Advice: Reloading 308 win. 150g

For nice, "non-hammering" loads for my M14S I use:

(all with 147gn milsurp ball)
-43gn Varget;
-42gn 4064;
-43gn RL-15.

I've also used WC735 and WC844 surplus powder with success, but each lot of pulldown is a little different so I'd start at 41gn and work up from there by 0.5gn increments. My last batch settled on 42, whereas my previous batch was hot enough at 43.

-M
 
Your M14 has a hole near the middle of the barrel to bleed off gas to run the gas system to run the bolt. This is the gas port. It is important that by the time the bullet gets to that gas port the pressure has dropped into the correct range. A slow powder would still develop higher pressure at the port. This is why semi-auto rifles should use a faster powder. The pressure drops quicker.


RL15 and Varget are excelelnt powders in blt rifles but should not be loaded at full power in the M14. It would just beat up the rifle.

As you have heard, BLC2, H335, 4895, 4064 and 748 are in the correct speed range. For plinking under 400 yards, no need to load at full power.
 
The most important thing when reloading for any semi is that you must full length resize every time(the sizing die has to be an FL die). Plus watch the case lengths and make sure the primers are seated properly. Primers seated too high can cause slam fires, nothing to do with the rifle or the load. Other than that, it's no different than loading for anything else.
Buy a Lyman manual and read it, too. Lee doesn't develope their own data.
IMR4064, IMR4895, H4895(not the same, but close), BLC2, or Varget will do nicely with a 150. Pick one(IMR4064. 43.0 to 47.7(compressed). Don't worry about compressed loads either.) and work up the load for your rifle.
If and when you decide to hunt with your rifle, work up a load using a 165 grain hunting bullet with the same powders.
You do not need CCI 'Milspec' primers. They're just a marketing gimmick for magnum primers. Regular large rifle primers will do as long as you seat 'em properly. Flush or a wee bit below flush with the case head.
 
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