Powder/bullets for .308 WIN?

[DaveTN]

EDIT: I now have powder.

I haven't reloaded anything yet, and it will probably be a while before I load any rifle rounds. But I need to try to find Powder and bullets. The application would be to make up some range rounds, not a hunting round. It looks to me like Varget and 155 bullet is popular for this. The rifles would be a Remington 700 VLS and a DPMS 308 Recon LR-GII.

Opinions on powder or bullets for this application?? And why are some bench shooters using a hollow point?

 

[backyardtndeer]

Imr or h4895 and 165 to 178 grain bullets in my .308s. Have had great results on deer with the 178 grain eldx bullets. Excellent accuracy.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Imr or h4895 and 165 to 178 grain bullets in my .308s. Have had great results on deer with the 178 grain eldx bullets. Excellent accuracy.

Fwiw, in .308 I am loading for a 700 varmint stainless fluted, and 18-24 inch barreled semi auto rifles (the 24 inch is a dpms lr308). All with my handloads will easily produce sub 3/4 groups at 100 yards, usually get cloverleaf's or tearing same holes.

 

[Jcalder]

Lots of great powders for 308. As mentioned, 4895 and varget. But don't over look w748, aa2520, 8208 and rl15. I've not used the 8208 but it was brought up a lot when I was reloading 308. 2520 and 748 produced great results.

 

[Jcalder]

For bullets, not to hunt with, I'd probably opt for Sierra match kings. Depending on your range goals, 168-175 gr. The eld m would be another to consider if you're looking to stretch it out.

 

[DaveTN]

Imr or h4895 and 165 to 178 grain bullets in my .308s. Have had great results on deer with the 178 grain eldx bullets. Excellent accuracy.

For bullets, not to hunt with, I'd probably opt for Sierra match kings. Depending on your range goals, 168-175 gr. The eld m would be another to consider if you're looking to stretch it out.

You are both using heavier bullets. Would a lighter bullet like a 150 or 155 shoot flatter at long distance for a target round? I'm certainly not arguing, I'm just trying to get my thinking right.

 

[backyardtndeer]

You are both using heavier bullets. Would a lighter bullet like a 150 or 155 shoot flatter at long distance for a target round? I'm certainly not arguing, I'm just trying to get my thinking right.

I tried 150 grain in my lr308, and was not as happy with the accuracy as I am with the heavier bullets. I have not tried anything lighter than 165's in my other 308's. For what I am shooting, typically under 200 yards, I am not as concerned with potential differences in drop between a 150 and 178 grain pill. Realistically the 178 eldx for longer ranges will likely perform better anyway with a higher bc, and less likely to be influenced by any wind drift. Where the lighter pills have a higher muzzle velocity, they may not continue to carry it downrange as far as the heavier options. I have not input a 150 into a ballistic calculator to know at what point the heavier bullets are maintaining a higher velocity.

 

[mr.big]

8208 for 150-155s and 4064 for 168-180s

 

[DaveTN]

8208 for 150-155s and 4064 for 168-180s

What would influence your bullet weight and powder choices when shooting a match? Would it be distance, rifle??

 

[Jcalder]

You are both using heavier bullets. Would a lighter bullet like a 150 or 155 shoot flatter at long distance for a target round? I'm certainly not arguing, I'm just trying to get my thinking right.

Like I said, what's your range. Heavier bullets will retain energy better at distance. Under 400 yards you might find those 150-155s doing great. Those heavier bullets will shine at 800 and beyond, and possibly even sooner.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Check out some of the smaller companies if you have trouble finding bullets. Maker and Hammer. Theymake excellent quality pure copper hunting bullets.

 

[nso123]

4064 is a great powder for bullets in the 168 range. If you are looking at long range stuff, the Berger 185 Juggernaut and Varget are your friend.

 

[DaveTN]

Like I said, what's your range. Heavier bullets will retain energy better at distance. Under 400 yards you might find those 150-155s doing great. Those heavier bullets will shine at 800 and beyond, and possibly even sooner.

The farthest distance I have available to me here is about 300 yards. Most of my rifle shooting anymore is out of state on family's property. We may get to stretch it out farther, possibly to 1000, but that wouldn't be very often. I probably want to optimize for 300 and below.

 

[nso123]

If 300mis typical for you and you are poking paper, a 168 Sierra Match King and IMR 4064. If you are going to 1000 you will want a heavier bullet. You also want to remember that the bullet will become unstable as it drops to subsonic, so the heavier bullets will help retain the energy at long range.

 

[fairchaser]

Some good suggestions above. I shoot for competition in F Class and you will find most competitors will shoot heavy for caliber bullets for better BC's. I use the 200.20x Berger hybrids over 43.4 g of Varget and lapua Palma SRP brass. The throat needs to be longer for these longer bullets too. Without the longer throat, I'd go with the 168 smk's.

 

[mr.big]

For 300 I would try the 155 sierra Palma or Berger Hybird or Lapua Scenar just whichever one I could get and 8208 , the BC of those 155s are higher than the 168 SMK and with the 8208 you can get it going a lot faster than 168s.

I don't think they make he 155 AMax anymore but I shot those with 8208 to 800 yards with real good results

 

[skipperbrown]

Your barrel twist will dictate to a certain extent the bullets it will like. Do you know your barrels twist? My 308s are 11.25 and 10.75, geared towards heavier bullets. The Sierra match kings are generally the best bang for the buck. Lapula, Barnes, and Berger make some fine match bullets too albeit more $$$. Someone here was selling imr 4895 for a decent price if you are having trouble finding powder. It's very much like H 4895 but more temperature sensitive.

Remington is notorious for lonnnnnng throats. You will likely be limited in overall length by what you can reliably feed through your magazine unless you want to single load. That said, smk's generally don't mind a long jump. Most Rems are 1:12 twist which should like 150 to 168, but often you get good groups way outside this range.

I deer hunt with 168g Nosler BP with excellent results, but they are now very difficult to find. If I run out, I will likely move to a Barnes 168 or 175. They are more expensive, but available and the reliable expansion is impressive. My target loads are 175g smk.

 

[ruthunter]

We shoot 168 barnes to hunt with, have used Sierra game king 168s. Seems anything lighter tha accuracy is not as good. Barnes bullets do some serious damage

 

[DaveTN]

Your barrel twist will dictate to a certain extent the bullets it will like. Do you know your barrels twist?

The main one I would be concerned with is a Remington 700 VLS with a 26" heavy barrel, 1 in 12 twist. My other .308 is a DPMS 308 Recon LR-GII 16" barrel twist is 1 in 10.

 

[backyardtndeer]

The main one I would be concerned with is a Remington 700 VLS with a 26" heavy barrel, 1 in 12 twist. My other .308 is a DPMS 308 Recon LR-GII 16" barrel twist is 1 in 10.

Same twist rate and barrel length on my 700 varmint stainless fluted. My dpms lr 308 has a 1:10, 24 inch barrel. My aero/ballistic advantage barrels are also 1:10.