Choosing Powder/Primers for Reloading

Get the Lyman manual, pick the bullets you want to use, and cross reference between calibres to find a common powder somewhere in the middle third of the data (they list the powders from fast to slow in the data). I won't advise, because I shoot cast and different powders are optimal for that.

I prefer short grain stick or ball powders, for better metering. Some of the IMR stuff is hellish unless you plan to hand dribble each charge (which is also hellish, considering you're going to feed an M-14).

I buy my #34 primers from Henry at Budget Shooter Supply. He's also got once fired 7.62x51 military brass, which might be a good idea for the M14. He's also got the case headspace gauges and can no doubt get the small base .308 dies that are recommended. I'm new to the platform, so I'm doing it by the book, since I'd rather be anal than be blown up.

I'm a bit of a powder junky, though. I'll try anything that looks good before settling on one I like. I'd like to give Accurate 5744 for an all around cast bullet powder, but damned if I can find it anywhere
 
For .308, what are small base dies?

And for bullets, what do you guys recommend?

Nosler Partitions/Ballistic Tip
Hornady A-MAX/SST
Sierra Game/Match kings
 
Are you selecting bullets for punching paper or game? (or both)

In .308, a compromise projectile would be the Hornady SST in 150g. Good accuracy, good terminal performance inclusive of deer or similar.
Slightly light construction for heavier game. Should be less expensive than the Noslers or Sierras.
 
Some of the reviewers are happy with the performance on game with the SST's, others say they expand a bit too well/quickly.
Similar observation on the Nosler BT's.

You can mitigate that somewhat by going for the next weight increment. (165g rather than 150g).

That is still a good weight projectile for .308 Win, even in a semi-auto M14 pattern or similar.
(Similar to the mil-spec match loading for .308).
 
I know that the M14 was designed for 147 gr bullets, but I hear that the 168 gr boat tails are the most accurate out of them. Wouldn't that cause undue wear on the system?

Are ballistic tips meant for varmints/medium game? If you go for bigger game like moose you use Partition style bullets that retain kinetic energy and deeper penetration?
 
In it's heyday the M14's were used in matches with the then-current 173g FMJ projectile at 2550 ft/sec.
Team competitors would have fired a lot of rounds in competition. Since the match M14 rifles were special built,
they would have tried to avoid excessively wearing them. Stick to conservative loadings
and action wear from the heavier projectiles should not be a big issue.

There are articles on suitable loadings for the M14 pattern rifles, which will be more conservative than maximums for .308 Win bolt guns.

Hornady #8 and 9 has a section on .308 Winchester Service Rifle with 155, 168 and 178g projeciles.

Use the 168g data for the 165g SST's and you'll do fine. Max is listed as 2600 ft/sec for a couple of powders, 2500 for most others.

I would use a heavier-constructed projectile than the NBT's or the SST's beyond deer.

The Partitions would be great for moose, for example. There are other good choices too.
 
Thanks!

So when shooting bigger game do you go for high BC bullet like 6.5mm that will penetrate and get to the vitals? Or do you choose a big bullet 8mm that will make a bigger hole and cause more bleeding?

I know for shotguns, when shooting ducks speed kills, but I was wondering with big game, the increased amount of muscle tissue and bone may say otherwise?
 
My knowledge of hunting is from reading, so take for what it's worth.

Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is about the projectile's movement thru the air. Sectional density (SD) is about a projectile's ability to push thru material.

All things being equal, a heavier projectile will have a higher sectional density. For larger animals, you need to get sufficient penetration to get to vital organs.
You'll have more "margin" going with bigger/heavier projectiles when hunting larger animals.

Classic example is hunting large African game. Conventional wisdom is that you want say a .375H&H as the floor cartridge for Cape Buffalo, but bigger would be better.

As you go to larger cartridges, shot placement becomes slightly less critical.

Moose have been successfully hunted with .30-30, but I wouldn't consider it an ideal moose cartridge.

Elephant have been hunted with 6.5x55 Swedish, the 139g FMJ ammunition have fabulous sectional density/penetration.
(Superb shot placement required). FMJ typically unlawful for most N. American hunting.

If you are hunting moose, picking the 8mm Mauser from your collection would likely be the best choice.
Use a tough bullet like the Partition or similar.

Just my thoughts...
 
Yeah exactly my thoughts too. There are more flavours and combos than there are ice cream flavours. Exciting yet overwhelming at the same time.

My load out is

22lr for varmints/small game
.30-30 for forested/brush deer/black bear
6.5x55 for longer range deer/bear
8mm mauser Moose and up
308 win in a M14 is more for just paper punching and plinking. It's really heavy to go hunting with.

I've only hunted deer once, but at 20 yards, I shot a deer with a 12 ga rifled slug in the vitals and it just went straight through. Deer ran 20 yards and fell over. .50 cal+ left a huge entry and exit wound through the rib cage. So yes, I'm in the camp where an overwhelmingly large caliber for the specific big game being hunted results in the bullet smashing through all the bone, muscle, connective tissue, and organs. I'm also in the camp where better SD cartridges like the 6.5x55 SE will penetrate and deliver the bullet to the vitals where it will mushroom/frag out inside and cause devastation. Only dicey part is that it may just pass straight through the animal and not expand resulting in a runner. I suppose the expansion of low SD bullets has to due with bullet weight and velocity?
 
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Two things.

One, the 6.5 is more than adequate for moose. It's used extensively in Sweden for example. Google it and read up.

Two, the caliber chosen has absolulely no bearing on how critical shot placement is. A poorly place shot is just that, a poorly placed shot. Some calibers and more importantly bullet weight and construction may offer better penetration at less that optimum angles, but you still need to place the bullet properly from that angle.
 
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