reloading .308

[djl02]

I have a 308 that shoots Federal Gold Medal match real well. I am gonna start reloading and want to ask you experts a question.
What kind of powder do I need to buy? I know I need Sierra match king bullets. ( To produce a round like FGMM ammo.)
Also what would be a good book to buy about or for Reloading?

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

 

[42769vette]

ive never loaded a 308, but everything ive read most folks use varget.

as far as manuals buy a bunch and compare info. i have quite a few and the info varies a little between them. you can never have to many. if you are running smk bullets serria might be a good starter

 

[mwilson]

what kind of rifle are you shooting? my sons and my savage .308s love a 168mk 45 grains varget winchester lrp and win. brass. mine likes a 2.85 oal. his i believe likes a 2.75 oal. average between the 2 rifles i believe are .75 for 5 shot groups

 

[VUPDblue]

My rifle's pet load is 41.4 grains of IMR 4064 with a 168 grain SMK.

 

[djl02]

what kind of rifle are you shooting? my sons and my savage .308s love a 168mk 45 grains varget winchester lrp and win. brass. mine likes a 2.85 oal. his i believe likes a 2.75 oal. average between the 2 rifles i believe are .75 for 5 shot groups

Pro Series 2000

 

[SSGSAD]

ive never loaded a 308, but everything ive read most folks use varget.

as far as manuals buy a bunch and compare info. i have quite a few and the info varies a little between them. you can never have to many. if you are running smk bullets serria might be a good starter

Look at the info, in the manuals, some of the manuals, give a "potential"
most accurate load, and that should be a good place to start...

 

[l c gun guy]

4064 I have tryed lots of powders (4895 varget 4064 4350) and 4064 is the best for my rifle. I use 168 smk 42.5 4064 and oal is 2.775. Fps from my 26" is 2700.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Varget, IMR4895,or H4895.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I use H4895, which is a basically just a slightly quicker version of Varget. I have a 20" barrel so the quicker powder gives me a little more complete burn and keeps my velocity up a little higher.

If you're looking for an exact recreation of FGMM head over the hide. They have a long discussion about FGMM replacement recipes. Read it, ALL, it's very informational.

 

[ISP 5353]

My rifle also loves Federal Gold Medal. I have been able to get even better results with 4064 and Varget. 41.4 of 4064 is a great load for that powder. I use about 44.0 of Varget. Start a little lower, consult your reloading manual and good luck. Take a little time to trim your brass, uniform the primer pockets and debur the flash holes. Little things do make a difference when loading accurate ammo.

 

[Mossmug]

Try 39 to 42 grains of 4895 w/S 168 -1/2 grain increments

Then in .1 grain increments .

You just have to find the load for your barrel.

It takes a lot weighting powder, but the only way .

 

[lon]

42.5 IMR4064 / 168SMK / Fed GM210M or Fed 210M primers / IMI Match brass works good for me.... or the same, except using 42.0 Varget shoots good in my rifle also. Of course, work your loads up.

 

[kludge]

I'm happy with IMR 4064. Varget is a little less efficient in .308 but many people like it for it's temperature insensitivity. IMR4895, H4895, and Reloader 15 are also good well liked.

Your rifle might also like Hornady A-Max.

 

[VUPDblue]

I'm happy with IMR 4064. Varget is a little less efficient in .308 but many people like it for it's temperature insensitivity. IMR4895, H4895, and Reloader 15 are also good well liked.

Your rifle might also like Hornady A-Max.

My rifle shoots sub-MOA with my pet load all day long. I switched from Sierra HPBT bullets to A-Max bullets to see what happened and my groups opened up to more of a pattern than a group. I never could get them to group worth a darn. Just goes to show you that rifles can be finnicky and they know exactly what they like and won't accept less. Kinda like a woman

 

[j706]

My rifle's pet load is 41.4 grains of IMR 4064 with a 168 grain SMK.

Also my accuracy load for my 20" LTR and my chopped down 18" PSS. One hole with boring regularity.

 

[VUPDblue]

Also my accuracy load for my 20" LTR and my chopped down 18" PSS. One hole with boring regularity.

That's part of the reason that I quit shooting long range. The furthest I can reach-out without driving all over hell's half acre is 300 yards. It was the boring regularity that caused me to quit shooting that kind of discipline...

 

[WLW]

I shoot a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker as my .308 rifle. It really likes 42.6 grains of Varget with a 150 Grain Barnes TripleX bullet. There has been a lot of good advice so far and a good selection fo powders. The key is find a powder that you may be able to use in other rifles so you can buy it in large quantities to save money.

 

[slow1911s]

Lots of .308 WIN loading info here: .308 Winchester Cartridge Guide

 

[daclamdvm]

You'd have to work pretty hard to find something that doesn't shoot well in a .308. I've used IMR 4064, Hodgon BLC-2, and Win 748 with Hornady ballistic tips (125 and 150 gr), and bulk Remington or Winchester softpoint bullets, and they all shoot well. I use 18 gr IMR 4227 with a 160 gr cast lead bullet with gas check for short range shooting and its somewhere between a 22 and a 223 in recoil, but without all the noise of the 223. One bullet I couldn't get to shoot well was a 55 gr 223 in a 30 caliber sabot. Shoot whatever you can find and that turns you on. You'll never be unhappy with your .308.

 

[djl02]

Almost have everything I need now. Im gonna start out using Varget. My weapon shot a .17 inch group out of a vise from the Custom Shop that sent me the Test Target. Least thats the target they sent me.

How many rounds would you load up to test? 10 to 20 of a couple different loads?