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Win 748 for .308 advice

Amazingrandy1

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 21, 2012
90
11
Massachusetts
Hello everyone, I have 175 grain SMK that I want to try out in my .308 24inch 1:12 Howa 1500 Varminter. Im going to be using these out at 300 yards with Winchester or Fed. brass and CCI BR2 primers. I also have an abundance of Win748 powder that I would like to use, and was wondering if anyone has had any luck with this combo or something close to it.
Thank you, Erik
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

I would try a different powder as it is sensitive to temp changes.
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

I have had a lot of luck with 748 and starting loads out to about 300 yards. Work it up from your rifle the correct way and you will more then likely have better luck then getting information from strangers online
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

I had some extra 748 that needed shot... it actually ran pretty well in the 308, 223, AND 30-30. I did not notice any temperature issues, but the loads were all worked up in the summer and most were shot in similar conditions.

It metered VERY well from the thrower and the chargmaster, so that was a nice plus.

Work up a load and you will be good to go.
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

Im also going to be using WIN748/BLC2 as my Dillon 550 does not meter stick powders so well.

Thus far in .223 Im having great results with WIN748.
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

This is the kind of good info that I was hoping to see here. As long as people see some potential in using 748 I wont feel bad taking the time to woork up to a good load for 300 yard shooting. My biggest issue was just knowing that using the powder was not going to waste my precious range time lol.
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CT308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hello everyone, I have 175 grain SMK that I want to try out in my .308 24inch 1:12 Howa 1500 Varminter. Im going to be using these out at 300 yards with Winchester or Fed. brass and CCI BR2 primers. I also have an abundance of Win748 powder that I would like to use, and was wondering if anyone has had any luck with this combo or something close to it.
Thank you, Erik
</div></div>

Speer likes to use magnum primers with ball powders. If you have any of those, you might try them in a few loads and see what you see. It'll be getting colder in your area, pretty soon and you might get a more consistent burn.

Chris
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

Thanks Chris, I didnt even think about that, maybe itll do a little something too if I decide to use all of this for F-Class shoots.

Erik
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

Win Primers are made to deal with the ignition characteristics of Win ball powders. W748 and other ball powders can tend to leave more carbon residue, but I have noticed that as the pressures get higher they also tend to burn cleaner. W748 has been my standard .223 powder for over a decade, mainly because of how well it meters with the Dillon measure. Common lore suggests that WC750 and W748 are pretty similar.

Greg
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

Agree with Greg, switch to Winchester Primers; BR2 may not be hot enough, especially if you ever shoot it in cold weather.

Good luck

Jerry
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

I have had ignition issues with W748 in cases of similar capacity (7.62x54r and .303 British), when using lighter loads and regular Win. primers. A switch to Win. magnum primers cured this with no adverse effects. YMMV.
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

Ok guys thank you very much, apparently I need to go out and buy some magnum primers later on taday and try them out. I just hope that I can get some good accuracy from this powder and 175gr. pills @ 300yds.

Erik
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

I would still try it and see what happens. It might work fine. If you get hangfires, you'll know why. Also, bring a cleaning rod with you, in case one completely fails to ignite and you have to push the bullet back out of the throat. Don't ask me how I know this.
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The problems I encountered were with powder charges of less than 43 grains in 54r and 41 grains in .303. I'm not sure of the data you'll be using for the .308/175 combo, but a quick check of what I have on hand (Lee manual) would suggest that you'll likely be sitting around the 43 grain mark for a medium load. I would still verify your data and try to work up to that, however.
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CT308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok guys thank you very much, apparently I need to go out and buy some magnum primers later on taday and try them out. I just hope that I can get some good accuracy from this powder and 175gr. pills @ 300yds.

Erik </div></div>

You should always have some 'magnum' primers on hand just to cover your bases, even if you don't really 'need' them.

Cost is minimal and they keep for a long time.

Chris
 
Re: Win 748 for .308 advice

Thanks Chris, i plan on buying a few hundred magnun primers this weekend and loading them up. And Joop, I will be starting at exactly 43 gr and going from there, so you were not off at all.
Erik
 
I used it a long time ago twenty years or so in a Tikka .308 with 175 smks and a IOR. It metered like a dream and shot well. I saw unbelievable point of impact changes in between cool of the morning and heat of the afternoon from temperature insensitivity but no function problems from overpressure. I forget how much exactly but it was over mil difference at 600. Call it two feet difference at the target end. It was my first experience with temperature insensitivity and it was so radical I could not believe it. I thought it must be the optics going south or the mount. I tested it and repeated the same difference twice more the next two days. Up until that point I had loved 748 for .308 and 760 for 7-08. It was not a variable I wanted to deal with after that.
 
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