Load Data help - .308 Win, 125gr Accubonds, 20" barrel

[Youngjm]

Hello.

I think I know what the answer to this query will be, but I am going to work up a new load for a 20" barrel rifle in .308 win. I would like to shoot 125gr Accubonds from it and have a shed load of N150 to use up.

I have looked on VV and Nosler website, but the loads they show are for N140 (not 150). If I were to take the N140 data and just try it as a starting point would that be a problem? I know it is slower burning.

Just dont want to be dangerous!

Any thoughts would be welcome.

James

 

[Colonel]

I used to load 48gr of BL/C2 with a 130gr bullet which was very good. You might find that CFE223 is a near match to BL/C2 and it’s also a ball powder.

 

[Border]

Hello.

I think I know what the answer to this query will be, but I am going to work up a new load for a 20" barrel rifle in .308 win. I would like to shoot 125gr Accubonds from it and have a shed load of N150 to use up.

I have looked on VV and Nosler website, but the loads they show are for N140 (not 150). If I were to take the N140 data and just try it as a starting point would that be a problem? I know it is slower burning.

Just dont want to be dangerous!

Any thoughts would be welcome.

I would either take start load for 140 powder, go up 1 grain for 150 and carefully work up from there or , go to to next weight class ie 150 grain and use n150 data from there.

James

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

N150 is a little slow for use with a lighter .308 bullet but not unusable
one thing in your favour is you wont be able to get enough in the case to be dangerous

48gr gives 2750 ish fps
pressure is not optimal and you are chucking 4+gr of powder out the barrel as a flame



by contrast N135
48gr compressed but well inside the PMax
gives 2976fps in the 20" barrel
100% burn

 

[Flash9919]

Depends on how much you like to compress your loads....44grns is about 100% case fill and good for around 2500fps...but....i'd guess you'd get dirty case necks etc due to very low pressures....you don't start to get near high pressure / over pressure till 51grns + depending on seating depth etc which likely won't even fit in your case. I'd stick with a faster powder....If you want to stick to Viht then 130 or 530 would be my choice.

 

[Flash9919]

N150 is a little slow for use with a lighter .308 bullet but not unusable
one thing in your favour is you wont be able to get enough in the case to be dangerous

48gr gives 2750 ish fps
pressure is not optimal and you are chucking 4+gr of powder out the barrel as a flame

View attachment 132933

by contrast N135
48gr compressed but well inside the PMax
gives 2976fps in the 20" barrel
100% burn
View attachment 132934

Beat me to it Ed!

 

[Youngjm]

N150 is a little slow for use with a lighter .308 bullet but not unusable
one thing in your favour is you wont be able to get enough in the case to be dangerous

48gr gives 2750 ish fps
pressure is not optimal and you are chucking 4+gr of powder out the barrel as a flame

View attachment 132933

by contrast N135
48gr compressed but well inside the PMax
gives 2976fps in the 20" barrel
100% burn
View attachment 132934

Ed (if I may),

Thank you very much. Kind of you to run it through quick load.

I’ll see how it works out (4.5 kg of N150 left!) and if not change powder.

James

 

[Youngjm]

Beat me to it Ed!

Thanks Flash. Very kind

 

[xavierdoc]

Getting rid of 4.5kg of powder by pairing it with a mismatched "premium" bullet/case combo makes no sense.

Don't play that game- sell the powder and buy the right stuff.

I use N130 pushing 125gr bullets in a 308Win with a 20inch barrel; works very well.

 

[ashray]

if you fill some i kilo tubs with n150 you would possibly be able to sell it /swap it on the forum?

 

[ashray]

but do it in the buyers presents so they know its origin! where in berks are you ,pm is best,

 

[JTO]

by contrast N135
48gr compressed but well inside the PMax
gives 2976fps in the 20" barrel
100% burn

I thought I had found an accurate load for 125gr TMKs at 42.5 gns of N135, but when I got out the Chrony and used it for the first time ever, I found the mv was only 2750ish. I was going by the VV load data, that seemed to be very low for the TMKs compared to other bullets of the same weight. I am now working up in 0.5 grn steps and the groups are tightening up at 45 grns with mv's of around 3020. Lee's loading manual says not to exceed 48.9 grns whereas the VV data shows a max of 43.4.
Who should we take notice of?

 

[Andy RV]

I’m using RS40 with 125gr Sierra soft points, just nudging over 3000 fps out of my 20” 308, the foxes don’t like them.

 

[webley701]

if you fill some i kilo tubs with n150 you would possibly be able to sell it /swap it on the forum?

I’d be very hesitant to buy decanted powder.

 

[ashray]

as stated, do it with the buyer present ,it has to be face to face sale

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Here is the GRT version.

 

[Fowler1990]

Using n130 for 125gn BT. Works well around the 40.4 gn mark, usual work up caveats apply.