.308 Powder choice

[12gsnapcaps]

Hello gang,

I'm going to start reloading .308 - I now have everything I need except the powder and primers.

I have the following bullet heads I'd like to make loads for.

.110g vmax (for foxing)
130g&150g Copper FOX bullets (Deer loads, kindly provided by a fellow TSD member)
150g PPU softpoints (for deer)
200 grain round nose soft points (to make a 1100fps subsonic load)

Would there be one powder i could use for all the above? Theres so many powder options out there and i dont know what's a better brand than what else etc.
Would CCI large rifle primers do for all my .308 loads?

All advice humbly sought!

Snapcaps

 

[takbok]

Vihtavuori would be a safe bet that's easy to get hold of - N140 for both supersonic options and N310 for the subsonic (available in 0.5kg bottles).

 

[12gsnapcaps]

Vihtavuori would be a safe bet that's easy to get hold of - N140 for both supersonic options and N310 for the subsonic (available in 0.5kg bottles).

I notice Vihtavouri is around twice the price of other powders. Is there a reason for this? Also, is there any meaning to the N prefix nomenclature?

 

[takbok]

@12gsnapcaps Vihtavuori is similarly priced - just usually supplied in larger 1kg bottles as opposed to 0.5 kg or 1/2lb bottles like some other manufacturers.

N100 powders are rifle powders, N300 are pistol powders

Just see what your RFD can supply powder wise - there's so much data for the 308 online. I also like Ramshot powders.

 

[Steff]

Lovex D073.4 will do the job. Not sure about the 200grs. subsonic load though.
CCI 200 will work fine.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I use IMR4895 if you can get it

 

[Alantoo]

I used to use IMR4895 but now have gone on to N135 for everything...mainly using 110gr V-MAX and 110gr TTSX bullets for target, fox and deer.

N135 also works fine for the 115gr Controlled Chaos, 130gr Fox and TTSX, 136gr Peregrine and the 150gr MPG.

I haven't loaded anything heavier so can't comment on your subsonic 200gr Vihtavuouri only show loads for N135 up to 185gr.

Alan

 

[Fabnosh]

Bit of an N150 fan myself. Works very well with 165grn gamekings

FN

 

[Littlekilmory]

Never tried the lighter bullets so have to defer to the more knowledgeable...
N140 is perfect for the 125-155gr class but going higher eg 168gr, N150 edges ahead (24" barrel on an SSG08). VV's website is pretty helpful in any case.
My 1 in 12 twist doesn't stabilise 200gr plus - probably marginal at 195gr so can't comment.
A newish powder producing pretty remarkable results is Alliant AR-comp - works very well indeed with shorter barrels and is very temperature stable. I've tried it in 204, 243 and 308 with fine outcomes - both speed and accuracy.
CCI primers work fine but if you're looking for the smallest groups, go for the match versions as they're not too much more expensive.

 

[pablo.222]

N140 and N540 are my choices from 130-150grn.
used this with 150grn sierra and Fox bullets. Great results.
been looking at N135 for the lighter 110-130grn bullets. Not bought any yet though.

 

[12gsnapcaps]

Never tried the lighter bullets so have to defer to the more knowledgeable...
N140 is perfect for the 125-155gr class but going higher eg 168gr, N150 edges ahead (24" barrel on an SSG08). VV's website is pretty helpful in any case.
My 1 in 12 twist doesn't stabilise 200gr plus - probably marginal at 195gr so can't comment.
A newish powder producing pretty remarkable results is Alliant AR-comp - works very well indeed with shorter barrels and is very temperature stable. I've tried it in 204, 243 and 308 with fine outcomes - both speed and accuracy.
CCI primers work fine but if you're looking for the smallest groups, go for the match versions as they're not too much more expensive.

My .308 only has an 18.5" barrel, would Alliant AR-comp help me achieve higher velocities in this?

 

[Littlekilmory]

Yes, AR-Comp is perfect for this - you get 100% burn on 20” (and shorter) barrels so low blast and kind to moderators. Have a look at the Alliant site; you’ll be impressed with the achievable velocities - I certainly am. For example, they quote 3180fps for a 130grain Speer bullet (24”) and 2907 for a 155gr…

 

[Littlekilmory]

Just out of curiosity, I ran the 110 vmax/ AR comp on Quickload. A 100% filled case takes 45.7 grains (don’t know your barrel for COAL) produces 3060fps at a pressure of 49k psi (quite mild) and burns 99.99% of the charge. Heat of combustion is 3740, comparable to the VV powders so not a barrel burner.
I also ran N135 - same 100 case fill yielded 2639fps with 92% burn. Not good in the your barrel.
N130, on the other hand seems to be a hotter proposition - it gives 2910FPS and a 99% burn.
Of course, this is just an illustration - all the usual precautions developing your own load but I can’t see anything better for a short .308.

 

[Bowland blades]

N140 is the 308 powder for the regular sized deer bullets in 308 and most ftr guys have been onnit for decades

 

[Foxyboy43]

Viht is perfect for the .308 but for subsonics be extra careful. There is much dispute about low powder to case volumes and rather than controlled burn through “flashover” - many say it cannot happen but I won’t take the risk.
An alternative is in Hodgdon’s Reloading Manual which shows Titegroup x 8gns for 168gns and I have found it works really well as an accurate subsonic load out of the .308 and the 7.62x54R so why do you want an even bigger “rainbow“ with 200s?

 

[Bowland blades]

Viht is perfect for the .308 but for subsonics be extra careful. There is much dispute about low powder to case volumes and rather than controlled burn through “flashover” - many say it cannot happen but I won’t take the risk.
An alternative is in Hodgdon’s Reloading Manual which shows Titegroup x 8gns for 168gns and I have found it works really well as an accurate subsonic load out of the .308 and the 7.62x54R so why do you want an even bigger “rainbow“ with 200s?

Don't even see the point in subsonic cf myself besides military applications

 

[Littlekilmory]

Sure, in a 24 inch or longer barrel (much, in the ftr 308 world), but not in an 18.5 inch tube.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Don't even see the point in subsonic cf myself besides military applications

Indeed though I am a fan! At a 50m range they are very quiet, pretty accurate and fun to shoot - especially out of the old Mosins.

 

[Namman]

Hello gang,

I'm going to start reloading .308 - I now have everything I need except the powder and primers.

I have the following bullet heads I'd like to make loads for.

.110g vmax (for foxing)
130g&150g Copper FOX bullets (Deer loads, kindly provided by a fellow TSD member)
150g PPU softpoints (for deer)
200 grain round nose soft points (to make a 1100fps subsonic load)

Would there be one powder i could use for all the above? Theres so many powder options out there and i dont know what's a better brand than what else etc.
Would CCI large rifle primers do for all my .308 loads?

All advice humbly sought!

Snapcaps

Not trying to be awkward but have you studied reloading at all?
Your best bet is to buy and study a reloading manual , all the answers are contained in it, rather than rely on various members advice (mine included) which invariably cause even more confusion.
We see this at our range. Recently someone destroyed a .243 rifle by listening to the wrong people and using a load data program.

 

[levigsp]

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