Thread: 308 starter load suggestions?

16" Bergara. Got two loads I'm honing in on. On paper the 1 in 8 twist is waaaay too fast for light bullets, but I'm getting great accuracy and speed with 130gr hollowpoints using either BM8208 or AR2206H, right up at ~2900fps. And ~2800fps with 150gr ballistic tips and AR2206H (all the manufacturers seem to do a Soft Point in that weight class for a cheaper alternative though).

For a true "one load to rule them all" that's good for game out to 500m and gongs out to +800m, the 175gr TMK or 178 ELD-X with a case full of AR2208 would be tough to beat.

Thanks again for accumulated wisdom. I’m looking forward to returning to a long-lost pastime! And I also have a 16” Bergara takedown so interesting.

I was at the range yesterday. Shot paper at 100yds. 45gns 2208, 155gn Dyer HBC bullets, Fed GM215M primers, Lapua LR brass, 27 1/2" barrel, 13 twist, ancient Nikko Sterling 6-24 x 56 LRX reticule, on 22X. No idea what speed - it's my LR load out to 1000yds also. At 1000yds, all 12 shots in the black, although the score isn't as good as the experts
Shot steel at 200yds with this load - 12" square, 6" square and 3" square. Without dialing (100yd groups approx 3" high POA), dinging or whacking at lower edge of the 3" steel. Nearly spun it around the target frame.
Also shot these steels as well with a variety of trial loads, from 45.5gns ->46.2gns 2208. Very little change in POI.
IMHO - 308 is a real versatile cartridge and this old Omark actioned Palma rifle from 1979, last rebarreled in 1994, shoots as good or better than I can.
Range shooting is so much fun and very sociable with the current 'gang' I shoot with, that I'm seriously thinking of selling off my Parker Hale Safari deLuxe 308 hunting rifle, to get another target rifle I've been offered.

Those HBC!s are a good projo. IMHO

You could always keep it and shoot hunter class

I was going to like that till you said sell of the safari......they are a lovely rifle.....but then again if a young hunter buys it instead of a souless plastic T3 all is good in the universe I guess.

Every .308 I have had over the years shot well with 45.5g 2206h and 150g bullet,i bush hunt though so no real world long range experience.

Originally Posted by The bomb

Every .308 I have had over the years shot well with 45.5g 2206h and 150g bullet,i bush hunt though so no real world long range experience.

My experience too, in both regards.

Accepting the standard practice of reducing loads when changing components - what is the personal experience using Lapua 308 brass versus others?? Tends to have less capacity than say Winchester, is it really such a big deal in practice??

Don’t think so as long as you are not compressing powder and using the right powder or going really hot loads.

Yup and the ADI manual doesn’t specify brass. Definitely not compressed with 43-44 gr AR2206H.

for bush hunting loads where sub moa isnt a requirement and loads arent super hot.....I will happily swap all sorts of components around while still sticking to same powder charge weight for projectile weight.... different brass has never given me issues.....if a load is going to be pushing boundaries hot,the rules are there for your safety and all bets are off. mild loads are just that,mild. even if you took a mid range load in .308.....gave it smaller capacity brass and fired on hot day you SHOULD still be lower pressure than a hot rodded load.

Originally Posted by HandH

Yup and the ADI manual doesn’t specify brass. Definitely not compressed with 43-44 gr AR2206H.

True, but they do specify starting loads, which it is recommended you start from each time you change a component, or even a different batch of the same component. But if your load is at or close to starting loads there shouldn't be any problems.

Greetings All,
While the ADI on line manual does not specify the brass used the Hodgdon on line manual does. Hodgdon has developed most of the data in the ADI manual as they market ADI powders under the Hodgdon label. Loads for AR 2208 (Varget) and AR 2206H (H 4895) appear to have been developed in Winchester cases. After lunch, perhaps well after, I will round up some of my findings on case weight and post.
Grandpamac.

After a fine lunch, thanks Russel, I got back to my notes which revealed the following. Mostly I have weighed a sample of each batch of cases feeling that case weight gives a good indication of capacity. With the most current samples of R-P, Winchester and Lapua weight with primer varies from 170 to 176 grains with Lapua at the heavier end. This would equate to less than 1 grain of powder. Norma (an old batch) averaged 165 grains and Federal together with some LC 79 and 81 cases averaged 183 grains. Older WW-Super and WW cases were lighter than current Winchester cases at around 160 grains. So what does all this mean? With the middle batch, R-P, Win and Lapua, there should not be much change in pressure or velocity. With the outliers some adjustment is likely to be needed to achieve the same velocity. What I would do is to load a small batch, say 3, with a charge 2 grains under your current load, with each case keeping everything the same other than the case. Chronograph the loads on the same day and set up. If the differences in velocity are minimal then so is pressure. If not then a small adjustment in charge should bring them into line. In any case do check the actual weight of a sample of both your current and new cases as cases change over time.
Regards Grandpamac.