Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good .308 Loads

Varget gets along particularly well with the CCI 200.

The Federal brass will be thicker, softer and smaller capacity than the others. Be careful with it, a lot of the loads people quote for a 308 were developed in WW brass and will be hot in the Federal. If you're working with a 165/168 grain bullet you'll want to start lower than the 44 grains you mentioned.

The RP will have a bit less capacity than the WW, but not as much less as the FC.

Treat yourself to a Forster or Redding competition type seater die.

Unless the factory molded stock presents a problem you should have that 308 grouping tight with little fuss.

Enjoy it!

Mathman, thanks for your excellent advice. Looks like you know your stuff. When I get around to shooting my 308, I'll keep you in mind if I run into any problems. Thanks again, BSA

my favorite load for the 168 amax is imr 3031 39.0 grains
it will put 10 shots in one hole.
Savage mod 12 26" stainless fluted varmit barrel

In what brass? It looks like you're using an old recipe for black & white boxed Federal match.

I want to thank everyone who posted here. It has lead to me getting this load, and help me fall back in love with my Arisaka .308
After some tweaking, and comming up with this load
165 gr. Sierra Game King
43 grains of 4064
FC case
CCI primer
seated to 2.88
This is what I got.


I guess I just gave up on it to quick, glad no one took me up on it posted on the classifieds:)

Anyone have any data with Berger bullets? I have a box of 168g VLDs I need data!

Kimber Montana 308 Win:




Favorite Loads:

Cheap but good in my M1A and my FAL - both like it very much.

Brass: mil-surp mostly stamped match 7.62
CCI-200 primer
42 gr of AA 2460
150 gr FN FAL bullet (Wideners)

here's my tentative hunting load this year for the Kimber Montana.
150 gr. speer spbt-200 yards
46.5 gr. Varget
Fed 210 pr.
OAL 2.800
Vel. 2830

Here's another favorite for my kimber montana
165 Nos BT
45gr. Varget
fed 210 primer
Win Brass
3shot group @ 100 yards
2685 fps
.470" group

This is a good reduced load for kids:
Brass-Winchester
Primer-Federal 210 or CCI 200
Powder-Accurate Arms 3100 (46gr)
Bullet-Barnes 130gr TTSX or Nosler 125gr Ballistic Tip
(Use of a drop tube would come in handy if you have one, as it is a compressed load.)

Here is what Varget and my Kimber Montana produce. I think you can read the recipe off the target.

BW, when u puttn that one up for sale. Surely your getting bored with its consistent accuracy by now...

150 TTSX
44.8 H4895
BR2
win. brass 1x fired

2830 ave in 22" sporter Howa
has shot around 1 moa, down to .5 moa if im shooting well- out to 300 yards.

this has also been the only load that shoots well in my ruger .308 hawkeye, around 1 moa, give or take a bit.

I am hunting with a Remington 760 BDL in .308. It's very accurate. It groups 5 at 1/2" and under at 100 yards.

The load I settled on is as follows:

Nosler Brass
Federal 210 Match Primer
Nosler 165 Grain Accubond
45 Grains IMR 4895
Seated 2.810" OAL

In Nosler brass, I had to use a drop tube. I worked up very slow to this charge, but everything from 44.0 grains and above ahot great, and 45 was the most accurate.

How many of those loads will the primer pockets take? The Nosler 308 stuff I had was quite soft.

mathman,

I reloaded some of the brass 3 times with no problems so far. Not even a thought it was getting softer or loose pockets.

I use new brass for hunting, but use all my once, twice, etc. brass for sighting in. And out of my first batch of brass, it's holding up well so far.

I read somewhere not too long ago that a few years back, some bad Nosler 308 brass made it onto the market somehow. Lots of people had problems with pockets and uniformity issues.

Can you tell me what an empty piece of your brass weighs?

I'll check out my records... I have it all on paper in my log. I didn't need to sort any of it, they were all consistent. But I do rememeber writing down what the virgin pieces weighed before prepping and firing.

I lucked out on a large lot (500 pieces) for a smoking price... all in the same lot. I'll never use that much however. I am still on that first batch of 50 and will be for a long time to come as this rifle only sees a few shots a year now since load development is done.

Smacks whitetails silly...