Have never used Accurate 2495 before so, having it available locally, I decided to give it a try with 165 grain TGK's in my new 700 Alpha I which I reviewed here recently (
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...a-new-remington-700-alpha-1#Post18969298 )
It was also my first use of the tipped Sierra's and of Starline bottleneck rifle brass. (Have used their .45-70 and handgun calibers for many years.) In fact, the only thing about the whole project that I'd had experience with were the CCI 200 primers.
Accurate 2495, according to Accurate/Hodgdon, was "made for the .308." It's said to be an Accurate analog to IMR 4895. Whether it is or not, I don't know.
The Hodgdon data shows max loads of 45 grains )compressed) with a couple of 165 grain bullets, so I put together five rounds each from 43.5 - 45 grains in .5 grain increments.
When loading, the initial 43.5 grain charges seemed to fill the cases pretty full and there was a faint recollection in what passes for my mind about Starline .308 being thick-wall, lower capacity cases.
At the range: The first increment, 43.5 grains, gave me 2752 average speed with pretty uniform numbers and not bad accuracy. The next five, 44 grains, gave me an average of 2841 which, especially given the even better apparent accuracy, I deemed good enough. Figuring I was in the "let's not push it any further with 165 grain bullets giving that speed in a 22 inch .308" territory, I figured I had my load, now maybe play with seationg depth (or not.) Still had to try 44.5 grains, however. One shot, with a speed of 2938 and I figured 44 grains is a good place to stop. I also had my Number 1B .308 with me and, just for fun, put one of the 44.5 grain loads through its 26 inch barrel which gave me slightly over 3000 fps. At that point I decided against shooting any more and decided to be happy with the 44 grain load for the 700.
I went home, pulled the bullets from the remaining test loads and reloaded them with 44 grains of 2495, went out and shot a deer with them. It was a close shot, probably 40 yards, and the TGK gave somewhat explosive performance, very much in contrast to the Sierra 165 grain .308 HPBT SGK that I killed a deer with last week and have been using as my regular load in my Number 1. That bullet acts much like a monolithic, as does the 130 grain 6.5 version of it.
I think I'm going to like the 2495 powder. It's less money than a lot of them, and it measures really nicely through my Redding BR-30, noticeably easier than Varget which has been my go to .308/.223/.45-70 powder but which has gotten up in price significantly.
