.308 load development

[Jusgunn3]

[JackEllis]

Hodgdon has load data for 130 grain cup and core bullets using IMR 4064. I've used that powder with Hornady bullets in a .30-06.

What I would suggest you do is start a bit below the low end of Hodgdon's data for 130 grain Speer hollow points and work up slowly, looking for flattened and cratered primers or difficulty working the bolt after firing. These are pressure signs.

My experience with Hornady's GMX copper bullets using both IMR 4065 and H4350 is higher muzzle velocities compared with lead bullets and pressure signs with less than maximum loads.

[Jusgunn3]

[devster55]

If you call Barnes they can give you the data If it’s not listed on there website is what I was told. I’ve talked to them over the phone before. Very nice people.

[ar15barrels]

4064 looks sorta bulky for that bullet and OAL.

Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 130, Barnes 'TTSX'BT 30364
Useable Case Capaci: 47.748 grain H2O = 3.100 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.735 inch = 69.47 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : IMR 4064

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.667% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-06.7  101    42.00   2755    2191   44052   6553     92.1    1.169
-06.0  102    42.30   2774    2222   44980   6604     92.4    1.159
-05.3  102    42.60   2793    2253   45928   6654     92.7    1.150
-04.7  103    42.90   2813    2284   46895   6703     93.0    1.140
-04.0  104    43.20   2832    2315   47882   6751     93.3    1.131
-03.3  105    43.50   2851    2347   48889   6799     93.6    1.122
-02.7  105    43.80   2871    2379   49918   6846     93.9    1.112
-02.0  106    44.10   2890    2411   50969   6892     94.2    1.103
-01.3  107    44.40   2909    2443   52043   6937     94.5    1.094
-00.7  108    44.70   2929    2476   53144   6982     94.8    1.084  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  108    45.00   2948    2509   54271   7025     95.0    1.073  ! Near Maximum !
+00.7  109    45.30   2967    2542   55425   7068     95.3    1.064  ! Near Maximum !
+01.3  110    45.60   2987    2575   56607   7110     95.6    1.054  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0  110    45.90   3006    2609   57818   7151     95.8    1.044  ! Near Maximum !
+02.7  111    46.20   3025    2642   59059   7191     96.1    1.035  ! Near Maximum !
+03.3  112    46.50   3045    2676   60330   7230     96.3    1.025  ! Near Maximum !

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    108    45.00   3094    2763   64142   7077     99.1    1.001  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    108    45.00   2764    2205   44696   6673     87.8    1.158

I would try 2.780" oal.

Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 130, Barnes 'TTSX'BT 30364
Useable Case Capaci: 48.593 grain H2O = 3.155 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.780 inch = 70.61 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : IMR 4064

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.652% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-06.5  102    43.00   2798    2259   45649   6744     92.9    1.151
-05.9  102    43.30   2817    2290   46589   6794     93.2    1.142
-05.2  103    43.60   2836    2321   47549   6842     93.5    1.133
-04.6  104    43.90   2855    2353   48528   6890     93.8    1.124
-03.9  104    44.20   2874    2384   49527   6937     94.0    1.114
-03.3  105    44.50   2893    2416   50550   6983     94.3    1.105
-02.6  106    44.80   2912    2448   51596   7029     94.6    1.096
-02.0  107    45.10   2931    2480   52666   7073     94.9    1.087
-01.3  107    45.40   2950    2513   53762   7117     95.1    1.077  ! Near Maximum !
-00.7  108    45.70   2969    2545   54883   7160     95.4    1.067  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    46.00   2989    2578   56031   7203     95.6    1.057  ! Near Maximum !
+00.7  109    46.30   3008    2611   57207   7244     95.9    1.048  ! Near Maximum !
+01.3  110    46.60   3027    2645   58410   7284     96.1    1.038  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0  111    46.90   3046    2678   59642   7324     96.4    1.029  ! Near Maximum !
+02.6  112    47.20   3065    2712   60904   7362     96.6    1.020  ! Near Maximum !
+03.3  112    47.50   3084    2746   62197   7400     96.8    1.010  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    46.00   3133    2833   66192   7223     99.3    0.986  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    46.00   2805    2270   46166   6870     88.6    1.142

[elk hunter]

Hey all, I have read a lot about the 130gn Barnes TTSX in .308 but I have a bunch of 4064 and I can’t find much on it. I am starting at 43gn and working up from there. Has anyone developed a good recipe for this setup? CCI 200, loading to 2.735 OAL

Barns book say COL should be 2.810 and a crimp due to the short shank of the bullet, this is for the 130 gr TSX.

[Divernhunter]

Might I suggest you use Barnes data for Barnes bullets.
Go online and select a powder that gives the most FPS and load that.
I used 56grs of BL-C(2) and a mag primer for my best load.
I also used Win748(54grs) and H-335(50grs) and they were fine.
It takes a bit of work to get that much BL-C(2) or win748 in the case as I remember. Seat the bullet so the top relief groove is barely showing.
I know that Barnes suggests crimping with this bullet. I do not and have had no problems

There is somewhat a reason that Barnes does not list IMR4064 for this bullet/cartridge. They do list it for the 30-06 and it is a excellent load for it

[ar15barrels]

There is somewhat a reason that Barnes does not list IMR4064 for this bullet/cartridge.

Look at the case fill percentages above.
Max load is around 12% more volume than fits in the case once the bullet is seated.
That means in order to GET to a max pressure load, you are compressing the charge 12%.

The general rule is not to compress more than 5%.
That makes the powder NOT a good option when there are SO MANY others that don't overfill the case.

[Jusgunn3]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I was going off of the Barnes online load data for the OAL which is 2.735, 2.810 is stated for the TSX bullet. I will report back with the loads performance and will try another powder if the results are poor. What is the name of that program ar15?

[ar15barrels]

What is the name of that program ar15?

Quickload.

The stuff I posted is PREDICTIONS, not tested load data.
Quickload is just used to help figure stuff out before you actually start dispensing powder and testing loads.
You still have to work up loads like you always do in your own gun with your own brass/primers/bullets.

[Jusgunn3]

Thank you ar. I will look into that, seems like a great tool.