Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Loading .308 in Federal Brass

I've got close to 500 pieces of Federal Gold Medal .308 Brass (which I think is the same as their standard brass). I've read through all the threads about loading .308, but one question never really got answered. I'm curious how high can I go with Varget and 150 Partitions & BT's, and then also 165 BT's. Nosler says 46 grains with Winchester Brass and 165's. 46.5 grains with 150's. I realize with the heavier Federal Brass I can't load to that same maximum. If anyone has loaded Federal brass, I'd like to know where you ended up charge wise.

For reference, my brass weighs 182 grains. I've sorted it, so I'm within a 1/2 grain for the brass I'm currently working with.

I'm going to start specifically with 150 Partitions. I'm hoping to make this a nice little game load to shoot out of a Sako Forester that appears to be late 60's early 70's vintage.

Thanks in advance for any help.

And yes, I have a chrono these loads will get shot over to back check for pressure vs speed.

If your shooting to a .308 with a 165/168, you should put the projectile over 42.0 grains of IMR4895 to a OAL of 2.83.
If the rifle won't shoot that load you should throw the rifle into a dumpster.

You might have a hard time fitting 46grs of Varget in a Federal case. All you can do is try it.
I do know Winchester cases hold more powder then a Federal, Remington, and Hornady in all the Rifle calibers I’ve loaded for. Hornady is close though. Can speak on Lapua or Norma, never used them.

The Sierra manual Varget data I have (Fed brass used) tops out at 44.8 with a 150 and 43.0 with a 165/168.

Mathman, have you loaded Varget in Federal cases? When I read through the .308 Loads thread, it sounded like you've loaded a fair amount of Federal brass. Did you only use your H4895 loads in them?

With Federal brass most of my loading for a while has been with RL15, 3031, and 4064. If I remember right 42.8 grains of 4064 pretty much duplicated Federal Gold Medal match with a 168, so something close to that ought to work with a hunting 165.

Thanks Mathman. Appreciate the information.

I've loaded the .308 with Winchester, Remington, Federal , Privi, and Starline. At 182 grs., you are about what my Federal Brass weighed. The WW brass I've weighed runs about 156 grs. Remington in between the two.
When using heavier brass like Federal, I reduce my powder charges about 2 grs. Out to 300 yds. they fly the same as far as I can tell. E