Proven 308 Winchester 180-200 grain cast load

[bluejay75]

Cast Boolit Shooters,

308 will be my next reloading challenge. So I will be starting from scratch. Seeking help to keep me from buying molds or dies that might not work the best.

That said, would someone care to share a proven 308 recipe using a 180-200 grain boolit. I would prefer to shoot a plain base boolit. I would prefer to shoot a ball powder. WIN 748 over Varget or HS6 over Unique. I would prefer a powder coated boolit over traditional lubed. I would prefer a 2.5 inch or less load at 100 yards. I would prefer 1500-2000 FPS.

Please include the following info if you have it...if not I will accept anything you have:

Boolit mold used with weight and whether gas checked or not-
Dies used-
Powder charge-
Primer-
Traditional or coated for lube-
COAL-
Crimp-
FPS-

Thanks for the help.....Bluejay

[waco]

Bluejay. While I have lots of .308 loads that shoot well I'll share this one as it meets most of your wants.
Rem 788 in .308
NOE 30 Hunter plain base mold @ 190gr
RCBS dies
10.5gr of Redot
CCI large rifle primer
Lar's 2500+ lube with one coat of Ben's liquid lube
COAL=2.750"
Lee factory crimp die(just enough to iron out the case bell)
Average for 5 shots 1324fps
5 shots at 100 yards .670"
The load with shoot 5 into under 1.00" every time.

[waco]

204829

[waco]

Most any boolit in the 180-200gr range will work well with lots of different powders.
10gr Unique
16-18gr 2400
18-20gr SR4759
9-11gr Redot
You will just have to play around and experiment with different loads and find what your rifle likes.
2 1/2" or less at 100 is pretty easy to do with lots of different combos.
You should have no problems find one that works for you.
For an inexpensive mold, the Lee 180 RN has worked well for me too.
I have not shot them yet but I just loaded up some NOE 312299 with 31gr of Varget.
I'll report back when I get a chance to test them.
Waco

[bluejay75]

Thanks WACO,

Can you attach the link to the NOE mold that you're referencing.

JB

[waco]

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=30_322

[robg]

Savage 308 116, Lee 180 gr rnGC boolits, 18 gr 2400 seated so gas check in neck, std large rifle primer lee fcd ,shoots 1-1.5 inch at 100 yards drops about 18 inches at 200 yards.very little recoil .

[izzyjoe]

I use the Lee 312-185 over 16 gr of 2400, never shoot it at a 100yds, but 50yds is most times under an 1"

[quilbilly]

I have not yet shot 180+ boolits in my Rem. 308 but I have been shooting 160's from various brand molds a lot for the last couple years. With either the Lee 160 RNGC or the Lyman 160 Loverin style 160 RNGC, the rifle has routinely shot MOA or under using 19.4 gr of 2400 or 26.2 gr of RE-7. The 2400 load is slightly better but 2400 is made from "unobtanium" around here. The MV for both is around 1950. My groups with the Lee 150 RFGC have been similar although I have not really shot those seriously for groups.

[tomme boy]

WACO! That is awesome! I knew that mold design I drew up was a good one. I made it to fit the 308w throat.

[bluejay75]

Thanks guys! Any suggestions on dies?

[tomme boy]

Whatever you can afford. But get a set of neck expanding dies also. I like the RCBS die. Then you buy all the different size expanders you need.

[waco]

Whatever you can afford. But get a set of neck expanding dies also. I like the RCBS die. Then you buy all the different size expanders you need.
I agree with Tomme Boy. I like the RCBS neck expanding dies. I use a .310" die for my .308

[waco]

WACO! That is awesome! I knew that mold design I drew up was a good one. I made it to fit the 308w throat.

It sure works well for my 788!

[bluejay75]

209306209307Greetings,

Took some time to finish this load and proof it but here goes.

Dies used- Lee 308 set (I used a 45 Colt die with a flat stem to seat the boolits)
Powder charge- 18.5 AA9
Primer- CCI Large Rifle
Traditional or coated for lube- Powdercoated Clear
COAL- Midway onto the front driving band of the following boolit.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_325&products_id=1755
Crimp- Lee Factory Crimp Die (Half Turn or medium crimp)
FPS- 1790 FPS, ES 28, SD 11
Group- Even with the flyer this was still under 2 inches. The 4 shots in the cluster are under a half inch. This loads shoots best from my Custom Remington but will not feed through the box magazine. They feed perfectly from the Savage 10P-SR 18".

[vzerone]

I agree with Tomme Boy. I like the RCBS neck expanding dies. I use a .310" die for my .308

Ditto on the RCBS die.

[waco]

209306209307Greetings,

Took some time to finish this load and proof it but here goes.

Dies used- Lee 308 set (I used a 45 Colt die with a flat stem to seat the boolits)
Powder charge- 18.5 AA9
Primer- CCI Large Rifle
Traditional or coated for lube- Powdercoated Clear
COAL- Midway onto the front driving band of the following boolit.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_325&products_id=1755
Crimp- Lee Factory Crimp Die (Half Turn or medium crimp)
FPS- 1790 FPS, ES 28, SD 11
Group- Even with the flyer this was still under 2 inches. The 4 shots in the cluster are under a half inch. This loads shoots best from my Custom Remington but will not feed through the box magazine. They feed perfectly from the Savage 10P-SR 18".

Very nice job! Great shooting. Looks to be a promising load.

[bluejay75]

@Waco

This load shoots better than I'm capable of. The mold you suggested wasnt available in plain base so I went with what I saw as the next best thing. I was almost hurt when the full length load did not chamber, but bringing the bullet deeper into the case made it shoot better in both guns I shot it in. AA9 isn't position sensitive and none of the test loads from 17-20 grains grouped more than 2.5 inches.

Another good thing about this load...I didnt have to sort brass for consistent results. The only sort that I do is sorting commercial from military. At this point I can say, R-P, Winchester, Hornady, Hornady Match, CBC, and PMC brass all group together.

[popper]

bluejay - I'm using a slightly different version of the RD style mould, does good in an AR10, 30/30 & BO. You can use a reamed fender washer to nose size and get it into the bore slightly - no interference fit, for better accuracy. This was primarily testing function but not bad.
209503

[Cary Gunn]

Popper,

Are you using the reamed fender washer to size just the "bore-riding nose" of the bullet?

Happy trails,

-- Cary Gunn --

[quilbilly]

I have two rifles in 308 shooting CB's and the Remington with the 22" bbl loves the Lee 180 RNGC at 1600 fps using either 5744 or RE-7. The Mossberg 16" bbl likes a 190 gr Loverin style semi point GC at 1700 fps using 5744. I am currently experimenting with a 200 gr Loverin style semi point plain base which so far has shot surprisingly well in both rifles at 1200 fps using a Bullseye load (neither likes a Unique load for the same velocity). I am using RCBS dies and a Lee push through sizer.

[bluejay75]

Did a little more shooting today. This time with my second Savage 10 P-SR 18" and a 1-6 power Vortex Illuminated Reticle Scope. Wow!!! This shot great and grouped right along side my jacketed load that I have a pile of.

This time I was using Hornady Brass. I have enough brass to leave about 400 of these loaded for deer and hog hunting. Thanks Cast Boolit Brothers for assisting in developing this load.

The first 4 shots went into less than 1/2 inch. With the flyer...its barely over an inch.

NOE 180 grain RD Shortneck Plain Base Unsorted and coated clear
Hornady Brass
CCI 200 LRP
18.5 Thrown grains of AA9
Will not chamber in my Remington or Savage Bolt guns if crimped into the crimping groove. I set them to chamber in my bolt guns. This comes out to mid way of the front driving band.

212869212870

[popper]

About 1/10" gets sized, just get into the lands a tad. No crimp groove so just FCD to remove the bell at the mouth.

[bluejay75]

Anyone else like to share?

[charlie b]

All of mine have been with gas checks except one. I milled off the top of a Lee 180gn mold to make it a plain base. It did really well with light loads in my .308. 7gn of Blue Dot would put them into 1.5" at 100yd. It's like shooting a rimfire with a big bullet :)

Just for grins one day I pushed them really hard, 2450fps. 4" group at 100yd.

After that experiment I went back to gas checks for higher velocities.

PS I usually shoot an Acc 31-210E (gas check). It requires a nose size to fit the bore precisely. Got the NOE sizing setup for that.

[quilbilly]

Just yesterday I finished a test of a 308 in a Remington bolt rifle of the difference in sizing gas checked boolits to 308 and 311. The boolits were from the NOE 179 gr mold and the Lee 180 gr. mold. The test was on my 40 yard home test range from a rest. That particular rifle has always loved a 2400 load of 19.2 gr so all tests were with that load. The best group was with the Lee 180 RNGC with 3 shots touching and one 1/4" away. The 308 sized 179 Gr NOE boolit wasn't far behind with a group of about 1". The NOE boolit sized to 311 gave a 1-5/8" group with a POI of 2" higher than the other two with two impacts touching. It was windy so that may have had an effect at times.

[Larry Gibson]

Trying to get back into practice for shooting CBA matches over at Ben Avery range north of Phoenix. The long "dark" COVD summer has taken its toll. Hopefully they will begin shooting again soon. We use the CBA score target and normally shoot 2 shots per target but for practice I shoot 5 shots per target on my own printed out targets.

Anyways, yesterday I was at the range testing another rifle so I took along my M70 Match 308W to practice a 100 yard "match" shooting for score not group. I've been not shooting enough bench rest and am a bit out of practice maintaining a consistent position. I usually shoot 5 fouler/sighters on a sighter target then the 10 shots "for record" with 5 shots on each target. Two shots got away from me. Wish I could blame it on the load but they both went exactly to the cross hairs when the trigger broke...... Ended up with a 97-5 X which isn't bad but I can do better. When you've a rifle/load combination shooting this well maintaining a consistent bench position is paramount to success. I just haven't been precision shooting enough the last year and shooting for score on that target w/o a precise aiming point is more difficult than shooting for group........ Still the 10 shots grouped (if over layed) just under 1" even with the called flier.

Nothing about the load fits the OPs criteria BTW, just thought I'd include it.

271684

[webfoot10]

26 grs AA2520 under a 314299 bullet sized to .311, Shoots well
in my 1916 spanish mauser recambered to .308. I only shoot this
rifle at 50 yds as I only use the open iron sights. Holds two inch
groups. In a good scope sighted rifle should shrink the groups
down some at 100 yds. This is a mild 30/30 load. Give it a try.

[charlie b]

Larry, Good shooting. Were those the XCB's?

Do you ever participate in the CBA Postal shoots?

[Larry Gibson]

Yes, those were with 30 XCBs cast of #2 alloy, properly weight sorted, Hornady GC'd, lubed with 2500+ and sized in a .311 H&I die. They're loaded over 2400 in match prepped LC Match cases with the flash holes drilled (#28 drill) using CCI 200 primers. Velocity runs right at 1800 fps with 10 shot ESs running 18 - 20 fps and SDs at 5 - 8 fps.

[bluejay75]

Mr Gibson,

Have you ever tried 2400 with Jacketed bullets?

JB

[charlie b]

Thanks Larry. Good luck in Phx.

[Larry Gibson]

Larry, ...........Do you ever participate in the CBA Postal shoots?

I haven't yet, thought about it though. I usually (pre COVD) get over to Ben Avery range several times a year to shoot both commercial rifle and military rifle with the Arizona boys. Was hoping we'd start shooting again but looks like not for a while now......

[Larry Gibson]

Mr Gibson,

Have you ever tried 2400 with Jacketed bullets?

JB

Not in any bottle necked cartridges greater in capacity than the 30-30/7.62x39.

[charlie b]

I haven't yet, thought about it though. I usually (pre COVD) get over to Ben Avery range several times a year to shoot both commercial rifle and military rifle with the Arizona boys. Was hoping we'd start shooting again but looks like not for a while now......

I was getting ready to try a postal match, then the city closed our range again. :(

Grew up in Phx. Some neighbors were part of the original Black Canyon range construction. I shot with them once when they were at the old Thunderbird range (now absorbed by housing).

I toyed with the idea of going to Ben Avery to shoot but never got around to it. If I can get my cast loads a bit more accurate I may try it once all this stuff is over.