"BEST" .308 W. Load ?

[jerry6stl]

Based upon all your experience, and observation of other shooters, what do you think is the .308 Winchester cast bullet load most likely to shoot well?

My guess, including scanning years of CBA match results, is 23 to 24 grains of RL-7 with a 170 grain to 190 grain flat nose gas-check bullet such as RCBS 180FN, or similar bullet from another mold maker, sized .310" or .311". This seemed to me to be the most common performer.

It will be interesting to see what some of you have found to be the most common accuracy load....

[WebMonkey]

i use the lee c309-170-f over 17.2gn 2400.
i tumble lube, size/check, tumble lube

(i have powder coated this load as well and got similar performance with a hair more speed)

this is what i use in the ruger american rifle predator version. with or without a can.

'monkey

[rintinglen]

I use the 311-644 over 18.0 grains of 2400.

[Silverboolit]

I did a pound cast of the chamber in my Howa .308 and much to my surprise, I found that the throat measures .312 with a bore of .309. It is a 10 twist and have the best luck shooting a NOE 198 gr spritzer sized at .312. The rifle does not like anything below 175 gr with a GC. Since going with the 198 gr boolit at .312, my groups have shrunk about 30%. I use IMR 4350 at 30-33 grains and it just plainly works.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Yes, my .308 load for a couple Savage 99's is a 311331 (180 +grains) and 25 gr Rldr 7, CCI200 or Fed 210M, usually .310, but .309 works well in my rifles. I have found Rldr 7 to work well for boolits in several (many?) rifles.

[popper]

Attachment 192631 Left is 308W AR, others are 30/30. 40gr of H4895 about the same.

[robg]

Lee molds 160 or 180 gr over 18 grains of 2400 .if I do my bit ,big if,under an inch at 100 yards.

[MT Chambers]

28-30 grs of Varget under 160 to 210gr. boolits, a load that has been used quite a bit in CBA br. comp.

[quilbilly]

Mine likes 19.4 gr of 2400. It is a tossup between the Lee 160 or the Lyman Loverin 160 for which shoots best since both were under .8 when I once had a good day (not enough of those anymore).

[curator]

17.5 grains of Alliant 2400 and LBT 311/180 SPGC sized .3105 cast of 1/3 lino, 2/3 COWW. Big difference in loads for rifles with 1 in 10" twist rate compared to 1 in 11" or 1 in 12" twist. My "target" .308s are both 1 in 12" twist. My M1A is 1 in 11" twist and shoots best with 190-210 grain boolits and 28 to 30 grains of IMR4895.

[N21911S]

NOE 311-195FNGC, 16.5 2400 for 1530fps, 24.5 IMR4198 for 1850fps, 26.5 Reloader 7 for 1950fps....how fast do you wanna go?

[rsrocket1]

[LAKEMASTER]

What did you size your bullets ?

[rsrocket1]

I use the Lee .309 push through sizing kit. I've used both the Hornady 30 cal copper gas checks and the aluminum Vulcan gas checks, both work just fine by pressing them onto the bullet and the sizer crimps them onto the base. For low cost plinking, I don't use GC's. I've used the Lee 113g, 170g and 200g bullets all seated to 0.3" seating depth. At that depth, the top driving band fit snugly into the rifle's throat and I guess it centers the bullets because the default accuracy (without perfecting the load) is already very good.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Bump. Lots on the 308 in the archives, but interesting to see what everone considers their best!

[bluejay75]

Glad you brought this to the top! 180 grain Ranchdog sized to 309, 18.5 grains of AA9. Switching to 2400 this winter. 10 shot 2 inch load at 100 yards. More than adequate for a PB cast load.

[charlie b]

Savage .308, 1-10twist, short throat. I keep velocities in the 1700-2000fps range.

Accurate 31-210E. Around 25.5gn of 4198 or 28gn of Varget. 2.5" at 200yd is common. 2" or a bit less is not unusual.

Lee 180 was about the same with 24.0-25,0gn of 4198.

NOE XCB I load 26.0 Varget. It is 2.5-3.0" at 200yd. Don't shoot it much cause it has to be seated deep in the case with the short throat on this rifle.

Most of my shooting is with powder coated. Sized .310 and nose size to .302.

If I can find some 2400 that is next on my list of powders to try.

Basically, I don't think there is really a bad bullet, just bullets that don't 'fit' your rifle.

[Larry Gibson]

Based upon all your experience, and observation of other shooters, what do you think is the .308 Winchester cast bullet load most likely to shoot well?

It will be interesting to see what some of you have found to be the most common accuracy load....

"Best" for what?

In what rifle?

At what range?

You mentioned CBA so, assuming you mean for accuracy and/or precision, I'll tell you what I'm currently using for CBA matches in my 308W M70 target rifle with a 12" twist barrel.


Attachment 274484

NOE 310-165-FN [30 XCB] cast of #2 alloy, WQ'd, properly visual and weight sorted, Hornady GC seated and crimped on separately, lubed with 2500+ in .311 H&I die in 450 [bullets are .3105 after proper length of aging]

LC 72 Match or LC 92 cases which have been "match" prepped". NS'd with Lee Collet die to give .002 - .003 neck tension. Necks are tight fit on M-die .31 expander mandrel with case mouths slightly flared. The flash holes have been drilled out with a #28 drill.

WLR or CCI 200 Primers

16.5 gr of Alliant 2400

OAL; bullet is seated to just center on and very slightly engrave when the round is chambered.

Results from 10 shots for score on the CBA score target at 100 yards. I lost my position/hold of the rifle on 2 shots which got away from me. Been a long years with little real BR shooting...... Shooting for score [accuracy] is more difficult than shooting for group size [precision]. The 10 ring on that CBA target is .775" which means you strive to be capable of putting the shots into 1 moa or less at a specific location on the target every time. Not as easy as it may appear.......


Attachment 274483

My previous load was with RL 7 under several different bullets including the 30 XCB. While I could get some very good groups [precision] with those RL 7 loads it was not consistent nor was it as accurate when shooting for score [accuracy]. So far the 2400 load is proving more consistent in performance in that after several practice sessions my scores are 2 -3 points higher with the 2400 load than with the RL 7 loads. In practice [no matches because of COVD] still running an occasional 100 but mostly 97 - 99s. More difficult in matches because only 2 shots per bull are shot on the target with 5 bulls for score and a sighter bull so the rifle is slightly adjusted for every 2 shots.