullets and have at it.
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+++ on the varget. Had great results,1/2 moa at 100-500m in 3 different rifles now with 168-178gr hornady pills. Just a heads up to double check seating depth. My 10tr is 2.780” to the lands with 178 ELD-x (they are really long 178’s) and have found short throats on a few other savages as well.
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A few target shooting guys at the range have said that i got a fast barrel.
Chrono data on labradar, and tested with other shooters and it matches their expected velocities.
Either my barrel got really tight specs, or it’s the 26” barrel lenght at work, or a bit of both
Gcoy19
It’s my experience with 2 different savage 10TRs, troat is very short
Factory ammo would jam into the lands.
Since the lands leade angle are not sharp, can be hard to determine exact location and doesn’t give any pressure spikes if using mag lenght (2.800) ammo.
To my experience at least YMMV
Question on your 150 gr FMJ data. You say Benchmark at 46gr? Almost max load. My online sierra manual, granted for a Sierra match king in 150gr lists the max load using benchmark at 44.8 for 2900 FPS?
Your hornady manual says 46grs of benchmark and that is almost max?
Your hornady manual says 46grs of benchmark and that is almost max?
Horn 150 SST over 45 grs H4895 CCIBR2 is my Fav 308 Win Load ! RJ
Varget load would be 46 -47 grs !
Varget load would be 46 -47 grs !
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