What kind of powder do you guys mainly use when reloading .308?

Also, how long do you guys trim your cases back?

how far do you seat your bullets? to the cannalure?

I used to use 748 religiously. But the most accurate .308 load I've ever concocted burns 3031.

I trim to the book spec TTL and seat to the magazine box max.

__________________
"Too much gun always beats the alternative."
Elmer Keith

I've had good luck with RL-15 when using 165-180 grain bullets.

__________________
Browning A-bolt Medallion 25-06
Browning Acera .30-06
Browning Acera Battue 300 WM
Browning BLR '81 .308 Win.

I use RL 15 most of the time however I've been playing with IMR 8208XBR. It appears to have close to the same velocity potential of RE 15 and may be at least as accurate. Varget and 2520 work well too.

__________________
Eric

I haven't played with the newer powders or reloaded .308's for quite a while. In the past stuck with 748 after trying several others (IMR 3031, 4064 and 4895).

Stay with the trim length of 2.005". Seat the bullets to where they will feed from the magazine and shoot the most accurately.

__________________
Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

There's a lot of good powders for the .308. Currently I am using Varget with 150 grain bullet. I also use WW-748 & IMR-4320 when using 125 grainers.

IMR 4895 with 165-168 gr bullets. I wont post the specific load, as it is slightly above Noslers MAX load. I worked up to this load, and it shows no signs of pressure IN MY RIFLE.

__________________
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." -- George Washington

with the 144 and 150 gr prodgy, i run 2208(varget).

Varget all the way!

For me, it seems to depend on what day it is and the phase of the moon. Many a time I have gone to the range with boxes of reloads with the sole intent of determining once and for all which powder is the most accurate in my .308. I really haven't found one of the standard powders called for in reloading manuals that isn't accurate in my .308, if I do my part. That being said, on my last trip to the range (don't recall the phase of the moon), H4895 and Varget both did great with 150 and 165 grain Ballistic Tips and with 168 grain Sierra Match Kings. In my cases, Winchester, I seem to run out of powder space with Varget and usually have compressed loads, but they still shoot very well. But H4895 tends to be just as accurate and to match Varget's velocity without having compressed loads. Then there is BL-C(2), which meters so wonderfully, and when the moon is increasing, beats everything else in accuracy. My dad used to tell me about killing hogs and setting fence posts at the wrong phase of the moon. Trouble is, I can't remember which was the right phase of the moon.

You gotta to love a cartridge that does so well with an assortment of powders. I forgot about BLC-2.

__________________
Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

I'm going to get the chance to start reloading again for a .308. Just aquired a Pre-64 (1953) featherweight model 70 today.

__________________
Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

I have always favored W-748 in the .308 Win. I get great accuracy with just about any weight bullet .

It sure is.

I use H-335. I had some left over from my 30-30 loading days, so when I got the 308 I tried it and it worked well enough that I never tried another.

__________________
It's not rocket surgery, for crying outside!

BLC-2 and Varget have always been two of my favorite powders for this chambering. Cant go too far wrong with either one. Seating depth varies, gotta find what your gun likes the most.

Ditto!!! Looking back thru some of my 308 loads, one that sticks out is Hodgdon BL-c(2) powder.

__________________
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." -- George Washington

Big Daddy,

The powders I've had the best results with are W-748, IMR-4320 and the best one of the lot was H-Varget. I prefer to sear bullets to touch the lands and grooves. That is usually impossible with the .308 so I insure that the cases will load into the magazine and feed correctly.

__________________
Good luck and God bless

Bob

I use 748 for all my .223 loads.
I'm looking for load data to use in my .308
I see people stating they use 748 for there .308
I would like for someone to post any load data for a 168 gr. FMJBT
I could stock more of the 748 & not have to switch back & forth.

Any help will be appreciated.
ProStreet

Well, you ask for it......obviously guns have "particulars"....my Savage likes 4895 for 150-165gr. Narrow it down to 3 powders, buy them, try them. Mine likes 4895.....GO

I use 748 in both the 223 and 308. It works very well in both. I've had good results with IMR-4895 in the 308, too, but I like 748's lower flame temp (cooler bbl/longer strings of fire).

__________________
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." --Gerald Ford