308 WCF/165 gr. - 24hourcampfire

Preferred powder for 308 WCF and 165 gr NPT or Speer Hot Core?

Been using Varget, works well but anything else considered better overall?

I use 46 grains of Varget. It works great. No need to chase the Rainbow.

Originally Posted by Hammerdown

I use 46 grains of Varget. It works great. No need to chase the Rainbow.

Tough to argue with that one. Tried and true.

Murky,

There's an amazing number of powder that will give good results in the .308 with a 165gr bullet.

Cartridge : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 165, Nosler BalTip 30165
Useable Case Capaci: 46.812 grain H2O = 3.039 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 61250 psi, or 422 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 108 %
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 !

Code

21 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 60%. 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
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Hodgdon CFE223 *C                  104.7     49.3     3.19    2843    98.4    61250    7929   1.107  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Ramshot Big Game                   104.7     48.1     3.12    2829    99.1    61250    7674   1.110  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4895                           104.3     45.0     2.92    2825    99.3    61250    7699   1.122  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Alliant Reloder-17 *T              108.0     48.9     3.17    2824    99.0    56062    8175   1.137  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon BL-C2                       99.4     46.8     3.03    2816    99.8    61250    7552   1.123  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Norma 203 old                      107.4     46.9     3.04    2814    99.7    61250    7537   1.129  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 748                      96.9     45.0     2.92    2813   100.0    61250    7276   1.116  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Norma 203B *C                      105.6     45.6     2.95    2813    99.3    61250    7601   1.124  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-15 *C              105.0     45.3     2.94    2810    98.9    61250    7625   1.124  ! Near Maximum !  ***
IMR 3031                           105.3     42.5     2.75    2807   100.0    61250    6878   1.120  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 4064                      107.8     45.5     2.95    2798   100.0    61250    7072   1.149  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4895                      101.2     43.7     2.83    2796    99.5    61250    7425   1.127  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Hodgdon H414                       108.0     49.3     3.19    2795    94.8    58002    7993   1.133  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 760                     108.0     49.3     3.19    2795    94.8    58002    7993   1.133  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Ramshot Wild Boar                   99.5     45.9     2.97    2794    99.2    61250    7463   1.121  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                       106.1     46.8     3.03    2791    97.8    61250    7621   1.128  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Accurate 2520                       99.8     45.4     2.94    2791   100.0    61250    7063   1.134  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2206H                       101.4     43.8     2.84    2790    99.2    61250    7437   1.128  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4320                           106.8     45.3     2.94    2788    99.1    61250    7332   1.112  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2495                      101.6     42.9     2.78    2779   100.0    61250    6776   1.156  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N540 *C                 104.4     45.5     2.95    2768   100.0    61250    7018   1.129  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N530 *C                  97.4     42.3     2.74    2766    99.8    61250    7107   1.128  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H335                        92.1     43.4     2.81    2766   100.0    61250    6886   1.127  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Hodgdon VARGET *T                  107.1     44.7     2.90    2762    98.7    61250    7292   1.123  ! Near Maximum !  ***
ADI AR 2208                        106.8     44.7     2.90    2762    98.7    61250    7292   1.123  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant AR-Comp *C *T              100.2     41.8     2.71    2761   100.0    61250    6347   1.126  ! Near Maximum !  ***
Norma 201 *C                       102.6     43.3     2.81    2758    99.8    61250    7104   1.141  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 8208 XBR                        99.6     43.0     2.78    2757    99.8    61250    7030   1.128  ! Near Maximum !  ***
IMR 4064                           108.0     44.0     2.85    2756    98.9    61240    7156   1.127  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H322                        97.6     40.9     2.65    2755   100.0    61250    6649   1.125  ! Near Maximum !  ***
ADI AR 2219                         91.7     40.9     2.65    2755   100.0    61250    6649   1.125  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot TAC *C                      98.8     46.0     2.98    2753    97.1    61250    7371   1.130  ! Near Maximum !  ***
IMR 4007 SSC                       107.1     46.9     3.04    2738    94.6    61250    7392   1.135  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot X-Terminator *C             96.4     44.4     2.88    2737    99.1    61250    7055   1.134  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2230                       94.5     44.2     2.86    2737    99.5    61250    6908   1.140  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N550 *C                 108.0     47.6     3.09    2731    96.7    52780    7841   1.185  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-12                  97.2     42.8     2.77    2724   100.0    61250    6489   1.132  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2210                         92.4     41.2     2.67    2722   100.0    61250    6717   1.134  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4451 Enduron *C*T              108.0     46.0     2.98    2716    94.8    59299    7319   1.141  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4166 Enduron *C*T              107.8     44.5     2.89    2714    95.3    61250    7119   1.134  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon Benchmark                   98.3     41.8     2.71    2713    99.9    61250    6675   1.136  ! Near Maximum !  ***
ADI BM2                             90.4     41.6     2.69    2713    99.9    61250    6659   1.136  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N140 *C                 108.0     44.8     2.90    2711    99.8    59197    6800   1.146  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-10x *C              94.9     38.7     2.50    2709   100.0    61250    6236   1.145  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2200                       89.7     39.3     2.55    2707   100.0    61250    6487   1.134  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2206                        100.3     42.8     2.78    2704    99.4    61250    6732   1.135  ! Near Maximum !

I have been using IMR 4064 for about 53 years.Seems to be working. Everything I shot with it died

IMR 4064, sharp knife, cast iron skillet. Add salt and pepper as needed...

Originally Posted by JPro

Originally Posted by Hammerdown

I use 46 grains of Varget. It works great. No need to chase the Rainbow.

Tough to argue with that one. Tried and true.

It works great

IBack when Varget was hard to get, I tried RL15, and have used it ever since.

46.0 Varget...

Another vote for 46g of Varget (AR 2208 here!).
It gets me 2730 f/s out of my 22.4" Tikka Bbl. with 165g SST and gives 2 holes and usually DRT on fallow deer with high shoulder shots.
Cheers, Jack

IMR 4064, Varget, RL-15: Take your pick

To your original question; I don’t think you will find a powder for your load that is better than Varget! Some may shoot as well, but there is none better in my experience.

BLC2

Easy to use.
Easy to measure.
Old school powder but works.
In stock everywhere just about all the time.

I use it with Speer 150 hot cores....in .308 win Rem 700 at 45 grains.

Works every time.

Best
Heavy

Used a bunch of different powders in the 308 under 165 gr. bullets. If I had to pick just one I couldn't but presently I am using BLC-2.

Just to be a contrarian I would use CFE223 or R16 as I like velocity. If I was reloading in quantity I would get a couple of 8 lb. jugs of milsurp. Bl-2c or 8208 and rock on. But you can't go wrong with any of the previous suggestions.

I was using a Jack O'Conner .30-06 load which used IMR 4064, recently switched to IMR 4350. Used the 4350 load with Sierra GK 165 to take two deer this fall, the load kills with authority.

Years ago I bought a Ruger M77 RSI, the International for a ridiculously low price because the gay said it was inaccurate as hell. $200 for the gun, dies, bullets of which there were plenty, brass and the sellers somewhat words saying, "Good luck." It took two years to find a load. Ended up with a max for the rifle using W760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core. Best that gun will do consistently is 1.50". I killed a lot of deer with that load.

I came into two more of those rifle in .308, all well below their worth because their owners couldn't get a usable level of accuracy from them. Seems all three like the same load. Did some tinkering with them on that metal nose cap and now groups are closer to 1.25".

Velocity is similar in all three with the combined average being about 2550 FPS from the 18.5" barrel. That same load run through a Winchester M70 with 22" barrel is 2610 FPS.

You cannot change a thing. Winchester brass and WLR primer and that Speer bullet. Change to a Sierra or other brand bullet and accuracy goes straight to hell. Change primer and no more accuracy. The strangest thing about it is the Speer Nitrex factory load would shoot right along with my handload with exactly same results. A pox on Speer for dropping that load.

Two more things; why did I buy three? Well, one was for my wife. She wanted to take over mine and the the last just a moment of weakness due to a very pretty piece of lumber. Second, I was at the range shortly after buying the second one testing the loads and I ran info the guy I'd bought it from. The look on his face when we checked targets was priceless. He wanted to know what I did and offered to buy the rifle back for twice what I gave him. Told him I'd do it but that I'd given the rifle to my wife and I was sure she wouldn't sell.
Paul B.

+1

Originally Posted by Hammerdown

I use 46 grains of Varget. It works great. No need to chase the Rainbow.

I've been impressed with Benchmark of late. 8208 and AR Comp are also worthy of trying with 165s.

RL15 has worked well for me, but no better than Varget.

Either bullet over a bunch of powders will work well. Given my druthers I'd go NPT 'cause SPS sells 'em cheap and RL15 since it was a buck oh five per # cheaper than Varget a quarter century ago.