Request for Recipe (.308), also info to share

[tools2teach]

I can't seem to find Data on a 308 with M80 Mil. Spec 145gr FMJBT using Varget powder. Can someone chime in? I'm new to reloading by the way.

[tools2teach]

anyone? I need a recommended starting load for 308.

[BlackRifleFan]

I can't seem to find Data on a 308 with M80 Mil. Spec 145gr FMJBT using Varget powder. Can someone chime in? I'm new to reloading by the way.

44 gr of Varget is a good place to start. With Winchester 147 gr I got about 2670 fps out of a 20" barrel when temp was about 105 degrees. M80 is about 2770 fps. I have never gone hotter because I moved away from Varget for 147gr bullet, does not meter too good on the progressive press.

[shadowofnight]

As for project 1,



I want some powder suggestion!!

Here is what i know:
- 40.2gr of ?? powder (looks like 1/3 longer than varget)
- 2735fps out of a 26" barrel
- 2580fps out of a 20" barrel
- SD <15fps!
- 175SMK
- FED210M

So, WHAT powder is less temperature sensitive and will give THAT velocity, with only 40gr!?!?

My Varget ( And Benchmark ) has been growing spiderwebs and hearing sounds of crickets ever since I got my bulk order of IMR 8208 XBR from Powder Valley.

In my 20" 308 , I am getting 2620 with 175 gr Berger VLD's and 42.3 gr of the XBR with awesome groups. After buying a few 1 pounders and experimenting....I went ahead with the 8 pounders.

Give the XBR a try......its extremely temperature insensitive ( Prob the best out there at the moment ) and as a side bonus flows through a powder measure like butter.

[SDJim]

If someone with Quick Load has the time could you please run 3 simulations.
Sierra 155 (2156) and Berger 175 VLD & Berger 155.5 Barrel is 30", 1:12", The only powders I'm interested in are IMR 4895, VARGET, V140 & V150

Thanks, SDJim

[five.five-six]

You can find all pricing(rough) info on www.powdervalleyinc.com

Do the math yourself. All depends on what you use, new Lapua brass is $0.50 each but you can get N-number of reloads out of it.

Roughly, $.35-.40 each if you have brass.
- premium bullet (eg 175SMK) ~$.25
- powder ~$.10
- primer ~$.02

Can get down below $.30 each if you use cheaper bullets (168Nosler)

wow! that's price shock from way back

[ar15barrels]

If someone with Quick Load has the time could you please run 3 simulations.
Sierra 155 (2156) and Berger 175 VLD & Berger 155.5 Barrel is 30", 1:12", The only powders I'm interested in are IMR 4895, VARGET, V140 & V150

Thanks, SDJim

That's 12 simulations.
Narrow it down to 2 and I will run them.

[Rommel]

I am looking at working up loads for my AR-308 with a 20 inch barrel.

I have two powders, IMR 4895 and Varget. IMR is 38.2 grains and varget is 38.7 on starting loads supposedly to get ~ 2400 fps with a SMK 168gr. Primers are CCI and brass is Federal GMM, Privi and Winchester.

Should I start with those loads and work up? What percentage or grains should I bring my loads down from a standard bolt action load listed in the Sierra manual? TIA!

[SDJim]

Sorry Randal,
I was looking for tables like the ones at the beginning of this thread where it showed a whole list of powders. That's why I thought it would be 3 sims. I thought it would be easier if it wasn't listing all the powders. . . Anyway

30" Barrel, 1:12" twist, Bolt Gun, VARGET
SMK 155 (2156) becuase I'm curious to see if there is that much diffrence between the 2156 and the 2155, and the Berger 155.5

Thanks, SDJim

[Ahhnother8]

30" Barrel, 1:12" twist, Bolt Gun, VARGET
SMK 155 (2156) becuase I'm curious to see if there is that much diffrence between the 2156 and the 2155, and the Berger 155.5

The 155.5 is a tad better than the 2156, and both are quite a bit better than the 2155. The further the target, the more dramatic the difference.

[Gnzrme]

Anybody using RE17...I switched from RE15 to that and I saw almost a 300FPS increase in velocity using that powder...Its larger than the RE15, so its going to fill up your case more....I am squeezing in 51.5grs into a Lapua match case...I get between 2800-2850 FPS...Trying to tweek the group size but its shooting about 3/4th's to 1/2 MOA at 100. Shooting this out of a PSS 700 with a 20" 11.25 Rock bbl....With RE15 I was averaging about 2600 FPS and I was trying to shoot at 1000 and when its cold, it goes down to about 2400-2500 so I was comming in subsonic at 1k

[phish]

What bullets are you using with RL17? I'm using 185 and 190 grain bullets with that powder and wouldn't even think of going over 48.5 grains. I've got some data in Excel, I'll forward it to you.

[Gnzrme]

What bullets are you using with RL17? I'm using 185 and 190 grain bullets with that powder and wouldn't even think of going over 48.5 grains. I've got some data in Excel, I'll forward it to you.

Sorry, forgot the bullet data....2156's...There was no data for use with the 2156's and Alliant recommended 50.00 grains as the load, so I loaded up 50 to 52.0 in 1/2 gr increments....52.00 was pretty hot, but didn't have any pressure signs although I would be interested to have a pressue gauge on the bbl....

[ar15barrels]

30" Barrel, 1:12" twist, Bolt Gun, VARGET
SMK 155 (2156) becuase I'm curious to see if there is that much diffrence between the 2156 and the 2155, and the Berger 155.5

Cartridge          : .308 Win.
Bullet             : .308, 155, Sierra HPBT Palma MK 2155
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.825 inch or 71.76 mm
Barrel Length      : 30.0 inch or 762.0 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon VARGET

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.426% 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

-04.3   99    45.00   2843    2782   49956   5749     98.1    1.364
-03.8  100    45.20   2855    2805   50622   5768     98.2    1.357
-03.4  100    45.40   2866    2827   51296   5788     98.3    1.349  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  101    45.60   2877    2849   51980   5807     98.4    1.342  ! Near Maximum !
-02.6  101    45.80   2889    2872   52674   5825     98.5    1.334  ! Near Maximum !
-02.1  101    46.00   2900    2894   53377   5844     98.6    1.327  ! Near Maximum !
-01.7  102    46.20   2911    2917   54090   5862     98.7    1.320  ! Near Maximum !
-01.3  102    46.40   2922    2939   54812   5879     98.8    1.312  ! Near Maximum !
-00.9  103    46.60   2934    2962   55546   5897     98.9    1.305  ! Near Maximum !
-00.4  103    46.80   2945    2985   56289   5913     99.0    1.298  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  104    47.00   2956    3008   57043   5930     99.1    1.291  ! Near Maximum !
+00.4  104    47.20   2967    3031   57807   5946     99.1    1.284  ! Near Maximum !
+00.9  105    47.40   2979    3054   58583   5962     99.2    1.277  ! Near Maximum !
+01.3  105    47.60   2990    3076   59369   5977     99.3    1.270  ! Near Maximum !
+01.7  105    47.80   3001    3100   60167   5992     99.4    1.263  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.1  106    48.00   3012    3123   60976   6007     99.4    1.256  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    104    47.00   2994    3085   60034   5895     99.7    1.265  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    104    47.00   2915    2924   54081   5940     98.1    1.319  ! Near Maximum !

Cartridge          : .308 Win.
Bullet             : .308, 155, Sierra HPBT Palma MK 2156
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.825 inch or 71.76 mm
Barrel Length      : 30.0 inch or 762.0 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon VARGET

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.426% 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

-04.3  102    45.00   2878    2851   53286   5693     98.4    1.331  ! Near Maximum !
-03.8  103    45.20   2890    2874   54020   5712     98.5    1.324  ! Near Maximum !
-03.4  103    45.40   2901    2897   54766   5730     98.6    1.316  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  104    45.60   2913    2920   55522   5747     98.7    1.309  ! Near Maximum !
-02.6  104    45.80   2924    2943   56289   5765     98.8    1.301  ! Near Maximum !
-02.1  105    46.00   2936    2966   57068   5781     98.9    1.294  ! Near Maximum !
-01.7  105    46.20   2947    2989   57858   5798     99.0    1.287  ! Near Maximum !
-01.3  106    46.40   2959    3013   58660   5814     99.0    1.279  ! Near Maximum !
-00.9  106    46.60   2970    3036   59474   5830     99.1    1.272  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
-00.4  107    46.80   2982    3060   60299   5845     99.2    1.265  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.0  107    47.00   2993    3083   61138   5860     99.3    1.258  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.4  107    47.20   3004    3107   61989   5875     99.3    1.251  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.9  108    47.40   3016    3130   62852   5889     99.4    1.244  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+01.3  108    47.60   3027    3154   63729   5903     99.5    1.237  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+01.7  109    47.80   3039    3178   64619   5916     99.5    1.230  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.1  109    48.00   3050    3202   65523   5929     99.6    1.223  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    107    47.00   3030    3160   64371   5817     99.8    1.233  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    107    47.00   2952    2999   57936   5879     98.4    1.285  ! Near Maximum !

Cartridge          : .308 Win.
Bullet             : .308, 155.5, Berger M T BT
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.825 inch or 71.76 mm
Barrel Length      : 30.0 inch or 762.0 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon VARGET

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.426% 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

-04.3  104    45.00   2896    2896   55509   5661     98.6    1.313  ! Near Maximum !
-03.8  105    45.20   2908    2920   56291   5678     98.7    1.305  ! Near Maximum !
-03.4  105    45.40   2920    2943   57084   5695     98.8    1.298  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  106    45.60   2931    2967   57889   5712     98.9    1.290  ! Near Maximum !
-02.6  106    45.80   2943    2990   58706   5728     99.0    1.283  ! Near Maximum !
-02.1  107    46.00   2954    3014   59536   5744     99.0    1.276  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
-01.7  107    46.20   2966    3037   60378   5759     99.1    1.268  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
-01.3  108    46.40   2978    3061   61234   5774     99.2    1.261  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
-00.9  108    46.60   2989    3085   62102   5789     99.3    1.254  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
-00.4  108    46.80   3001    3109   62984   5804     99.3    1.247  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.0  109    47.00   3012    3133   63880   5817     99.4    1.240  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.4  109    47.20   3024    3157   64789   5831     99.5    1.233  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.9  110    47.40   3035    3181   65713   5844     99.5    1.226  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+01.3  110    47.60   3047    3205   66651   5857     99.6    1.219  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+01.7  111    47.80   3058    3229   67604   5869     99.6    1.212  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.1  111    48.00   3070    3254   68572   5881     99.7    1.205  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    47.00   3049    3209   67272   5768     99.9    1.216  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    47.00   2972    3049   60521   5842     98.6    1.266  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

[phish]

Sorry, forgot the bullet data....2156's...There was no data for use with the 2156's and Alliant recommended 50.00 grains as the load, so I loaded up 50 to 52.0 in 1/2 gr increments....52.00 was pretty hot, but didn't have any pressure signs although I would be interested to have a pressue gauge on the bbl....

You should try a 4895 with those bullets with a 20" barrel. RL17 needs a longer barrel to take advantage of its burn rate characteristics:

http://www.6mmbr.com/reloder17.html

I really would like a pressure trace system as well, but Salazar's data is a good starting point.