Thread: Reloading .308

The .308 was too boring to reload for so I sold mine.

Other thing was 30 cals being a bit heavy and slow.

6mm&7mm is the future.

Like the team have said, reloading is the best way to go, yes there is an initial set up cost but you will recoup this, but you won’t save anything, you’ll just shoot more, then the sickness sets in as the 308 is a “gateway drug” soon you’ll be paper patching .577, testing the hardness of your 25/06 cast loads and sorting out what best polenta to use in your 6.5 cast Carcano load, you’ll then start casing 000 and sabots, dabbling in suppressed loads and then one day someone will give you a percussion cap black powder rifle......then your journey really starts, so yeah, id give reloading a crack

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Probably stocking up for the zombie apocalypse. Their garages must just about full by now so things should return to normal by the end of the year based on previous cycles. One of the funniest things I have seen on TV was an episode of Doomsday Preppers where the prepper shot himself with his 10-22 and had to be helicoptered to hospital. In a survival situation he would have been dead in three days. Most of the rest would have been dead in 3 weeks. Off topic I know but couldn't help myself. In penance I offer the following. For the .308W you could probably load a 150 grain flat base soft point ahead of 44 grains of AR2206H and have an accurate round in 99.9% of .308 rifles and never want for anything more for 90 % of NZ hunting. It just wouldn't be as much fun.
Regards Grandpamac.
.

Or if you have 2208 then 45 grains of AR 2208 does the same trick. I use this in all my .308s

My mix is 47 grains of 2206h with a Barnes TTSX - expensive but super accurate through my 308

I’m new to reloading and like others have said it’s addictive. I was shooting factory 150 soft points (SP) and had great success on all animals I threw them at 250m and under. Over lock down last year I started to reload mostly 9mm but had 308 dies too and just went from there. The forum was a great help. Ultimately I was chasing accuracy - the 150s were good maybe 1cm spacing ( I don’t understand MOA so I’ll use basic terms ) but the 130s were touching in groups of 3 (key holing) My tikka loves the 130s accuracy wise but the 150s just put animals on the deck better. It’s worth it in my eyes not for the $$ but for that added bonus of you made the bullet that put the deer on your table - or in my case others tables.

Slight hijacking I'm about to load up some 168 amxs have 2206h and 2208 and ideas gents? 43 gns sounds about right to me as a start but which powder was thinking 08?

Originally Posted by Kelton

Slight hijacking I'm about to load up some 168 amxs have 2206h and 2208 and ideas gents? 43 gns sounds about right to me as a start but which powder was thinking 08?

This was a pretty warm load so work up watching for preassure signs.

Lapua brass fed 215 primer 47gr 2208 168gr amax @75.5mm coal for 2750fps from 22" Sako 85 and 75

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

This was a pretty warm load so work up watching for preassure signs.

Lapua brass fed 215 primer 47gr 2208 168gr amax @75.5mm coal for 2750fps from 22" Sako 85 and 75

Cheers dude very much appreciated il still start low was just unsure of powder out of the two for the 168

Thanks again

Originally Posted by Kelton

Slight hijacking I'm about to load up some 168 amxs have 2206h and 2208 and ideas gents? 43 gns sounds about right to me as a start but which powder was thinking 08?

Greetings Kelton,
I chronographed some test loads with 165 grain Hornady Interlok projectiles using 43 grains of AR2206, AR2206H, Dupont IMR4064 and AR2208. They delivered 2,585, 2,575, 2,445 and 2,425 fps respectively. The rifle had a 20 inch barrel and a DPT suppressor. The AR2206 and AR2206H loads would have been near max from the Hodgdons Data. All were accurate. The AR2206 and AR2206H loads were as predicted from the Hodgdon Data allowing for barrel length and The last two slower.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Cigar

I didn't save money by reloading, I ended up shooting more and buying more rifles.
The projectiles are the biggest part of the cost, powder is about 1 cent per grain, primers are cheap, but you have include something for the cases.
My 308 load costs about 80c for the projectile, 45c for powder, 10c for primer, and say 20c for brass. So thats $1.55 per round without including my time or the cost of the equipment.

Your budget is similar to mine. I bring in Berger Hybrid projectiles direct from the US at NZ$1.00 per projectile landed in NZ.
I include replacement cost for a barrel $0.20 per shot.
Cases $0.16 per use, aim for 10 firings.
Powder $0.40, primer $0.10.

Cost per round $1.86

I run 168eldms and was getting pressure at 46gr of 2208 according to my mate so settled on 45.5. Need to double check speed but around 2730 from a 20" suppressed barrel. About 2.85" coal in federal brass and federal LR primers. Likes 43.5gr as well but as you know work up

I did read some where that 43.5 was a bit of a pet load very accurate in most cheers lads somewhere to start anyway.

Regards

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

A lot of people dont like to mail order.................................

ESPECIALLY now as it takes Constable Plod months + to send his approval to your supplier to send it to you.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings Kelton,
I chronographed some test loads with 165 grain Hornady Interlok projectiles using 43 grains of AR2206, AR2206H, Dupont IMR4064 and AR2208. They delivered 2,585, 2,575, 2,445 and 2,425 fps respectively. The rifle had a 20 inch barrel and a DPT suppressor. The AR2206 and AR2206H loads would have been near max from the Hodgdons Data. All were accurate. The AR2206 and AR2206H loads were as predicted from the Hodgdon Data allowing for barrel length and The last two slower.
Regards Grandpamac.

Thank you kind sir.

I picked up a fresh 1kg of 2206h today very unexpected

Originally Posted by Dama dama

I handload 308 because it's fun.

same

Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper

ESPECIALLY now as it takes Constable Plod months + to send his approval to your supplier to send it to you.

That doesn't apply to all AO's. My local AO does it the same day, usually within an hour or two.