.308/165 grain sierra GK - powder?
Printed From: The BaitShop
Category: FireArms, et cetera
Forum Name: Metallic Cartridge Handloading and Bullet Casting
Forum Description: Discuss reloading, bullet casting etc. here. We take no responsibility for the safety or validity of the loads mentioned in this forum. Start low and work up to what is safe in YOUR firearm!
URL: http://www.baitshopboyz.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1100
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Topic: .308/165 grain sierra GK - powder?
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Subject: .308/165 grain sierra GK - powder?
Date Posted: 28 August 2003 at 16:55
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howdy, folks. i've got a .308 mauser. i've got 165-grain sierra gameking (the psp bt kind) i've got imr 4895 and imr 3031. are tehse powders good ones to try, or is there one out there which might prove to be "better?" i am looking for ACCURACY more than VELOCITY. ------------- TasunkaWitko - Chinook, Montana  Helfen, Wehren, Heilen Die Wahrheit wird euch frei machen |
Replies:
Posted By: dakotasin
Date Posted: 28 August 2003 at 16:59
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in a 308, you'll be hard-pressed to beat varget for accuracy (150's, 165's, and 168's). however, if there is one powder to try before varget, it is rl-15. produces good accuracy and excellent velocity (whereas varget produces excellent accuracy, and ho-hum velocity). ------------- Hunting is not a matter of life or death; it is much more important than that. |
Posted By: Tikkabuck
Date Posted: 28 August 2003 at 17:01
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Hey Tas The 3031 did lousy in mine I forget what powder I'm using but when I get to the house I'll get it for you. ------------- God,Mother,Country,and Hot Rods. Done with political crap.LOL |
Posted By: tj3006
Date Posted: 29 August 2003 at 01:58
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Listen to dakota ! Varget gives me 3/4 Moa and 2700 with 150,s RL-15 gives me moa and 2840 from a 20 inch barrel, I diked around with varget and 165,s and the results were good but for my purposes the 150,s seem a better choice. ...tj3006 ------------- Freedom 1st tj3006 |
Posted By: EDip
Date Posted: 29 August 2003 at 02:22
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Tas, These are my hunting loads and/or target practicing loads. I always try for high velocities and best accuracy. In my experience raising or lower the charge with any given powder has a great influence in accuracy(as mush as a change of powder) - example a 243 Win (most accurate hunting rifle I owned, 22 inch sporter), son has now, got groups frequently under 1/4 inch with 100 grn Sierra flat base spitzers and 43.3 grns of IMR 4350. Reducing the charge worsened accuracy drastically. Latest manuals show this to be a high overload. Interchanging my reloads between the three 308's did not retain accuracy in any case. That's how I found the high loaded M88 load to be too much for the two M77's - deep cratering and very difficult bolt opening. My loading methods might sound unsafe, but I'm still careful and will work up loads when I feel a need. These are currently the best groups I got so far with a minimum of test firing(except for M88): (HEED warning at bottom) Have not chrono’d the 308’s, but 220 Swift averaged well over 3800 fps Ruger M77 (tang safe.) VT
168 Sierra MK (neck sized) 45.8 W748 – 5 shot ½ inch group
Ruger M77 MK II Composite stock S.S.
180 Win P.P.(rd nose) 43.0 IMR 4064 – 4 shot ¾ group
Win M88:
180 Hornady Spire (flat base) – 48.0 H380 (consistent many years)
Rem VSSF 220 Swift:
55 Horn V-Max 43.3 H414 – 5 shot 0.40 group
WARNING: These are max loads, not to be used without working up to. The M88 lever action handles the HIGH H380 charge. The other two 308’s WILL NOT |
Posted By: Tikkabuck
Date Posted: 29 August 2003 at 12:29
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Hey Tas
My .308 A-Bolt likes Imr 4064 @43.5 gr with the 165 GK's. My Remington 7600 likes 150 gr Hornadys backed up with 44.0 gr of Imr 4895,these loads work real good in my A-Bolt also,but just not quite as accurate. ------------- God,Mother,Country,and Hot Rods. Done with political crap.LOL |
Posted By: dakotasin
Date Posted: 29 August 2003 at 15:06
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guess i shoulda mentioned that all my 308's are/have been bolt guns... i did notice that in long barrels (26+ inches) the velocity discrepency between varget and rl-15 is almost none... but shorter barrels seem to like rl-15 for velocity. ------------- Hunting is not a matter of life or death; it is much more important than that. |
Posted By: Adobe Walls
Date Posted: 30 August 2003 at 14:31
| Mike Venturino gave IMR 3031 a good endorsement several years ago. IMR4064 has a good reputation in .300 Savage, .308, and .30/06. The Reloader 15 mentioned by others here is getting some rave reviews in magazine articles. John Barsness got top accuracy and velocity out of a .300 Savage with it pushing 165 grain bullets. I think for your Northern rockies hunting, that a 165 grain bullet is a very wise choice. I would go with a little tougher bullet design for the bear and elk though.AW |
Posted By: Moose6
Date Posted: 02 September 2003 at 01:22
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Reloader 15 and Varget are both great in my .308 Model 7 with 18.5 inch barrel and in my father's Howa with 22 inch barrel. Both powders give great accuracy with the velocity edge going to Re15. There is one more powder however that is AWESOME in my rifle, but it isn't very popular anymore. It does not provide the highest velocity out of my model 7 (2450 fps with 165 Nos BT), but produces 1/2" groups with that whippy 18.5 inch barrel. The powder is H380. Yes H380. Often overlooked, but provides great accuracy in the .308, probably because a max charge is 50 grains with a 165gr bullet....... you can fill up the case. Try using a mag primer with the H380 too. ------------- Y'all shoot straight!!! Moose - Knoxville, TN |