Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Competitive Shooting Recommend 200 yard .308 Hi-power load?

I’ve got a chance to practice Hi-Power on a 200 yd range. Looking for a good .308 load for that distance using 150 grain bullets.

Can't help with a 150.

With a 168 about 39 or 39.5 grains of 3031 in LC brass is really good.

Dang right. That is a great load.

Come on mathman, you have some tried and true 150gr loads that would work. I know you are a 308 lover and have tried a few 150gr loads. Hell, i hate the 308 and could come up with some tried and proven loads for the 308 rifles ive owned in the past. Use Varget, RL15, 4064 etc. Somewhere in the 45gr ballpark for any of those powders.

Yeah, but the way the OP was written I suspected an M1A may be involved so my 150 grain loads (which tended to be stiff, like 47+ grains of Varget in Lapua brass) wouldn't be appropriate. The 200 yard specific request also led me to think a lighter type load was desired. My experiments with short to mid range target loads have been about 2550 +/- fps with a 168. Think along the lines of LC M852 match. Those loads have worked from very to extremely well in every rifle tried.

Take a look at Nosler's online 7.62x51 data. They show several potential mild accuracy load prospects.

I would think that you could easily find a load with the tried and true 4895's/Varget/4064/RL15. I personally am intrigued with the idea of 3031. I have also heard the 3031 load duplicated Federal Gold Medal but cannot give you any personal experience with that.

I will add that the best shooters in my area using 7.62 shoot 125's or 135's for short line loads. I believe 3031 is the popular powder for that.

Thanks for the replies. I am loading for one of the last factory built Model 70 target rifles and I do want a lighter load. Will try the 168/3031 combo but I have a bunch of 150 gr match bullets that would be perfect for a light 200 Yd. load. I have a bunch of RL 15 and Imr 4895, some Varget. Sorry I didn’t provide more details at the beginning.

What brass will you be using?

You looking for a reduced recoil load?...or just a load to seat some 150's on top of? Since you're shooting a bolt gun, you have zero constraints on powder and brass...therefore any accuracy load for hunting or whatever will work. If you want something highpower specific, there's good data out there for the Sierra 2155 and 2156 bullets that will transpose readily to a 150. If rapid fire is part of your equation, I'd make sure you size your brass for easy and reliable cycling and load on the mild end of the spectrum.

A little more about goals and expectations would be helpful.

I'm sorry I just read your clarification.
I actually have little experience with this specific situation. By the time I started competing, The caliber restriction was gone and the sub 30's had taken hold. No one was shooting reduced recoil 30's out of a bolt gun. They were shooting 6mm's and 22's. I did play with 125's and 130's out of an M14 (and even 110's). But I had a gas system to account for which limited how low and what type of powder. Things you don't have to worry about.
I think you'll find this thread helpful.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/12517810/1

I like to load light for practice in all of my rifles. In the 308, anything that pushes 150's to 2300-2400 fps at the muzzle makes a pleasant load to shoot. Powders which do this very well include 4198 (29 grains or so) RL7, (30 gr) and 3031 (33 gr). I would expect 35 of varget would be pretty good. All of these shoot well under moa in my Model 70. GD

I shot a lot of 200 cleans, reduced course match, slow fire prone, using Sierra 150 Pro Hunters over a now forgotten charge of 4320. 40-X, RP brass, RP primers.
In fact shot that bullet XC in most all 200 yrd matches. Excellent projectile.

Speer 125 TNT was my go to for 200yd. Can't remember now but probably used IMR4895, .308 bolt guns.

I've had good luck with 45.5grs of TAC or 46.5grs of Varget with 150gr Ballistic Tips.Both these loads ran around 2900fps in my rifle.

Around 40 grains of 4895 with a 150 is mild but consistent. Around 35 of Reloader 7 is also very good. Varget works but I have always gotten better accuracy at low pressure levels with 4895. With around 40 grains and a Sierra MK, if it doesn't shoot, there is something wrong with the rifle. I once shot a 308 Light Varmint rifle and this was the load I used. Best aggregate, for five 5 shot groups, was around .260. Best group was .108". The same load, but with 168's, was a little hotter and still shot well. This was my 300 meter load. GD

GD,

Is IMR4895 a safe assumption?

Also what weight class of brass?

Thanks,
M

The 168gr Sierra Match King is made for the 308. Use 37.1gr of 3031 and it lays them in there. Accurate and low recoil. I've used prepped Winchester cases but doesn't matter so long as they're prepped. Federal benches primers or Winchester.

I have been using surplus, H, and IMR 4895 interchangeably for years. Only if the loads are at the top end of the scale do I make any distinction. Likewise with brass. Lake City brass, which is on the heavy side, will produce higher velocities with the same loads but, since we are discussing lighter loads, there is no safety concern. I have always leaned toward the heavier brass for lighter loads on the assumption that the smaller capacity complements the lighter power charge. I freely admit, this advantage may exist nowhere outside of my imagination! I often relegate Federal brass to light load duty just because it is soft and won't last with high pressure loads.
I use the same loads in both the 303 British and the 30/40 Krag, both of which are similar to the 308 in capacity, as well. Performance is just the same as in the 308. GD

similar old(er) High Power match short course load

1. 125g Speer TNT, 40.0g older IMR4895, Win brass, WLR primer
2. 150g Sierra ProHunter, 40.0g older IMR4895, Win brass, WLR primer

I used a lot more of the 125g Speers, bulk pack little plastic ammo box

Either shot better than I could in short course 100y & 200y.

A Jim Cloward M70 pre-64 in 308. Good times.

Not a competitive shooter by any stretch, but a 168 matchking on top of 44-45 grains of varget is nice in 308

I did real well with that load in 600 yard prone High Power competition.

Guy

Back when I was competing in NRA Sporting Rifle Hi Power, my 200 yard go-to load was 40.5 of IMR 4895, Fed Match Primer, Sierra 150 Pro Hunter (flat base). A little over 2500 fps in a 22" model 70 push feed. Managed several clean targets in slow fire prone, slinged up of course. Also took a couple sporter weight rifle 300 yard benchrest trophies, same recipe.

When Gary Anderson was asked that question he said just use 41 grains of 4064. If it doesn't shoot, rebarrel your rifle!

I would think 4895 or Varget giving the equivalent velocity would act just the same. Look in a handbook.

My match load is 45.5gr of varget with Sierra 168gr matchking

150s are fine, but for 200 it would be hard to convince me that I need anything heavier than a 125gr bullet.
Just about any of the above mentioned powder charges or about 40gr of Varget are fine, especially in a bolt gun since it doesn't have to work the bolt too.

I too was a fan of the 125 TNT mouse fart loads in a .308 M1. Unfortunately my loading notebook from that era has hidden itself quite well, so I couldn’t tell you specifics as to powder and charge.

http://www.provenreloads-handloads.com/articles/2016/9/18/old-school-308-winchester-match-loads.

imr 4895 and 4064 are go to powder..

42 gr of 4895 and a 155 match pullet will get it done.. same for 4064.

this site has quite a few High power loads mainly for 223 as this is what's used today but it also has proven 308 and 30-06 loads

http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm

308 = Varget..................................................

The only match bullet I've ever loaded in the .308 is the 168 MK. Varget is a good powder, but if you have access to H4895, try it as well. You might see a slight accuracy advantage using one over the other. With 150- 180 grain non-match hunting bullets, I've seen better accuracy overall with H4895.

125 Speer TNT ,Or 125 Sierra Spz, w-wCase fed 210 primer,Winchester 748 powder ,start/finish One grain down from max book load !.

42.5gr either IMR or H 4895.Federal or CCI LRP, load a little shy of the lands if magazine permits.

I never used the 150 in competition. My favorite accuracy load was 39 gr. of IMR 3031, 168 gr. Sierra HPBT bullet #2200, LC case, just about any standard LR primer. I used that load for 20 yrs. of 200 yd. match work with iron sights with VG results.

If I remember correctly (very long time ago) the US Army Marksmanship Unit used that load as well. I believe the velocity was about 2550 fps.

Given decent bullets that are not too long for a 1-12 twist...I think it is hard to find a load that is not accurate enough. I would like to use 190s in my Savage Bull Gun...but they are not accurate (enough) Avoid silly slow powders...not that accuracy may not be there they just scatter un-burned powder kernels everywhere. Ken Waters declared 3031 best with 165-168 bullets I use Varget /155 gr.for F Class and Benchmark /165 SST for 600 yard and under.

I think it was the Marine Corps. I've even heard that load referred to as "Marine match".

PM Sharpsman.

That was the standard for 300 meter free rifle match shooting for a very long time.
These days just use my Palma match load, 46 grains of Varget behind a 155 Sierra or Lapua Palma match bullet.
I have also used Hornday bullets in 155 grains but have not competed with them, I just use the Sierras mostly.
ICat

Hatcher's 300M load called for a 173gr at reduced velocity. 2250fps comes to mind. A full course 300M position match is 120 shots plus sighters on a target much more demanding than our Highpower targets. Recoil reduction with accuracy was huge. (today the gold standard is the 6BR).

FA put out a Hatcher load in their International Match loading in 30-06 in the 1950's then the T275 load in 308. The most common spec for the 308 loading I see on boxes is 2440fps (maybe because these are the ones that weren't consumed in competition as much). It's times like that that I miss my old friend Ray Meketa who collected and documented the 308/7.62 Match loadings. I recall discussing with him the spec'd velocities for the various lots of T275. My recollection is that they were mostly loaded with IMR4895.

Trivia: The VLD bullet design is the result of a cooperative effort between US folk such as Bill Davis of Tioga Engineering, Lou Palmisano, Jimmy Knox of JLK et al in an effort to give the US 300M team a lower recoil, wind resistant, accurate round to shoot in competition. I believe they were successful there and we in the sub 30 cal world benefited from the outfall.

another bit of trivia (since I'm on a roll); The 168 Sierra Match King was originally known as the 168 International because it was designed and produced for 300M shooting. I believe the debut was in Mexico City for the 1968 Olympic games (for the record, Gary Anderson won Gold!)

Interesting thread. I’ve generally shot 150gr in the 308 over Varget. I’ve been experimenting with some new powders and slugs. I had a good supply of 165gr, but I think I’ll save them and go to the 168gr. Recoil is never an issue. This girl weighs 12.5lbs…..

^^ If this load won't shoot, sell the rifle.

There's a lot of truth to that.