Would like help with cast 308 loading

[Ohiopatriot]

Hello, new member here although I have been reading the forum for a long while, just not experienced enough to contribute much. Thanks to you all i have learned to successfully cast and load for .380, 38/357 mag and 44 mag. Now I'm venturing into casting for .308

Unlike the handgun rounds, the rifle doesn't have the load data I'm wanting to use. I'm casting with the Lee C309 180R. WW lead, quenched. Sized with gas check to .309. My rifle slugs @ .308. It is a Henry Single Shot with open sights. I would like to use 8208XBR but can find no data for it. BLC2 would be a second choice and i find minimal data.

Today I tried 27-33gr of 8208 and got 1600 to just over 2000fps. 29gr at 1780 fps gave me 3 holes touching at 50 yards.

Also tried BLC2 from 29-35gr with similar velocities and again the load at 1750 gave a good group.

These are mostly just for plinking, but i enjoy loading for accuracy at 150 yards (at home range distance)

So my questions are.....
1) what's a reasonable velocity?
2) can i safely just keep upping the charge until signs of pressure show?
3) am I better off to just buy a powder with published data, even though i have pounds of the others.
4) anyone have an idea of the max charge with the mentioned powders.

Sorry for the long post, I'm trying to learn.

[MT Chambers]

First off concentrate on finding the most accurate bullet, sized properly for your bore, using most any safe load. Once you find the most promising bullet try diff. loads and powders, a great source is the loads used by CBA benchrest shooters in their magazine. Most winning loads are in the 1800-2000fps. range and use a bullet with lots of linotype and a gas check. The .308 is the winningest cart. in prod. class.

[Mk42gunner]

Here's a link to an article in the military cartridge section, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Rifles-Article

It should give a lot of food for thought, and answer at least some of your questions; probably not about the newer powders though.

By the way, welcome aboard.

Robert

[Dieselhorses]

Welcome to Cast Boolits! I myself have just began this endeavor with my Savage Axis 308. I load all types of pistol rounds (cast and J). I started with the Lee C309-160-R and recently acquired the 170-F. Don't have the years in yet to give advice but the Lyman 50th manual I picked up a few weeks ago lists many loads for cast and j'd. Powders mainly used are 5744, 2400 and Rx7. There are a lot of educated people here to help but please search through the forums! There's plenty of invaluable data here already laid out. I spend more time reading here than posting sometimes. Again welcome OhioPatriot!

[Ohiopatriot]

Thanks for the welcomes and info. The link supplied by Mk42gunner was helpful and showed the velocity info I was looking for. The 8208XBR has similar burn rates and has the same FPS with good accuracy as mentioned in that thread so I'll experiment with it for awhile and see what it can do. The scope mount came today for the Henry so I can stretch it out to 150 yards and see what happens.

[Cast_outlaw]

So I have the same mold and with my Ruger 788 I had good accuracy at 100yards with 15.5 Alliant blue dot around 1800fps no pressure sine.

with ww I would be hesitant to exead 1800fps though but your quench might let you run them a little faster

[popper]

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
Has them all. Use jax weight and start mid range, cast just can go a bit faster for same load.

[OldBearHair]

Ohio Patriot "Today I tried 27-33gr of 8208 and got 1600 to just over 2000fps. 29gr at 1780 fps gave me 3 holes touching at 50 yards."This one. If I were able to get this grouping out of my 30-30, I would be happy. Have not tried the Lee 170 gr. in the Model 70 30.06 yet. Good shooting to you guy.

[Hickory]

Work up an accurate load that fall between 1600 and 1900 fps and your good to go.

[Ohiopatriot]

Popper ...... The Hodgden site calls for 39 to 43.3 gr of 8208XBR, so your suggesting 40ish? would be safe?