308 all-around load?????

[Nebraska]

I'm planning on picking up a good supply of reloading components for my 308 and want to make sure I go with the right components as I don't have $$ to burn. I don't plan on ever hunting anything larger than deer and would like to ideally find a VERY accurate load that would be at home plinking, hunting and/or shooting for groups out to 600 yards. I thought maybe a 150gr Nosler BT would be a good place to start but is this too much to ask??

FWIW - I have a 20" and 24" 5R w the 1:11.25 twist and any recommendations for a good all-around load(s) (brass/powder/primer/bullet) would be appreciated....thanks!

 

[clmayfield]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

AMAX for bullets. I don't use 'em, but if you want hunting + target, that is the way to go.

Varget will give you less temp sensitivity because it sounds like you want to come up with a load and forget about it.

Lapua brass... it lasts forever and is very consistent. Lapua Palma if you want to mess with small primers. Normal Lapua for large primers.

CCI or Federal Primers.

 

[Teletiger7]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I agree with using Varget. Reloader 15 is also good.

 

[vinsonr]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

Amax bullets will destroy lots of tissue on the opposite side of your entry point as they tend to break up rapidly and expend a lot of energy. No doubt they will take it down, but be prepared to lose some meat depending on the shot you take.

 

[vinsonr]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

My load is 178 amax over 44gr varget in lapua brass and fed 210M primers, 2.810 oal. Sub half moa in my 26" PSS 1/12". As always, work up your load.

 

[Gene Poole]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

Another vote for Lapua/Varget/A-Max. My pet load is 44.5 Varget pushing 178 A-Max out of Lapua brass. I use CCI BR2 primers and seat at 2.810-2.815. My rifle is a 1991 24 inch PSS 1:12. Consistent 0.4 to 0.5 MOA groups.

 

[Huckleberry75]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

168 or 178 Amax would get my vote. Both accuracy and economy, with lethal results on furry woodland creatures and paper targets. And, the 168's come in the 250ct value pack for a little more savings. The varget is a great choice as well, for temp sensativity or the lack there of.

 

[throwback]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

Absolutely agree Huckleberry. I experiment a lot but my go to load is Varget + 178gr A-Max. F/TR, Practical Matches, Hunting. It does it all. To the OP: I have a 24" 5R as well. Throat is very long so finding a good seating depth for the A-Max can be tricky. I end up single loading near the lands for F/TR and Mag length for Hunting, etc.

 

[judgedelta]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

41.5 grains of IMR 4895 with a SMK 168 for groups or Sierra 165 spire points or hollow points for hunting will get you pretty much where you need to be IMHO. Good Luck

P. S. Nosler bullets are great, but if you notice, they sell them in boxes of 50 for just about what everyone else gets for 100..

 

[Nebraska]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I think I'll start with the Lapua/Varget/A-Max combo. With a 11.25 twist, do you think I'd be better off with the 168gr or 178gr and what's the best primer to use with that combo?

Also, any help on the best site(s) to get a deal on the components would be great.....thanks again!

 

[vinsonr]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I doubt you will see a difference between 168's and 178's, my 1/12" twist gets good results with both.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

44GNS VARGET and 175SMK in your choice of brass.

 

[Beef82]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

168 Amax, 44gr of Varget w CCI primer or RL15 w WLR primer, Hornady, Rem, or Nos brass. 1/2-3/4MOA from my 1:12.

 

[turbo54]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

Every October, discussions start popping up about which target bullets work on game.

Having hit whitetails from 80-700 yards with 150 speer grandslams and 180smks, I firmly believe a solid vitals hit from ANY 150+ gr bullet is gonna do it.

That said, I advise you to pick a bullet that flies nice, and score goid hits on game with it.

The 178amax is a fine bullet, but is absolutely obsoleted by the 178hpbt match.

 

[Huckleberry75]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I have had good results with the Fed 210M primers.

Check Powder Valley in Winfield, KS. They are about as consistently low priced as anybody on the web. Great people to deal with as well.

 

[Muttt]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I use 168 grain AMAX and 42.7 grains (max is 44) of AA2520 and CCI primers. It's a very accurate load and is giving my .5 MOA and better out of my Remington SPS Tactical (20" barrel with 1:12 twist) at 100 and 200 yards. I haven't had a chance to stretch it out yet to longer ranges, but it's my go to load for this bullet.

Your best bet on components will come in bulk. If you buy your bullets in batches of 500 or more you will get a better price that makes up for the shipping costs. If I buy on box of 100 at a time, it's cheaper to buy at my local gun shop (with higher prices). If I buy over 500 at a time, it's cheaper for me to buy online and pay shipping.

 

[Oneteam]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I use 44.5 gr. Varget, Lapua Brass trimmed to 2.005, Berger 175 Hunting bullets, set 0.020 off the lands. Greta round for hunting whitetails and accurate out to 1000 yds.

 

[Skg_Mre_Lght]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I went with 168 A-Maxs and Varget for one of my guns...that thing owns Speed Goats, Deer and varmints as far as I think I can hit them.

 

[YAOG]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nebraska</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm planning on picking up a good supply of reloading components for my 308 and want to make sure I go with the right components as I don't have $$ to burn. I don't plan on ever hunting anything larger than deer and would like to ideally find a VERY accurate load that would be at home plinking, hunting and/or shooting for groups out to 600 yards. I thought maybe a 150gr Nosler BT would be a good place to start but is this too much to ask??

FWIW - I have a 20" and 24" 5R w the 1:11.25 twist and any recommendations for a good all-around load(s) (brass/powder/primer/bullet) would be appreciated....thanks!

</div></div>

I've been using 168g AMAX bullets for paper or steel out to 1,000 yards. My standard load for the 24" 5R in .308Win I shoot is a 168g AMAX bullet over 43.1g of Hodgden H4895 lit off by Wolf large rifle primers in Remington brass. I trim the cases to 2.010", full length resize the cases to leave 0.002" headspace with 0.002" of neck tension. Finished rounds end up with about a 2.810" COAL but this seems to vary a bit as I seat based on ogive height. At 1,400ft elevation and 70F this load chronos at 2,735fps out of my 24" 5R Milspec. This is my all purpose target round but I think the AMAX jacket is too thin for game use.

My 5R also seems to like the 175g SMKs over 42.3g of IMR 8208XBR which seems to be better than Varget in terms of consistency and resistance to temperature velocity shifts. Same cases, primer specs, elevation and air temp showed 2,660fps but with flatened primers, no ejector marks and still smooth bolt lift. This load might be closing in on max. pressure for my 5R but it shoots pretty well in a crosswind compared to the 168g AMAX load.

If you have any IMR4895 try the 175g SMKs over 43.3 grains which is clocking 2,700fps out of my 5R with all the same components. This load is pretty accurate and for a .308Win pretty good velocity. But in my 5R this load is approaching the upper limits.

I never got Varget to work very well for my 24" 5R for some reason. I loaded a batch of 175g SMKs moving from 2,550-2,615fps but couldn't get them to shoot as well as the other powders for some reason. Varget is a very popular powder for .308Win shooters but I had much better results shooting other powders. It was worth the try though maybe I'll come back to it later.

HTH!

 

[johnsta]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I have had good luck with IMR 4064 If Varget doesn't work for some reason. Around 43 Grains.

 

[rkaires]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

175 gr SMK over 42.2 of IMR4064 works great in both my .308's. On paper, steel and whitetails.

 

[Bennyboy]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

I too like the 178 amax as my do it all load. I use Lapua brass, win primers and Reloder 15.

 

[seven mm]

Re: 308 all-around load?????

Varget, Re15 or H4895 will all work well.

If I had to choose one bullet for everything you listed it would be the 155 amax. Little extra speed, very accurate out of all the 308's I have shot. They work great on everything from paper to prarie dogs to coyotes to deer. All that and the are slightly cheaper than all the rest.