Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles which powder for the .308 150g Hornady bullet?

I have an old Hornady book (circa 2000) and looked at the 150g bullet data in .308 and I am wondering what powder works best for this combo? I found 2 boxes of the 150g and want to get this set up for my son to shoot with. Looking for powder and lo/hi range of powder to try out.

I came across a link on the web called www.stevespage.com I think that is the link. Is this reliable data?

Lots of powder to fit the bill...but these come to mind:

4198s (IMR and Hodgdon)
4895s (IMR and Hodgdon)
RL15
IMR4320
Varget
IMR4064
Big Game
TAC

Many others but I'd target something in the burn rates of the above.

I'd try Varget first. IMR 4166 also worked well in my 308.

46.5grs of Varget is what I load in my 308 with 150's.

The 308 Win. and a 150 grain bullet is one of the most tractable combinations a person can handload. A myriad of mid speed powders will work well.

What powders do you have on hand?

Brass selection may alter the powder charge weights as well.

mathman,

I have these powders on hand

H4985
IMR4064
Varget
H414
H4198 (I think I have this)

I am using RP brass and have for primers Win, CCI and Fed

Of those I'd use H4895, Varget or 4064 for full power loads. H4198 would be great for reduced loads.

Hodgdon's top loads with H4895 and Varget work quite well for me with CCI 200 or Fed 210 primers. They used WW brass which has more capacity than RP, but they also used Ballistic Tips have a longer bearing surface and leave less powder capacity than the Interlock you have. So appropriate powder charges have been a wash in my rifles.

Work up toward a top charge of either Varget or H4895 and you'll hit paydirt pretty quick.

IMR4064 is excellent as well, but results in bothersome powder compression with top charges thrown from straight from a measure as I prefer to do.

If you want to weigh and trickle through a drop tube you'll probably have good results with 46 grains of 4064 under a flat base Interlock in RP brass. I loaded those for my father for years.

Yep, as already mentioned by a few members here, Varget and IMR4064 are excellent choices.

My Montana loves Re15 and Varget with 150 grain Hornady GMX and flat base interlocks. Both shoot to same POI and within 25 fps velocity.

I've never loaded for a 308 but have had good luck with IMR 4320 in both the 7mm-08 and 358 Win. One of my manuals says that 4320 has been used in 308 factory loads in the past.

Another option if what you have on hand doesn't pan out.

Dale

44.0 - 44.5gr IMR 4064 works wonders for every 150 - 155gr .308 bullet I've tried so far.

Varget is my second favorite powder for those bullets.

Steve's Pages has proven to be reliable for me, if that counts for anything.

Ed

I like varget, seems to be very stable with temperature.

My .308s liked Re 15, Varget etc., etc. The only load that I shoot now, though, is 1/2 grain under max of CFE223 under the 150 Interlock. It shoots 1/2 moa in my RA and also a Savage 110CL. It is a deer smucker, too, at 2900 + fps mv.

The 150 GMX is long and the load will be too compressed if over 46 grains. I got excellent accuracy with 46-VV N140 and the GMX 150. The SST is shorter than the GMX, I haven't checked this powder with it yet.

Start with 4064 and Varget. Work up to 47.o gr. I like CCI or Fed primers.

It's hard not to recommend Varget in a 308 using 150 grain.

Ran across this pic the other day...reminds me of how easy the 308 is to work with when spinning those 150 Hornadys.

This is the only load I've worked up so far. I'll probably switch to IMR-3031 since I'm out of Winchester 748...

Gun: Tikka T3 Lite (22 inch barrel/1 in 11 twist/4-groove)

Bullet: Hornady 150 gr. SP Interlock
Powder: Winchester 748 48.0 grs.
Primer: CCI-250
Case: Winchester (New)
LOAL: 2.800 (2.216 with Stoney Point)
Average Velocity: 2845.94 fps
Extreme Spread: 39.35
Standard Deviation: 14.96

Just curious, how did you know?

Mine loves a max load of H4895. Been playing with 165 Sierra's over RL15 and my, my does that dog hunt too!