If so what loads do you like? Are you getting advertised velocities? Manuals show Varget and H4895 as options out of the powders on hand.

I’ve used Reloader 17 in Winchester and hornady cases weighing 155 grains. 48 grains will push a 200 grain partition to 2500. I also use the 200 grain Speer. Tried some Big Game this morning, good accuracy but velocity was 2317. I’m out of Varget but do have 4895 and 2495. My goal is a 200 at 2450 in military cases. Either bullet does a great job on elk and black bear. I live and play just outside jellystone park and we are overrun with grizzlies so that’s why I load a 200 grain.
I should add that my 308 is an eighteen inch barrel.

Not the two weights you're asking about but I have tried the 220 gr. Sierra round nose in a .308 using W760. Interesting results as velocity was just shy of 2400 FPS and accuracy was sub MOA. Thinking it was a fluke I tried the load again on a different day with the same results. Dunno what I'd use the load for but it was something I was curious about.
Paul B.

Both weights are a little heavy for the 308. Why not a 250, if you want to do it right...



Nah, I've tried the 180gr Nosler partition in the 308. Used a little powder too:


It still wasn't a 30-06 by any means, even though everyone thinks it is. FN hogwash. Results were alright:

I goofed around a 208 AMaxes in a Hawkeye 308. I was quite surprised to see around 2550-2600 with them using RL17. New stuff like SB6.5 might work real well now. I don’t own a 308 bolt anymore so I haven’t done much more.

Pa,
I have loaded 200 grain partitions, 200 grain hot cors and 200 grain norma oryx's in the little 308 for over a decade.

They are shorter than most of the flambouyant boat tail ballistic tip 180 or 165 grainers. They dont eat up any powder capacity. They meet the bison-legal requirements of Alaska

I have used 2000 mr, rl 17 and rl 16. The best of the bunch was the norma oryx. From the 308 winchester, they expand almost as wide as 225 grain partitons (338 rcm) in caribou.

If the 375 h&h is allowed to launch a 300 grainer @ 2500, the 30-06 allowed to launch a 220 grainer @ 2500, the little 308 winchester is perfectly suited to launch a 200 grainer @ 2500 fps.

Thanks to ruger, the 308 winchester 1:10" rifling stabilizes them all wonderfully........

I bought a case of closeout Norma factory ammo loaded with 180gr partitions (back when that was possible). It runs 2675 fps from a 24" barrel and it's a factory load, not max. Running a 200gr at 2500 is def in line with that.

I use 44.5 grains of imr 4895 with a 180 grain sierraround nose. Rifle is a remington 7600 factory carbine. It shoots this load into little tiny groups.

I have loaded quite few 180's and shot them from several different .308 rifles, usually loaded with slightly faster burning powders than your Varget or H4895 to a moderate 2500 fps.

My experience is if you put a Nosler Partition, or Hornady Interlock, or Remington Core Lokt, or Winchester Power Point, or Sierra Game King or Norma Alaska or Speer Hot Cor of that weight through both lungs of a moose or elk, the moose or elk dies quickly. Never cared for 180's for deer, but they kill deer OK too. Never went heavier.

I believe Varget would be a slightly better choice of powder than the W748, IMR3031, and IMR4064 that I have mostly used with the 180 gr. bullets. But lots of combinations work. One of the beautiful things about the .308 cartridge is that you can feed it most anything reasonable and it won't let you down.

Thanks for the info fellas! I first thought to use 180s, but after liking 220s in the '06 I figured 200s in the .308 would be more of a good thing than the 180s if and when the .308 gets carried in bear country.

The other day I added a front sight to my Kimber Adirondack. With the scope off and the Talley peep on the rifle weighs 5lbs. Recoil calculator says 2400 will produce about 30 ft lbs of recoil.

That’s a fair bit of power in a handy package..

If the wind will quit I’ll try 4320 and H414/2700/760.
Could you please elaborate on the front sight you added? I’m thinking about doing the same to my Kimber

I used a Williams shorty ramp, but used the same method as I used with a NECG banded front detailed here:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/15182434/1/416-taylor-project

If you want some more specifics, PM me your phone number and I can text you some additional pics.

Once upon a time I used 180 Partitions in a heavy barrel Savage .308. Varget and RL15 both have shot great and I killed a few deer with them. IIRC Varget was a bit more accurate of the two.

Tried 4320 with 200 grain speers this morning. Got to 2400 but a little sticky bolt lift at 65 degrees. I will try 760/2700/414 next. Reloader 17 will do 2500 but I have but three pounds left. Hopefully I can get more

I used I4350 and 200gr. Partitions in a 308 backup rifle. They shot great and I worked up to max but never chronied them. I didn't use them on an elk because the 30-06 never failed. I did shoot some feral hogs and a deer with that load in the thick stuff and couldn't ask for better.

I made 2600 in a 20” factory 700 with W-W brass, RL 17, and the 200gr Gameking. It was a thumper.

The other day I tested some loads. Hodgdon’s site had data for loads with two other powders I’ve got on hand, CFE223 and big game. Being short on time I only tested one load using big game. The Hodgdon data lists some unknown 200gr bullet. Since I’m using partitions (which in my experience generate more pressure) I backed off their max load a bit.

46.5 gr of big game averaged 2353 from my rifle’s 18” barrel. Interestingly, this is the fourth or fifth load in a row for this rifle which has obtained exactly 93% of the velocity shown for 24” barrels in published data.

Accuracy at fifty yards was good, but really wasn’t confirmed since I was using an XS plastic try sight to determine what height I need on the front while also testing for velocity. I’ve since fitted a skinner front to the little rifle. Very handy!

That little 308 sounds pretty handy and that aint bad speed at all for an 18" barrel.. Should be a bear buster I'd think.