Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ramshot TAC

I recently bought a pound of this to try in my 308. Thinking if it would work in the 308 it might be a choice in the 243 and 7MM-08 as there based on the same case. I found no data for the 243 or 7MM-08 for this powder on the Hodgdon web site. Am I stuck with this just for the 308?

It's great with heavy .223's.

kwg

Barnes shows the powder in 243

TAC may be a little too fast for the 7-08,but it should work in the 243.Hodgdon shows Varget data on their reloading data for the 243.I use exactly one grain less TAC than what I load Varget in my 308 Win using 150-168gr bullets.So you might drop down a couple of grains of TAC and use Varget data to get you close and work up a little from there.

Case fill isn't going to be that great with TAC.

Are you forgetting about the effect that bore size relative to case capacity has on powder burn rate selection?

TAC is so good in the 308 that you won't want to burn it in anything else.


Okie John

I love TAC in the .308. It's a bit fast for the 7mm08 and .243 but might work with lighter bullets.

You don’t own a .223?

At current prices, it’s probably a good idea to peruse the loading manuals before plunking down the bucks, but though I haven’t tried it as yet, TAC looks useful for the .308 for light to mid-weights, 6.5 Grendel, even .30/30. You only bought a pound, about 150 rounds worth. The .223 with 50s is almost a standard…

TAC would be suitable in the 7mm-08 with 120s. A super popular load around the 'Fire for a long time was a 120 Ballistic Tip or TTSX over Varget or Reloader 15, and TAC is fairly comparable to those powders.
TAC should also work fine in 243 with lighter bullets where similar burn rate powders would be suitable.

My 223 hasn't seen a bullet other than a 55 grain V-Max. It's a Cooper varmint rifle and I only use it shooting prairie dogs. I'll be using either 150 or 165 grain bullets in the 308 depending on which group better. Typically my 7MM-08's see 140 grainers which I have the most of. In the 243 I'm trying the 95 grain Hornady SST as well as 100 grain Partitions.

You’re obviously not looking very hard. Fugg Hodgdon data. Google Fu Western Powder reloading guide online. A bunch of .308 TAC data.

Which I think is exactly what he is saying.

The way I comprehend it is he is unsure about the .243 and 7mm-08.

Anything that works well in the .223 is usually great in a .458 Win Mag or Lott. TAC is very good in the .458 Win. Similar to H335 in results. Check Barnes #4. I've used a lot of H335 in .45-70s and .458 Wins. Top results for heavier bullets.

So TAC isn't limited to .308s and ilk.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Might mention that TAC started out as a military powder, designed for use in the 5.56x45 and 7.62x51 NATO rounds--which as most of us know eventually were also introduced as the commercial rounds named the .223 Remington and .308 Winchester. Both rounds tend to work well with the same powders--but TAC also works well in several rounds with pretty similar capacity/bore ratios--though bullet weight also has an effect.

I keep a running list of the powders most-used in the handloads for our rifles, mostly to keep an adequate supply on hand. Here are the cartridge/bullet combinations where TAC has proven to work the best in terms of both high velocity and smaller groups, in our rifles:

.204 Ruger, 24 to 40-grain bullets
.223 Remington, 50-55 grain bullets
.308 Winchester, 130-150 grain bullets
.358 Winchester, 200-225 grain bullets
9.3 Barsness-Sisk wildcat, 250-286 grain bullets

But will also add that TAC is well worth trying in any cartridge/bullet combo where powders such as IMR4895, etc. tend to work.

Agreed.....Hb

I found some Quick Load Data posted on another site.It did show TAC used in the .243.It wouldn't be my choice,but would be usable with probably lighterweight bullets.
Cartridge : .243 Win.
Bullet : .243, 85, Barnes 'TSX' BT 24341
Useable Case Capaci: 49.467 grain H2O = 3.212 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.710 inch = 68.83 mm
Barrel Length : 20.0 inch = 508.0 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 60000 psi, or 413 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 115 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

52 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 80%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type Filling/Loading Ratio Charge Charge Vel. Prop.Burnt P max P muzz B_Time
% Grains Gramm fps % psi psi ms
--------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-25 111.7 50.7 3.28 3179 99.4 60000 14280 0.981
Norma MRP 103.7 49.4 3.20 3178 97.8 60000 14598 0.988
Vihtavuori N570 114.6 55.1 3.57 3174 89.5 60000 15436 0.986
Norma MRP 2 114.3 52.1 3.38 3164 95.6 60000 14688 0.991
Alliant Reloder-17 93.2 44.6 2.89 3160 100.0 60000 13343 0.983
Vihtavuori N560 105.4 49.1 3.18 3159 94.2 60000 14582 0.985
Alliant Reloder-33 114.6 57.4 3.72 3147 89.9 60000 15138 0.988
IMR 7828 109.8 48.7 3.15 3145 94.6 60000 14176 0.976
IMR 7828 SSC 103.9 48.7 3.15 3145 94.6 60000 14176 0.976
Alliant Reloder-22 105.7 48.7 3.16 3144 96.4 60000 14215 0.989
Winchester WXR 108.5 48.9 3.17 3141 96.2 60000 14205 0.990
Accurate MAGPRO 105.6 51.2 3.32 3138 92.4 60000 14486 0.992
Ramshot Magnum 105.2 52.2 3.38 3113 97.1 60000 13603 0.984
Ramshot Hunter 97.8 46.1 2.98 3111 98.5 60000 13405 0.991
Hodgdon H414 92.4 44.6 2.89 3110 97.8 60000 13440 0.991
Winchester 760 92.4 44.6 2.89 3110 97.8 60000 13440 0.991
Alliant Reloder-19 102.3 46.6 3.02 3105 96.2 60000 13555 0.985
Norma URP 97.4 43.9 2.85 3103 99.5 60000 13062 0.994
Hodgdon H1000 114.0 51.4 3.33 3103 94.6 60000 13705 0.976
Vihtavuori N550 94.6 44.1 2.86 3100 99.4 60000 13160 0.999
Accurate 4350 96.7 44.1 2.86 3097 99.5 60000 13084 1.012
IMR 4895 87.9 40.1 2.60 3089 99.9 60000 12624 0.995
Hodgdon CFE223 83.2 42.3 2.74 3087 100.0 60000 12505 0.991
Ramshot Big Game 88.1 42.8 2.77 3085 99.9 60000 12544 0.991
Norma 204 97.0 45.7 2.96 3084 95.9 60000 13214 0.984
IMR 4831 102.2 44.6 2.89 3083 99.6 60000 12801 1.003
Alliant Reloder-15 88.7 40.5 2.62 3080 99.8 60000 12568 0.995
Norma 203B 89.1 40.6 2.63 3077 99.9 60000 12469 0.997
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V 100.0 44.1 2.86 3073 100.0 60000 12162 0.992
Hodgdon H4831 107.6 47.7 3.09 3072 93.8 60000 13164 0.982
Hodgdon H4831 SC 103.4 47.7 3.09 3072 93.8 60000 13164 0.982
Winchester 748 81.5 40.0 2.59 3069 100.0 60000 11914 0.991
Hodgdon H4895 85.7 39.1 2.53 3069 100.0 60000 12233 0.992
IMR 4320 90.7 40.7 2.64 3068 99.9 60000 12140 0.980
Hodgdon BL-C2 83.7 41.7 2.70 3066 100.0 60000 12230 1.001
Hodgdon H380 90.0 41.9 2.72 3065 99.3 60000 12616 1.000
Norma 203 old 90.3 41.6 2.70 3063 100.0 60000 12256 1.011
Ramshot Wild Boar 84.3 41.1 2.66 3063 99.9 60000 12255 0.991
Accurate 3100 105.7 48.2 3.12 3059 98.5 60000 12861 1.017
Hodgdon Retumbo 115.0 52.7 3.42 3057 96.7 53534 14427 1.035 ! Near Maximum !
IMR 3031 88.1 37.5 2.43 3055 100.0 60000 11386 0.996
Hodgdon H4350 99.6 44.4 2.88 3054 97.2 60000 12647 0.987
IMR 4350 97.8 44.4 2.87 3054 97.3 60000 12634 0.987
Winchester Supreme 780 100.7 48.4 3.14 3053 96.0 60000 12819 0.990
Vihtavuori N165 107.7 48.6 3.15 3051 96.8 60000 12704 0.994
Vihtavuori N530 82.9 38.0 2.46 3049 100.0 60000 11760 0.987
Hodgdon VARGET 91.5 40.4 2.62 3048 99.7 60000 12091 0.983
IMR 4064 92.1 39.7 2.57 3044 99.8 60000 11944 0.987
Ramshot TAC 84.5 41.5 2.69 3043 98.9 60000 12309 0.989
IMR 8208 XBR 84.7 38.6 2.50 3039 100.0 60000 11641 0.987
IMR 4007 SSC 91.8 42.5 2.75 3039 97.2 60000 12513 0.995
Accurate 2520 83.6 40.2 2.61 3039 100.0 60000 11576 1.011
Norma 201 87.1 38.9 2.52 3032 100.0 60000 11712 1.003
Vihtavuori N160 107.6 47.1 3.05 3031 94.7 60000 12548 0.989
Accurate 4064 89.7 40.0 2.59 3030 100.0 60000 11541 1.029
Hodgdon H322 82.7 36.6 2.37 3027 100.0 60000 11076 0.985
Norma 202 86.4 38.7 2.51 3025 100.0 60000 11301 0.998
Ramshot X-Terminator 82.4 40.1 2.60 3024 99.9 60000 11725 0.990
Vihtavuori N540 88.5 40.8 2.64 3017 100.0 60000 11369 0.999
Accurate 2230 80.4 39.7 2.57 3017 100.0 60000 11490 1.001
Vihtavuori N150 97.5 42.0 2.72 3016 100.0 60000 11416 1.000
Accurate 2460 80.3 39.4 2.55 3014 100.0 60000 11343 1.010
Accurate 2495 84.5 37.7 2.44 3014 100.0 60000 11156 1.032
Hodgdon Benchmark 84.3 37.9 2.45 3004 100.0 60000 11120 0.985
Alliant AR-Comp 83.6 36.9 2.39

Well I don't have a 458 but I do have a 358 Winchester so I'll try it in that as well. Other possible applications might be the 405 Win.

TAC is an excellent powder in the 358 Win. use magnum primers to get a great load.....the little heaver spark in a magnum primer makes a big difference....

I use TAC and a magnum primer in the .358 with 250s.

Yep, it works.

Just looked through Gun Gack IV, Rifle Load That Work, and found these other TAC cartridge/bullets combinations that performed well in one or more rifles, providing both high velocity and small groups:

.17 Remington Fireball, 20-grain bullets.
.222 Remington, 40-grain bullets.
.300 Savage, 125-grain bullets.
.35 Whelen, 225-grain bullets.
.350 Remington Magnum, 225 and 250-grain bullets.

TAC, 358, 180 Barnes ttsx is a killer combination.

i really like how well i can volume load with Tac powder , have been working with a 6 BR load with Tac powder now so far not as good as Varget powder for accuracy yet ?

TAC is great for those.

It's a ball powder.

Mag primers and lean on the gas.

Yep!

And unlike many "traditional" ball powders, TAC burns a LOT cleaner with maximum loads.

I have found tac to be pretty temp stabil as well

I know that is true, but I've used TAC in the 30-30, and it's pretty clean there too. Not high pressure.

Using TAC in my 300 Savage with Hornady 150gr SP Interlock...

I used a max load of TAC with a 150 grain TTSX in a .308 in really hot weather in Africa and had no problems. Based on that it seems pretty temperature stable.

my good friend Greg the machinist /barrel man shot a bench rest shoot in Missouri a couple of weeks ago and shot well there ,Greg is hoping i figure out a good load out with Tac powder and said he then will probably switch from Varget for easier loading ammo. > i got to also mention this for the guy`s that clean their rifles a lot , Greg went down there with 2 rifles with clean barrels and ready to shoot in match and shot one different rifle each day sometimes he only shoots one for the whole weekend, one is a 6 BR the other is a blown out kinda 6BR .when Greg goes too these matches he never cleans his rifle barrels or barrel tell he gets home rather he uses the same rifle for both days or not , thinks some guys clean their rifles to much , Greg won the second day won some matches and won best group for the day too with his dirty on cleaned rifle barrel he used that day. Pete53

It is very stable, but like all powders, pressures and hence velocities do tend to increase at temps over around 80 Fahrenheit. How much, of course, depends on the temperature, but in temp-stable powders pressure doesn't increase as much as with "standard" powders.

TAC was the first Ramshot powder I tested in real cold. My standard test is to work up a load at around 70 degrees, then when the temperature drops during the Montana winter, retest at zero--with the rifle and ammo both chilled, just as they would be in hunting.

I tested it in a very accurate Kimber .223 Remington, and the load averaged exactly the same velocity at zero as at 70, which is the only time that's ever happened with any of my cold-tests. There had to be some luck involved, as even when re-chronographing the same load during the same range session, a string generally varies a few fps from other strings.

By chance, is TAC a rebranded powder with another name that might also be available?
Like A2230 and Xterminator?

TAC has never showed me any love I've tried it in my 35 Whelen (200 TTSX) and .308 Win (150/155 gr).

Not in North America. Have heard it's sold under another name in Europe.

What primers and charges did you use?

Maybe not considered "high" pressure but if at or near max that's all that matters for that particular cartridge

Does Tac work in the 308 service rifle with 168's?

243 - 85hpbt sierra at 52k

this is the powders I have on hand. I use IMR 4350

I tried it today in 9.3x62 with 250 TTSX. It shot very well. Not enough space to use Big Game with the Mono but TAC WAS about perfect.
It was the best powder in my 458Lott with 450 grain TSX.

I won a rifle match many years ago with a heavy barrel 22-250 using TAC.
I've used it in 30'06 with 150s.
I haven't used it much in 308, mine prefer Benchmark.

In general, if I'm wanting a 150-grain load in the .308 I try Varget first--because it's worked very well in over a dozen rifles. (It has also worked well with anything from 150s to 180s.)

TAC generally works well too, though better with lighter bullets, like 125-130 grains. The highest velocities and smallest groups I've gotten with a light .308 were in a pre-'64 Model 70 Featherweight using TAC and the 130-grain TTSX, with 3-shot groups around .6 and a muzzle velocity around 3100.

But all sorts of powders work in the .308. One suggested to me by Bill Wilson (of Wilson Combat) is Alliant AR-Comp--which these days is sometimes more available than other powders.

In .308: CCI-200 and Fed-215

.35 Whelen: CCI-200 and Rem 9 1/2 (M)

Thanks.

Next question: Did you work up to the maximum listed charges you could find in any source of loading data?

Worked up to 60.0 gr in the Whelen. Notes said the load was getting warm. 2-sht workup groups were printing 2-3"+ at 100 yds. I worked up to 63.0 gr of W-748 also, but it didn't show signs of grouping either. IMR-3031 was my huckleberry with the 200 TTSX.

In the .308, I tried 42.0 and 43.0 gr with the 155 Scenar. It shot like crap, so I aborted.

If I read between the lines, I think you might be intimating at TAC works best at max loading. I'm not a big fan of powders that behave this way. Much prefer a single-based powder like IMR-4064, but haven't seen any of this for ages.

I like 44.5grs of TAC,Win case,WLRM primer,168gr Ballistic Tip out of my CZ550 Varmint 308 Win.

That's exactly what I'm "intimating."

Also, when TAC first appeared I tested a bunch and found it VERY clean-burning, and mentioned that in articles. Some people said that was BS, because they found it just as dirty-burning as most other spherical powders. I then asked if they'd worked up to the maximum listed loads, and they said no, they quit after starting loads burned so dirty. So I suggested they add more powder--and the "dirty" went away.

I'm not saying you're wrong about your choice in powders. I also used several that are, uh, more flexible. Tend to use either of the 4895s or Varget in the .308, all of which work very well with loads below max.

But will also add that the maximum listed load with 225-grain AccuBonds grouped as well as any load in my Remington 700 .35 Whelen.

For the 5 of us that shoot 6/45, TAC works great with 75 grain bullets.

It looks like you were cooking with not enough gas.

Maybe you and MD are right. Nosler shows 42.0 as the starting and most accurate charge weight with 150/155 gr bullets. Must be a fluke.

https://www.nosler.com/media/load_data_assets/pdfs/308-Win-150gr-version-9-0.pdf

That's their barrel.

The load I've been using is 46 grains of TAC with a 150 grain TTSX. I get about 2900 fps from a 22 inch barrel with good accuracy.

Good point 10gaugemag .They used a Lilja 1-10.I have one rifle with a Lilja barrel.It shoots good but I have to run my loads reduced a bit compared to the Remington factory barrel chambered for the same cartridge.I have three 308 Win's.They all are 1-12 twist.Reloading data is just a guide,you cannot expect the same results.Every rifle is different.

That's what I shoot for everything 70-80gr in my 6x45 as well. Interesting that Ramshot never listed it for the 6x45 because they said it was "too slow burning", according to some folks that requested data for it from them.

Bill

Yeah, that always baffled me as well....

Mule Deer's data for Tac in the .358 with the 200 Barnes has been great in my Savage 99. I'm about a grain or so below his max but still getting 2700 FPS with the 200 TTSX.

Good to know, thanks

I listed 5 lbs. of TAC F/S for $140 ftf awhile ago on many different forums and no one even showed interest in it. I still have it. I bought it when you couldn’t find any Benchmark for years. I was going to try it in 223 but never got around to it.

Try it in your 223 you will be pleased, in my experience

Yep....

My ar loves it

It is a rebranded powder though not available in the US.

Like other Ramshot powders, at least Magnum (Sp12) and Big Game (Sp11) that I am aware of, it is manufacture and sold in Europe by PB Clemont Ferrand in Belgium.

TAC is one of their Sps, not sure which one as it is a powder I don't use, but either Sp7 or Sp9.

Sierra has load data for TAC in 7mm08 w/ 100, 120, 130, and 140s. click here for data

I tried it with 100HPs; very accurate, but velocity lagged other medium powders. I also remember it having muzzle flash.

100HP, TAC, Fed210m, 2.635"oal, 22"
grains, fps, 3shot group

• 42.0, 2877, 1/4"
• 42.5, 2901, 5/8"
• 43.0, 2942, 5/8"
• 43.5, 3015, 3/4"
• 44.0, 3061, 5/8"

Mine does too--as well as our other .223's.

Around 20 years ago, not long after TAC appeared, I was discussing good loads for the .223 with one of the bullet manufacturers, which uses one or two standard loads for testing each run of bullets for accuracy.

I said, "Is one of them around 26 grains of TAC with a 50-grain bullet?" His eyebrows went up, and then he laughed and said, "Yep!"

Varget used to be my go-to in the 308 Win. In the last 7 years it's been TAC, with Varget being the fallback. Before those two it was RL15, and before that IMR 4064, and before that...

Sierra has load data for TAC in 7mm08 w/ 100, 120, 130, and 140s. click here for data

Thanks for the info I appreciate it

Everyone using about 25.0 gr. with a 55 gr.? I have about four pounds and a bunch of Hornady spire points to go with it.

Folks using a mag primer in .308 Win? Say, with 45 gr.

W-748 defiinietly prefers a CCI-250 primer.

I've had good luck using standard primers with TAC in the .308.

You ever try Tac in the 9.3 with 270 or 286g bullets?

Tac works great in the 6 ARC. Good accuracy and velocity in my 17 inch barrel. 1 grain under listed max and I am still getting 2950 with the 80 ttsx.

I've used 250m with TAC under 150 TTSX & 155 Scenar velocity in the 2880 fps with suppressed 20" barrel.

I use magnum primers in my 308 Win's,not because I'm trying to get more velocity,but I load for a lot more magnum cartridges.I wanted to see how they worked so I could just use the magnum primers in my 308 Win,30-06 and 338-06 instead of buying both large rifle and magnum primers.They work really well for me with ball and extruded powders.

Years ago i bought 50 pounds of Sp7 and Sp9 for $5/ lb.
I still have a bunch. Never occurred to me that's its TAC.
I use it in 30-30 mostly

No. I'm relative new comer to 9.3x62.
Big game is apparently close to perfect for 286. I couldn't get enough in the case for 250s.
All I've used it R15, BH, TAC and just shot a couple of Varget load to get velocities