Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good .308 Loads

Shot that same load 42.5/4064 in my Savage Whitetail Hunter today...both 180 gr Nosler PTs and Rem Core Loks shot better than 165s...

I got the new Speer book and reloaded some using RL 15 The loads were shot from a 1956 Winchester 88 with a 22" bbl. 49 grns gave 2926 and 1" three shot groups. 46 grains gave 2750 47 gave 2812 48 gave 2912

Which bullet are you using??

Brass?

I had the same idea with these two bullets as well as Nosler BT's and Accubonds.

Looking for good loads to try once I get the press set up.

Mostly winchester, but have also used remington with the same result. Federal seems to be a little thicker walled, therefore higher pressures.

FWIW I'm using a 20" barrel...

I'm a little dumb here. How are you getting 49 grs. of RL-15 into a 308 case?

Using a 150gr bullet and seating it way out. I've stuffed 50.5 of varget in a .308 case, pretty much the same thing...

O.K. Thanks.

The US ammo specs manual list the LC 308win match load as a 168 gr over 42 gr IMR4895 at 2.80 =/-.03.
I tried the same load w/ H4895 but found that a half grain less of the H gave me better results.

I have a bunch of that LC Match 173 gr., The bullets were pulled and the 168 Sierra HPBT were put in. This was for High Power Comp.. I believe the powder was 42 grs.. And that is about what I load with RL-15.

49.0-51.5g of Win 748 with a 125-135g bullet; blistering velocity of 3100 fps+ and one hole accuracy

After all these years I finally got a .308, only because I wanted the rifle (Ruger 1B, 26" barrel) and it happened to be a .308. Anyway, 45 grains of Varget cci 200, R-P Brass gives me an average of 2740 with a 165 grain NBT .020 off the lands. Shoots moa which is pretty good with me shooting.

I like Varget, keep a lot of it around for a number of applications.

Have you tried working up to 46 grains? In RP brass with CCI 200 primers that's been the really sweet spot for me with 165s in several rifles.

Mathman, what kinda velocities does that load give you. I went up to 45gr in Lapua brass, which gave me 2752fps. Accuracy was very poor, but 44.5 gave me just over .5", so the 45gr may be worth trying again.

John

John,

The last time I clocked it I saw about 2740 from a 24" barrelled Kimber Longmaster.

In my generously throated 700 LVSF I find 46 grains to be too much in Lapua cases. With the shorter throat in your rifle I don't think it would like 46 in Lapua either.

In my 22" LVSF barrel I found 45 grains to work well in Lapua at about 2670 fps.

I'm beginning to think the shorter throat and probably tighter bore in your Krieger need about a grain less to reach the same pressure/velocity balance as my barrel. Did you try 44 grains with the 165s?

mathman

Mathman,

With the 165gr Hornady, 44gr Varget gave me a .794" group but for some reason, I didn't get to chrono it. More accurate was 44.5gr giving me a .554" group with 2675fps. Mighty close to your 2670. There might be a common accuracy node there. I'll have to try that one again...

John

I did try 46 grains but accuracy started to slip. I'm not too concerned, I'm happy with the speed and accuracy I'm getting. This is, after all, just a single shot Ruger that will never be used as anything but a hunting rifle.

this was a load using a soft point hunting bullet loaded to 2.75.
i have yet to bench my new load w/ FC brass, BR-2 primers and a 2.82" COAL

The best load for my .308 (Savage 10FP, 26" 1:10 barrel) is 43.7 Varget with Berger 185 BTs, Lapua brass, BR-2s. Next would be 175 SMKs with 43.3 Varget. Both are better than I am.

My 22" bbl model 88 win gets 2920 with 48 Rl 15 very accurate. I've also had good luck with 748