Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anyone try LeverEvolution powder in .308 Win

Sitting at the loading bench just now, I had a bit of an epiphany. Loading light for caliber 125gr Nosler BT, realized the best powders like Varget, BLC2, and 4895 give near top velocity but fill the case with compressed loads due to being just a tad slow. Got to thinking.........If you could only fit more of these exact powders into the case without overflow, they'd be perfect. Turns out I already have a good candidate in LVR powder. Its almost exactly the same burn rate a Varget, but gives load densities of 4-5gr more.

Calling Hodgdon gets their standard response, "we don't recommend powders in calibers were there is no data". I just don't see how they would skip data on the .308 given its wide flexibility with medium burn rate powders.

Especially since they promote it in the 308 marlin express. On another site they were not wanting to burn up their varget and were using lvr w/varget data and getting very close to varget results w/good accuracy.
That said I wouldn't push it hard. I read some testing where a Guy pushed it in a lever action and when it peaked pressure really jumped...and it wasn't much past published data.

With its burn rate.........I doubt you could ever get into the danger zone with light bullets in medium/small capacity cases. I did ladder testing with 130gr Speers in my .30-30 which nobody lists data for, and had great results!!! 2600+fps out of a 20" barrel with a lightly compressed load of 42.5gr LVR using WW and RP brass with zero signs of pressure from several test guns

Good info...I have lvr and speer 130 on hand and wanted to give it a go.
I've had phenominal groups...5 shot under an inch w/h4895 and noslers round nose 150 ballistic tip. Not sure anything will beat that in my 336!
But always fun to try.

If you do, I'd really appreciate a follow-up......as I would like confirmation of my findings I posted on Reloadersnest and Shooters Forum.


http://www.shootersforum.com/handloading-procedures-practices/85237.htm

http://reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21031

Me and my brother in law worked up a load for his 30-30 using the Sierra 150 gr bullet, 37.5 gr averaged 2353 with an extreme spread or 12 and standard deviation of 4, that is the lowest ES that I have ever seen. I also worked up a load for my T/c contender 25-35 with a 15 inch barrel, 33.5 gr with the Sierra 75 gr hp runs 2789 with 3/4 inch groups at 50 yards.

I've used it with a couple of bullet weights. Worked fine in general, but really worked well with 165/168 grain bullets. Some of the highest velocities I've seen (well over 2,800 fps from a 22" barrel) with no pressure signs. Accuracy was good as well.

Any data for lighter bullets?

Not off hand. As I recall, I hit ~2,900 in the upper 40s. At that point pressure seemed to be about as far as I wanted to go (not high, but I have a lot of loads that would do at least as well less powder)

Dont they have published data for the 338 Federal and LR? Might be a starting point.

I have used it extensively in the 308 Win for 168-185 gr bullets out of a 20 in barrel on Savage bolt action. Can get 2730-2750 fps with the 168s and 2640 with the 180-185 bullets. Powder capable of 1 hole groups. Have shot mostly Berger, Sierra, Barnes, and bullets a friend of mine is machining from solid copper. Best powder I have used in 308 thus far. Do not understand why Hodgdon does not publish data for it in 308. For me it was safe to start around 44 grains and work up for both 168 and 180 bullets

It's all just marketing BS. I read that they are using the LVR stuff for they're Superformance 300 sav load, or some variant thereof. Some on this site are also showing good results in the 223rem with heavies. Why don't they publish data for it with 300/308/223 etc? Because they have other stuff to sell.

Up for another look

Good bump David. I hadn't thought of trying this one in 308, but the burn rate makes sense. I do like it in my Grendel for loads that can also use the same powders that I use in 308.

My one dislike about Lever in a semi-auto (meaning an AR mostly) is that is produces a lot more gas, which cycles the action faster and can result in early unlocking if the gas system isn't adjusted for that. But then a gas system adjusted for a full power Lever load (why else use Lever except for full power) doesn't cycle most other loads correctly. This is relevant to me at least since I've got a 308 AR. You'd never notice with a bolt action.