Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles AR10 308 loading data?

I have been looking and searching for reloading data for the .308 in an AR10.

The closest thing so far is in my latest Hornady manual with the section for service rifles.

Does anybody have any pointers or links they can direct me to for loading 7.62x51/308 for the AR10 platform? Thanks in advance.

Any medium/fast burner will work just fine with bullet weights from 110 to 168. The AR 10 platform will digest almost any reasonable load. I use "most accurate 308" Varget/cci 250 load featured in Handloader several years ago except I can't use the 168 Bergers due to OAL issues. Plain old Hornady 150 FMJs will hold 1.5 MOA out as far as I've shot them in a 16" bbled DPMS with a 1.2-4 Trijicon. Back issues are available from Wolfe publishing I believe.

The AR-10 is a jet propelled system so it should be pretty much impervious to whatever you come up with; it does not have an op-rod that you can bend like an M-14 or M1.

I pretty much load it like an M14, just with a bit more powder. Not because I have to use those faster powders (4895, Varget, Re15, etc), but because they work good enough and I have them on hand. I'd like to try 4350 in it sometime. I have a bunch of vintage 200gr bullets to try too.

My usual load is a 175 MK & a very healthy dose of Varget.

I've just started playing around with my LAR-8 and handloads, but so far Rel-15, win748, and IMR4895 have shown promise when under 150gr bullets.

280, when I got my R25 about 6 months ago, I first tried some hunting loads I'd worked up for my M600 Rem. It is basically a duplicate of the military M80 load using FN berdan primed brass (so I don't have to chase down the empties), surplus WC826 powder, and 150 gr cup and core bullets. The first group I fired was exactly 1" and everything since has been well under 2" and sometimes under 1". Never saw a reason to try anything else since it is to be used for deer and pig hunting and casual plinking.

I have a DPMS AP4 in 308 (16" barrel, colapable stock, etc). I put a Timney trigger in it and dialed in the loads to .5", 5-shot groups at 100 yards. The formula is 150gr SMK's and 44.5grs of Varget.

What are you wanting to load for? Hunting? Bulk ammo? Target shooting?

I've had good luck with 44.3 grains of IMR 4064, Federal brass, Sierra, Nosler, and some South African 168 grain HPBT.
I enjoy potting red yogurt lids at 500 yards.
Sierra and Nosler are the more accurate.

Jim

To all, thanks for the info and loading suggestions.

cbmjr, I am looking for both a target load and a hunting load. Although they might be the same load if a hunting bullet shoots well. My wife and I bought this rifle because we don't have any "black" rifles and this one could be used for deer and hogs as well.

As always I am striving for the 1 MOA gold standard but the planned use for this rifle is 300 yards and under so anything under 2 MOA will work.

Basically I am looking for current loading information on the AR10 platform because the data is pretty lean. Most of the info available is for the AR15 and rightly so due to the sheer numbers of them out there.

My first effort at loading this rifle will be with 44, 45 and 46 grains of Varget with Nosler 168 grain Custom Competition bullets and CCI 200 primers in Remington brass. For a hunting load I'll start with the Remington 180 grain Core-Lokt and adjust the powder charge appropriately. Haven't decided on the final optic but for load testing I'll probably use my faithful old Redfield 6x18 because it is so reliable.

Again I appreciate all the help and info.

The 150gr and 165gr Hornady is another great and affordable bullet for hunting. I dont think you would have any issues getting them to shoot well in a hunting load. Any of the match 168's and 175's should also work good. Varget and RL-15 are known for being great do-it-all powders for .308. Wincheter, Federal, and Remington brass work great as well.

44gr of RL15 with an 168SMK works great for me out of all my 308s...thats why I keep doing it...proceed however you want. I bet I could hunt with it...Im sure there is a bunch of better bullet options though...

A 165 GK would be plug-n-play in that load.