Need help choosing a 308 WIN recipe

saleen308

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Minuteman
Oct 20, 2009
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Katy, TX
I just started getting my reloading equipment in. I have the Lee Modern Reloading 2nd edition to start with. There are so many types of loads that it's a little hard to choose a starting point. I will me shooting this out of my Howa 1500 24" heavy barrel. The range will be 300 yard or less.

Any suggestions?
 
Re: Need help choosing a 308 WIN recipe

Start with 43.5 gr Varget behind a 175 Sierra MK or a 178 Hornady A-max and you'll not go far wrong. Play with the charge a bit each way (probably won't need to) and then seating depth and your done.
 
Re: Need help choosing a 308 WIN recipe

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hellbender</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Start with 43.5 gr Varget behind a 175 Sierra MK or a 178 Hornady A-max and you'll not go far wrong. Play with the charge a bit each way (probably won't need to) and then seating depth and your done. </div></div>

This is my recipe for my 20 incher. 178 Amax with Win brass and Fed primers. It's not the fastest, a little over 2500 fps, but it is real consistent.

There is also a whole lot of good info on the link referenced.
 
Re: Need help choosing a 308 WIN recipe

If you are gonna definitely be in 300 yds or less, then the 168 SMKs are perfect for you. I'd point you toward 155 Palmas or scenars too, since they work so well for me at the close ranges. Try varget or RL15 with the 168s, H4895 with the 155s. I pretty much shoot 175s and 155s exclusively these days, but I am going out past 600 with them consistently, and the 168s don't seem to work that well for me at those distances.
 
Re: Need help choosing a 308 WIN recipe

Skip the 168's, they turn to shit after about 800 yards... Bryan Litz himself has even written about the 168 SMK and its unique dynamic instability that prevents it from flying properly at long range. Excellent at short ranges but crap at long... IMO skip it and go with something thats good at every range up until max range.

The 155 grains shoot very fast and are very accurate little projectiles. The 155 scenars are fantastic, and even though they are a match projectile I have seen reports of many a large beast being taken down by one.

The 175SMK is also a great projectile, shoots a little slower compared to the 155 but offers good ballistics.

Put it this way, if you shoot the 155 or 175s you can take your gun out to 1000 yards and not have to question your projectile.
 
Re: Need help choosing a 308 WIN recipe

I have the same rifle in 1-10 twist, and I just spent pretty much the whole weekend loading rounds for my first outing with the rifle.

I am using 175SMK with Winchester brass and CCI BR-2 primer.

I loaded rounds starting with 42gr. RE-15 up to 44gr., with bullets seated .005 - .010 off the lands.

I also loaded rounds with 43gr. Varget, seated the same depth.

Will see hopefully this coming weekend how this rifle and these rounds will perform.