Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 20” 308 and a 168 BT

20” 308 and a 168 BT, what’s the recommended powder to try for a hunting load? Nosler’s data shows BLC-2 (which I have on hand) but I also have CFE 223, 8208 XBR, Varget, H4350 and a few others.

Recommend you toss the 168 BT, grab some 155 Scenars, load the case up with Varget and call it done.

I'd skip the H4350. Any of the others you mentioned will work nicely. The 20" barrel doesn't affect this.

I say this as a fan of the 155 Scenar...but if you do this, I will take the 168 BTs off your hands.
Varget works great with either.
Rex

I've been shooting 8208 with 165 Nosler custom comps in 2 Remington 308 SPST 20" guns with excellent results for several years. I don't shoot them too fast, just accurate. Haven't used them for hunting with the BTs or anything else. They're just target guns.

I shot the same rifle/bullet combo for several seasons. Varget worked great. I pretty much used the load on the front of the powder can.

Same here. I have a Remington 700 with a 20 inch heavy barrel, and it really likes a 168 grain Sierra MK with Varget.

Varget and somehwere at max worked best for me.

Listen closely...
42.0 grains IMR4895
CCi BR2
LC match or FC GM brass
2.8"

If your rifle won't one hole this load then wrap it around a tree.

My 20"Rem 700 LTR .308 shoots bug holes with the Nosler 168gr Custom comp bullets and Varget. Also shoots pretty darn well with RL15 and the 168gr bullets. I would think the 168gr BT's would shoot just as good with either powder.

Back when Varget was not to be found, I tried RL15 and found it worked well in several short barrel .308s. Now the 168 NBTs are hard to find. If I ever go back to them, I might try Varget.

Back when a bunch of us bought Mauser M12's with 20" barrels at a killer sale, I started a thread for handloading for them. Might be some useful info there.
The Mauser M12 Extreme Handloading Thread
Best of luck.
BTW, your Varget and 8208 are very temperature resistant, the CFE223 not so much so. Temp resistance might be important to you in your hunting, or it might not. It's become an important thing to me.
Rex

4895 is one powder I don't have on hand. I'm going to try Varget first and see how it shakes out.

I figured I'd catch a little slack on the 168 BT's but for southern whitetails I've had good results with them in 30-06 and H4350 for years (which is why I had a few bags of Blems on hand).

That sounds great. No need to overthink it. Your 168 BT should work for just about anything that walks, including deer. I would, however, limit it to game smaller than a Brontosaur.

The 168NBT is one of my favorite 30cal bullets on deer and hogs. Has been accurate in the .308 and .300 SAUM.

The 168 Bal Tip is actually a pretty stout bullet, particularly at the velocities typically achieved by a 20" barreled 308.