Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Reduced loads for .308 Win.

My daughter is wanting to start shooting and hunting next fall and I don't want to spoil her enthusiasm from excessive recoil. I have a nice Featherweight .308 Win that she can shoot but with 150gr bullets and 46gr of Varget - it bucks pretty good. I'd like to work up a load with 125gr or 130 gr bullets that has much less thump to it that she can shoot all summer, then we can work up to the 150's come hunting season. Anyone have a good reduced/light recoiling load? Thanks.

I haven't used the 125-130 gr bullets myself, but have had good success with 150's loaded over H-4198 and Reloader 7 powder for reduced loads. It will make your 308 into an much more accurate spitzer shooting 30-30 quite easily. I'll see if I can find my test data.

I don't see why the same thing wouldn't work just fine with 125-130 gr bullets.

Mark in GA

pick up some cast 308 boolits..........bottle of Trailboss........

learn the IMR formula to load Trailboss........simple......

fill case just below base of boolit....do not compress TB powder

load & shoot away........H4895 will work too

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

Per Speer No. 10
130gr
IMR4227
23.0-27.0gr

150gr
SR4759
19.0-23.0gr

I started Mrs Blacktailer om 130HP with the min load of IMR4320 44gr MV of about 2599 worked up to 150's 42.0 of IMR4320 and ended up with full power 165's for her trip to Africa with her Kimber.
Start slow, use reactive targets, minimum time on the bench.

With a 125-130 work up to about 2600 fps with 4198, either version. This approximates factory reduced recoil cartridges and generally works well for accuracy.

I've seen very good results with the Sierra ProHunter 125gr bullet and reduced loads of H4895 in the .308. Process is simple, start as low as 60% of a max load and go up in 1gr increments or so to find what your rifle likes. I did same in my daughter's 7-08 with 120's and every three shot group from 26-38gr was under an inch at 100yds. Went with 29gr the first year and 36gr this year.

The SR 4759 loads are a very nice starting point for a newer shooter. I've shot quite a few of them myself. That powder has been discontinued so you might have to look around a bit for some.

Trail Boss and the bullet of the rifle's choice.

Remember that even with lighter bullets when loaded to book speeds they will have some harder recoil.

The Trail Boss will shoot in every rifle with out worrying about having a load that does to much damage to the young shooter.

I wanted to get back into range shooting. Got out my old Winchester Model 94 30-30. 10 rounds on the bench and I couldn't shoot another. Had a big bruise from the recoil. Talked to some people for advice - bought a new model .308 Marlin. It has a soft rubber recoil pad on it. Oh my gosh, I can shoot that gun all afternoon. My point - if her gun has a hard plastic, metal, wood recoil pad, look into putting a very soft pad on it. Helps a whole lot. Oh - I will 2nd the Sierra Pro Hunter 125gr bullets. Those are what I reloaded for the .308 using H4895 powder. The accuracy was very good .... and recoil mild. I have read that hunters have had good success with the bullet on deer.

Started my boy out shooting reduced loads in his .308 when he turned 10. Ruger compact w/ 16.5" bbl.

31.0 gr IMR-4198 w/ Hornady 130 gr SSP bullet at 2,245 fps. He got his fist deer with this load.

4198 and the 125-130 of your choice. About 2900 fps is possible with very little recoil.

Some example data as tested in my 22" Ruger Hawkeye using H-4198 and H-4895 which work well for reduced loads. On the H-4895 I am showing all the way up to full power.


Cal______Powder___Chg._____Vel_____Bullet______Primer___COAL
308 Win__H-4198__28.0_grs___2122__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4198__30.0_grs___2268__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4198__32.0_grs___2390__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4198__34.0_grs___2512__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"


Cal______Powder___Chg._____Vel_____Bullet______Primer___COAL
308 Win__H-4895__34.0_grs___2106__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__36.0_grs___2290__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__38.0_grs___2391__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__40.0_grs___2511__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__41.0_grs___2579__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__42.0_grs___2656__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__43.0_grs___2705__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__44.0_grs___2776__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"
308 Win__H-4895__45.0_grs___2839__HDY 150 SP__CCI 200__2.738"


Hope this helps,
Mark in GA

300 Savage data

I'd support this as the easiest way if you want choices... even 30/30 data works fine...

for generic... in a 308 or 308 sized case.. 30 grains of IMR 4198...
H 4198 works fine but IMRs is more accurate....your choice in bullet weight.

Friend of mine's wife, shoots deer off their front porch each year...

did a load at his request, for her 06...

did a cast Bullet load using Unique with a 110 grain SP from Hornady..

that was 10 yrs ago...

she uses that load every year... and takes her deer when she sees the right one
grazing in their 3 acre yard....

it doesn't take much to kill a deer with proper shot placement...

Ha ha. I started off deer hunting at about 10 years old with a M94 30-30 with a curved steel butt plate (still have it). Kicked the snot out of me. Maybe that's why I don't see the big deal about recoil to this day.
Welcome to the 'Fire.

H 4895. 60% of max to start is the ticket. Practice with a Trailboss load. You will like that yourself. We kill pigs at 50 yards with the Trailboss load. Goes right through. 11 grains with a Nosler 170 partition made for 30 30’s. If you have a close place set up to hunt, the Trailboss load would work.

These loads with Blue Dot and 110 grain bullets gave pretty low recoil. I increased the load to 16.0 grains with the 110 grain bullets with no excess pressure signs.

Since these loads are nowhere published, you are entirely responsible for your use or results with them.

Joining this thread a bit late. Ha!

But I inherited by Dads Rem 600 in 308 Win. Light rifle with hard plastic butt pad. With full house ammo that kicks like the devil. BUT..... with 39 Grs of H4895 and 125 Gr Sierra bullet it groups 1/3" at 50 yards and chrono's about 2450 fps. Hardly feel it when it goes off.

This is in the power range of a 243 Win. I've killed a couple of hogs with ear hole shots at 75 or so yards. I've no doubt it'll take a deer out to 175 or 200 yards, but that'd be about it as it starts dropping pretty good by then. Most (95%) of my hunting in east Texas piney woods has shot at < 125 yards anyway.