Powder for .308

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ligonierbill

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Loading 150-165 hunting bullets, and I have a good load with Re-15. What experience do you have (good or bad) with: TAC (Nosler likes it), CFE223 (Hornady likes it) and IMR-4320. I have all of those, but no Varget. If Varget is the bee's knees, then I might have to buy some, but not just now.

IMR-4320 is in there because I have an 8-lb jug. When powder was scarce, I went looking for a substitute for Re-15 for .300 Savage and got a good price on it. It does OK in the Savage, but the shortage is over (for now). It does OK in a number of rounds, actually.

So, what say you?
 
Depends on the barrel length... but shorter barrels in .308 get IMR3031, longer barrels, say 20" and up, get IMR4064, particularly in that bullet weight range.
 
I think Varget is the bees-knees. I can't give you a scientific reason why, but I seem to be able to tune the cartridges and find the sweet spots more easily, and I've never been stumped or dead ended with it (I have with a lot of other powders).

Out of the ones you list I like 3420. I try to stay as close to 100% capacity as possible, and preferably at a slightly compressed load. There are probably people who disagree with me, but I think it offers a consistency that is difficult to replicate with the powder sloshing around in empty case space.

I'd start working it right below a full case and go up from there.
 
I would agree with above post. Varget has always done best for me. I couldn't find any 3-4 years ago when I started reloading and used 4064 and occasionally will still try some but keep all the Varget I can get my hands on.
 
You were asking about IMR4320. I think it is the hidden gold in a 308 Win.

Excellent powder in that cartridge and as good as any other.

Since you have it on hand, dont' let it sit on the shelf. Use it and you will be very surprised.
 
What Dufus said. I am a Varget fan myself because I can load anything from a .204 to a .308 with it but if I had several pounds of 4320 sitting on the shelf that is what I would be loading
 
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Been so long that I don't recall if I use 4320 or not. Although I know I have near a pound of here. Don't shoot a 308. Found no need to own one since I own 2 _Savage 99 300's. Savage 300's aren't as fast in their get-go as the 308 is. But unlike the 308? I can tell when a deer is hammered hard by my 300. Especially handy when the animal where-with-all to get itself back into the woods after being targeted on a hay field.
Something I cant (figure out) with a 308 hit.
Given some extra thought. I think way back when I reloaded that last box of 300's. >4895<was used for the purpose. And that powder may be a good'in for a 308's home reloading
 
There is no one powder for .308. Varget, IMR4064 and 4320 are very, very close to the same velocities and pressures using a 168. Slightly more powder(like a couple grains) for similar velocities with a 150 too. So it really doesn't make a lot of difference. It'll be up to your rifle to tell you what powder it prefers.
 
Over the years I've used several different powder's. H335, BLC/2, H4895, IMR 4350 and W748. Actually I've never found a powder that wouldn't shoot well in my old 308!
 
Depends on the barrel length... but shorter barrels in .308 get IMR3031, longer barrels, say 20" and up, get IMR4064, particularly in that bullet weight range.
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Barrel length has nothing to do with anything. The fastest and most accurate load from a 26" barrel will also be the fastest and most accurate from a 16" barrel. Even the slowest burning powders burn up within just a few inches. The only way a faster powder might help is if you are shooting 308 in a pistol length barrel.

Varget is my go-to powder, but RL15 is probably just as good. I see more recommendations for IMR4064 as being the most accurate powder than all others combined. I've used all 3 with pretty much equal accuracy and velocity.

I prefer Varget or RL15 because they are more stable in a wide range of temperatures.
 
Wow. Those are wide ranging answers, but I pretty much agree with all of them.
T O'heir is right. They're all pretty close on paper, but the reason they seem to react differently in different rifles remains a mystery.
 
I use a variety of powders in my long range Remington. I like varget a lot buy my rifle shoots the best with IMR 4064, just can't beat it. My rifle is a heavy barrel 26" with a 1-12 twist. I wish it was a little faster but I can easily stabilize Serria Match Kings to 175 grains at long range. :)
 
BLC-2 and CFE223 for .308. I find they work well for a range of bullet weights. I also like Varget, but it is the first to disappear off the shelves so I had to explore others and really like these two. Though I have not shot it, just from the powder burn rate scale, RL15 ought to be pretty good.
 
Barrel length has nothing to do with anything. The fastest and most accurate load from a 26" barrel will also be the fastest and most accurate from a 16" barrel. Even the slowest burning powders burn up within just a few inches.
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Actually, it does. I'm not going to derail the OP's thread with a debate on it. You believe what you believe, and I'll do the same, based on my own experience.
 
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