Anyone got some hands-on load data for this combo? I know what the books say..........just looking for hard data from actual users. Loading with Nosler BT's and trying to save my stockpile of Varget for more important things!!! I would think this would be a decent powder in such a light bullet weight in the .308

Sorry cant help with 4198 but can say 50 grains of Varget is awesome! My 12 year old will take his cow elk this year with a 125 nab variety. We use NBT for everything else.

Yup, used that exact combo in the past and usually runs a tad under 3100fps in 22" bbl guns. I have gotten close to 3200fps with a heavy compressed charge of Varget. Don't know what it'll do in the new 21" abolt yet however. Probably just gonna do a ladder test from 38-40.5gr using h4198. Would like to make 3000fps with this combo, as it would be a very efficient load, doing what other powders can @ nearly 10gr less powder. If not, I'll just revert back to BLC-2 or Varget, and leave the h4198 to be used in reduced loads.

John in MS...

what I can pass on, is that in their Managed Recoil loads, Remington was using IMR 4198.... which doesn't have much of a burn rate difference than Hodgdon's version...

Disassembling an 06 case of the Managed Recoil line, I can tell ya that the charge was 36 grains of IMR's 4198 with a 125 grain bullet...

so 30 to 33 grs and you'd be in the neighborhood of what they sell off the shelf...

My old Dupont Reloading Guide lists 38.5 grs. w/ a 110 gr. bullet for 3015 fps., and 35.5 grs. for a 150 gr. bullet for 2595 fps. Both of these were maximum loads.
I'd bet that 35.5 gr. load would be a real winner.
I've found loads like that can shoot very well. You might have to add or subtract a grain or two of powder for a 125 gr. bullet or even use a magnum primer. E

Well, I've got three rounds each of 38, 39, 40, & 40.5gr loaded up.............found a couple sources that list 40gr max for 125-130gr slugs, Hodgdon data goes to 39.5max and start loads are 36-37gr or so. I've successfully used 36.5gr in my .307Win Marlin @ 2670fps (which has lower case capacity and pressure limits), so I'm fine starting @ 38gr and working up. Will post the results soon!

Finally got around to testing this combo and results are as follows:


Weather condition: 78� ambient 60% relative humidity @ 350ft elev
Load info: 125gr Nosler Ballistic Tip__H4198 powder__Win commercial brass__CCI #200 primers__2.75" OAL

38gr--2724fps ES-13 SD-6.5
39gr--2776fps ES-10 SD-5.7
40gr--2832fps ES-14 SD-7.8
40.5--2873fps ES-4 SD-2


These were only shot for a velocity check @ 25yd, as I forgot my front rest at home. But I'm sure there's an accuracy node somewhere in that 40-40.5gr charge weight.