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What are your three favorite powders for the .308 Winchester with 168/175 grain bullets?

308sako

308sako

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Feb 15, 2008
    1,282
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    Brothel Nevada
    Varget first

    IMR 4064 second

    IMR 4895 third for me

    I've also had excellent results with VV 140 and VV 540

    Never really tried the RL 15 as Varget was dominating my .308 shooting.

    Would make an excellent poll I think... Duh
     
    I don't think their will be that many more posts, you've got it all down pat!!! LOL!! I chose the exact one's you did. Accuracy wise, plus velocity, them three will do it all with the 308Win.
    308sako said:
    Varget first

    IMR 4064 second

    IMR 4895 third for me

    I've also had excellent results with VV 140 and VV 540

    Never really tried the RL 15 as Varget was dominating my .308 shooting.

    Would make an excellent poll I think... Duh
    Click to expand...
     
    IMR4064 with 168s, N140 with 167s (I think it works best because bullet and powder speak the same language)
     
    My three favorites are:
    - PP 2000 MR (meters best, highest velocity while maintaining accuracy, use it for 223 also)
    - IMR 4895 (most accurate)
    - Varget (very temp stable, excellent results (a hair less accurate than IMR 4895, not as fast as 2000 MR), use for 223 also)
     
    #1) Benchmark
    #2) 2000MR
    #3) Win 748

    ( a tie for 3rd would be 4064, but 4064 is such a miserable PIA to dump and meter, but a very consistent powder if you have the patients to load with it)

    Benchmark is a powder that not many have tried, I bought 2# several months ago simply because there was nothing else on the shelf at my LGS, and honestly from my collected data it works excellent in lighter bullet .308's as well as .223 AR's so it's a "do all" powder for me.
     
    Last edited:
    1. Varget
    2. Varget
    3. Varget
    ;)
     
    I second Varget and Re15, but would like to add IMR 8208 XBR. 8208 works almost like Varget for me, but with better resistance to changes in temperature.
     
    So far, Varget and R-15. I need to get out to the range and test some 178 AMAX w/ PP2000MR to see if it becomes my third powder.
     
    H4895 for my M1A
    Varget for my LWRC REPR
    RL 15 for my bolt action
    all loaded with 168 projectiles
    I have purchased some IMR 4068 to try with 175 grain SMKs.
     
    1. Varget
    2. RL15
    3. IMR4064

    #2 and #3 are pretty much a tie for me...
    I'm going to give CFE223 a try next for the 308 since I don't consider it as valuable as the Varget I have. ;)
     
    Three best powders for 308 general use:
    4064, Varget, RL-15

    My three favorite powders for 308:

    AR-COMP, 2000-MR, Varget
     
    Tag. Thanks for sharing! Any particular reasons you choose one over the others? Speed, consistency, temperature stability, or adaptability to different guns?
     
    Pp2000 - fastest and most accurate out of my 21" Broughton
    Varget - close 2nd
    Re15 - almost as good as varget, just a tad slower
    4895 - accurate, but slower


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
    1 - CFE223
    2 - RL-15
    3 - H4895

    CFE223 is the fastest velocity and tied w/ RL-15 for best grouping.

    #3 is only if I run out of the other two.

    JeffVN
     
    I used to like Varget but it's unavailable where I live.

    My current "top three" for the 168/175 gr bullets are"

    IMR 8208 XBR

    IMR 4064

    CFE 223 (also great for .223)




    This line-up may change as powder supplies change but I'm really enjoying the results I'm getting with these three.
     
    Those shooting xbr what's your load you have had success with? I started an initial load development and found a node on the lower end and got a .6" group with 165 sierra gameking with 40.6grains and several 1.1-1.3" groups as I worked up. It meters well enough, it is an interesting powder
     
    z7.jled said:
    Those shooting xbr what's your load you have had success with? I started an initial load development and found a node on the lower end and got a .6" group with 165 sierra gameking with 40.6grains and several 1.1-1.3" groups as I worked up. It meters well enough, it is an interesting powder
    Click to expand...

    In my rifle, a custom built on a remington action with 24" Benchmark 5-C, 24" barrel I get sub 1/2 MOA performance using 175 gr Nosler Custom Comp's and 42.2 gr IMR-4064. Brass is F/L sized with .003" neck tension and 2.820" OAL. Speed averages ~2700 fps with <10 SD/ES using Tula LR primers.

    Like most powders I use it works well when the case is full or close to it.
     
    I use XBR and my loads vary depending on which brass im using. For 168 grainers I use -43 grains if im using Winchester or lapua brass . If using nosler, lake city or fed ill drop down up to a full grain . 42-42.5
    For 175s ill do 41.5 for low capacity brass and 42-42.5grains win or lapua brass .
     
    308sako said:
    Varget first

    IMR 4064 second

    IMR 4895 third for me

    I've also had excellent results with VV 140 and VV 540

    Never really tried the RL 15 as Varget was dominating my .308 shooting.

    Would make an excellent poll I think... Duh
    Click to expand...

    YES
     
    1. 2000mr PP best metering and velocity+ most accurate in my .308 w/178 Amax and .223 w/ 80 gr. Berger VLD
    2. IMR 4064 best in my .308 w/175 SMK
    3. RL15 Haven't used it much but had shown some great potential, now if I could just find a 8 lber.
     
    In no particular order, Varget, 4064 and 4895. These work well, no matter when, where or what. There are several more that are just as good that I don't use, mostly because of availability. Its really hard to make a bad load in a .308 unless you choose a powder thats too slow.
     
    I've used IMR 4895, IMR 4064, and Varget, all with good success. Slight edge to 4064 for accuracy in my rifle but all 3 are tack drivers.
     
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