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Newby here.Going to try reloading for LR-308T help

jpwolf
I haven't done much reloading. It's been a few years, and even then I didn't do it for very long before I had to sell my press, Dillon progressive, to my brother to pay bills. Bright side, he will reload anything I want if I get the supplies and info.
Hoping you all can save me some reloading heartache, by not wasting time and $$ on worthless loads.
These will be for deer and elk. Nothing special, just a good/accurate hunting round.
Where to begin?
Powder brand/type?
Primer?
Bullet brand/style/weight?
Case?
Anything else?
Note: 18" barrelcorrection 16"barrel and 1 in 10 twist
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Comments

16 comments

Date Votes
  • JustC
    Varget
    168gr SMK, Berger, or a-max
    210M
    lapua brass
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  • jpwolf
    Thank you very much JustC, for that load.
    Any others I should try?
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  • csteinh
    The .308 tends to like Varget very well. It also likes IMR-4064. Most brass is reloadable to very good hunting accuracy so use what you have. I use CCI primers but all of the other primers are acceptable also. Use what you can find in large rifle size (You don't need a magnum primer for the .308). You need to decide what bullet weight you want for the type of hunting you are doing. You can load bullets from 150 grain to 200 grain for hunting. 220 grain bullets are available but are a bit heavy to push fast enough from a .308 case. Lighter bullets are also available but are a bit light for deer and elk sized game.

    The load JustC gave you is used by many in the target games. (There is probably no better recommendation). However, Sierra does not recommend any of the Match King bullets for hunting purposes. Sierra has a Game King series for hunting. You need to pick a bullet that performs properly for your use. There are many good brands out there. I prefer Sierra bullets but Bergers, A-Max, Nosler, Speer ... are all good choices.
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  • jpwolf
    Thanks csteinh.

    I generally find 150 grain bullets serve the purpose quite well for deer, and are adequate for elk. Anything over 123 grains is legal for elk in CO, but I don't know why.

    But if a different weight is appropriate for accuracy, so be it. Unless someone insists on a different bullet for my particular rifle, I will start with JustC's suggestion of 168.
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  • wsfiredude
    I like Winichester brass and primers.

    IMR 4064 - 38.5 grains
    Winchester/Nosler 168 gr Ballistic Silvertip
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  • cory136
    I shoot 34 grains of imr 4198 with a 150 grain nosler ballistic tip with winchester large rifle primers
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  • FrancF
    quote:Originally posted by JustC
    Varget
    168gr SMK, Berger, or a-max
    210M
    lapua brass


    About the same here, I like the CCI BR-2 primers.
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  • JustC
    you can substitute a 165gr hunting bullet in that same configuration.
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  • jpwolf
    Thanks guys.

    Are these general purpose for any 308 rifle?
    Is it true that a load for even another 308T might not be the one for my 308T?
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  • csteinh
    Each rifle is its own chemistry set. What shoots well in one rifle may not shoot well in another just like it. Change lots of powder or use a different primer and you will have to adjust the load for maximum accuracy. If all you are looking for is hunting accuracy, then the load development is simpler. A benchrest shooter minimizes every possible load variable while the rest of us tend to just get close and find the load works good enough.

    Cort
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  • JustC
    every barrel will have some harmonic preferences. It does happen though, that a certain load will be good in most rifles with similar twists etc. I have a load for the 270 which has been very good in all 270's I have tried it in. Could it be tweeked a tad between each one??? probably so,..but at well under an inch @ 100yds in every rifle I have tried it in,..it's more than good enough for hunting work.
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  • miker4_u
    quote:Originally posted by jpwolf
    Thanks guys.

    Are these general purpose for any 308 rifle?
    Is it true that a load for even another 308T might not be the one for my 308T?
    Hi JP,
    I have a single stage RCBS I love it! I weight each powder charge on the scale and I would suggest For elk like mentioned above the 168Gr. and powder there are many good one's Primers I stick with CCI Because I have a ton of them. 150 Gr core lock is fine but a little light on Elk IMHO the heaver the better the closer the better, Spend a few rounds at the range to see how they Group. I hand load all my Hunting ammo 30-06, 308,6.5 X 55 swede I like the reliability when it counts. My cousin Dropped a 2200 LB Bull Buffalo last year with a 54 Cal. Black Power. Nothing better than a well placed shot[;)]
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  • ddhotbot
    http://practicalrifler.6.forumer.com/

    follow this link for some great info into reloading the 308
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  • jpwolf
    quote:Originally posted by ddhotbot
    http://practicalrifler.6.forumer.com/

    follow this link for some great info into reloading the 308


    Wow dd, that is some high tech discussion going on in there. Wayyyy over my head, but interesting enough to try to make it NOT "over my head". Thanks[:D]
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  • sandwarrior
    jpwolf,

    For a deer AND elk load I would take a 165 Accubond in front of 42 gr. of H4895X. Any flavor of primer as this isn't a max load. If you feel like Varget...and can get some where you're at... then use 43.4 gr. of that instead of the H4895X. Both are extreme powders and you can work them up in the heat and they will pretty much stay at those velocities (therefore same come-ups at long range) as in October/November when it gets much cooler. Vice-versa also, in that you can work stuff up in the winter, close to max, and it will be about max when summer comes. Unlike uncoated older powders that you'd work up a lite load in the winter and come summer it was too hot.

    Ask your brother to work a 2 load ladder up to those charges. A two load ladder is two cases loaded the same moving up in .3 gr. increments. i.e 2 cases @ 41, 2 Cases @ 41.3 2 more cases @ 4.16 etc... Starting at 41 gr. of H4895X or 42 gr. of Varget.

    Edit:

    Missed the barrel length at the end. For that length I would stay with the H4895X, but Varget would still work, if a little slow, for that short of a barrel.
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  • jpwolf
    quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
    jpwolf,

    For a deer AND elk load I would take a 165 Accubond in front of 42 gr. of H4895X. Any flavor of primer as this isn't a max load. If you feel like Varget...and can get some where you're at... then use 43.4 gr. of that instead of the H4895X. Both are extreme powders and you can work them up in the heat and they will pretty much stay at those velocities (therefore same come-ups at long range) as in October/November when it gets much cooler. Vice-versa also, in that you can work stuff up in the winter, close to max, and it will be about max when summer comes. Unlike uncoated older powders that you'd work up a lite load in the winter and come summer it was too hot.

    Ask your brother to work a 2 load ladder up to those charges. A two load ladder is two cases loaded the same moving up in .3 gr. increments. i.e 2 cases @ 41, 2 Cases @ 41.3 2 more cases @ 4.16 etc... Starting at 41 gr. of H4895X or 42 gr. of Varget.

    Edit:

    Missed the barrel length at the end. For that length I would stay with the H4895X, but Varget would still work, if a little slow, for that short of a barrel.


    Thank you SW, will do!
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