Factory load ??????

[abunaitoo]

Is there a way to find out what the factory load is?????
Helping a friend zero a .308 Win rifle.
Tried 4 different types of ammo. 1 hand load and 3 factory.
Most accurate was the Winchester 150gr Power-Point (SP), X3085.
All I can find is the muzzle velocity, 2820fps.
I'd like to duplicate this load.
Would like to know what powder, charge, and primer.

He had some hand loads with WIN 760-50.0, CCI200 primers.
Accuracy was the worse of the 4 loads shot.
Load books list the velocity around 2700fps.
Felt recoil was way more than the Winchester. I'm thinking faster powder.

[runfiverun]

nope.
the factory's get in a bulk shipment of powder, they test it for burn rate and pressure then load it till it's gone.
your best bet is to go buy a couple of cases with that boxes lot number on it.
your next best bet is to buy some Winchester power points and work a load to about the same velocity.

[country gent]

Factory As Five said is loaded with non canisiter grade powders that arnt available to handloaders. There are several powders that are "stand bys" in 308 win. Alot of high power shooters swore by IMR 4895 with that range of bullet. 4064 was used some but is hard to meter well. Varget was making a showing also.

[fouronesix]

You might run 5 of the accurate Win factory loads through a chronograph then load Win 150 Power Points up to that velocity using the most likely Win ball powder, standard Win LR primers, same seating depth/case length, same full length sizing and same crimp as the factory ammo. I'm pretty certain Win uses their ball powder for their factory ammo. Good luck finding Win 150 PP bullets unless you already have some or know a source that has them in stock.

Otherwise, just start with those 30 cal 150 gr SP bullets that have a reputation for good accuracy in the 308. The Nosler 150 gr Ballistic Tip, Sierra 150 gr. SP and 155 gr. Palma all come to mind. I've had best results with Varget in the 308. Load primarily for accuracy then secondarily check velocity with chronograph.

In the end, there is more to accurate reloading for a specific rifle than simply a magic bullet, powder, case brand and primer.

[Artful]

Your getting the straight dope - no way to exactly match factory ammo - but you can pull on and weight the powder charge and look for as close a match as possible for the J-word - then try to find a powder that at full throttle is about the same as factory load weight.
I be willing to bet 748 is as close as you will find in a cannister powder and you know they are most likely using Winchester primers in that Winchester brass :razz:

[abunaitoo]

Have some Nosler 150gr green tip.
I was checking the Nosler web site and they list lower fps as accuracy load.
I'm going to try IMR4064 and IMR4895 loads since I have those powders.
Don't have enough Win748 to try it.

[Cornbread]

With 4895 if you are trying to get to 2820fps you are going to be very near or over max load with 150gr bullet. I'd start much lower and work up. I use a lot of 150gr Hornady FMJs for my wife's 308 and the powder is H4895 but can get good accuracy even as low as 2200fps with her Win Mod 70. My Rem 700 likes them hotter than that though, up around 2500 - 2600 is best for it. Start low, work up, document it all including what finally works and you'll be a lot happier than if you start at some random high speed mark and try to figure it out from there.

[Larry Gibson]

You might run 5 of the accurate Win factory loads through a chronograph then load Win 150 Power Points up to that velocity using the most likely Win ball powder, standard Win LR primers, same seating depth/case length, same full length sizing and same crimp as the factory ammo. I'm pretty certain Win uses their ball powder for their factory ammo. Good luck finding Win 150 PP bullets unless you already have some or know a source that has them in stock.

Otherwise, just start with those 30 cal 150 gr SP bullets that have a reputation for good accuracy in the 308. The Nosler 150 gr Ballistic Tip, Sierra 150 gr. SP and 155 gr. Palma all come to mind. I've had best results with Varget in the 308. Load primarily for accuracy then secondarily check velocity with chronograph.

In the end, there is more to accurate reloading for a specific rifle than simply a magic bullet, powder, case brand and primer.

More than likely Winchester used a non canister lot of 748, especially with those 150 PPs. Your 760 is too slow burning for 150 gr bullets, especially with the CCI 200 primer (CCI recommends the hotter CCI 250 Magnum Rifle primer for ball powders). Thus use 748 powder, W-W brass and WLR primers. You can try to find some 150 PPs but any of the major bullet makers bullets will do. I most often find the Hornady 150 SPBTs to be and excellent and accurate 150 gr hunting bullet in the .308W. Follow load data from an appropriate manual. Chronograph the factory ammo and work up to that velocity in your rifle watching for pressure signs and backing off if you need to. Sometimes it is difficult to duplicat factory velocities w/o exceeding their psi.

I tested a one lot of Winchester 150 PP factory ammunition in 2 of my test rifles; a 26" barrel of 12" twist and a 24" barrel of 10" twist. The powder charge was 46.5 gr of what appeared to be very close to canister 748. Muzzle velocities ran 2903 and 2878 fps. Pressures (measured with the Oehler M43 in each rifle) were right at 55,500 psi. Accuracy in both ran 1.2 and 1.35 for each 10 shot string. I have found that 45.5 - 46.5 gr of commercial canister 748 (depending on the lot) in W-W cases with WLR primers under the mentioned Hornady bullet pretty much duplicates the velocity and psi of the factory loads with better accuracy; usually .75 - 1" for the 10 shot test string.

Please, if you get some 748, work up the load in the normal manner. Do not just use the load given because it may or may not be safe in your rifle.

Larry Gibson

[ncbearman]

for my wife's 308

I don't believe I have ever heard this in a sentence before! I would love to see and meet your wife. You are a lucky man!