Powders for .308 130/150 grain loads

I like imr 4895 for my .308 rifles

Hodgdon BL-C(2) and IMR 4064 work good for .308 and .223, too. I've used Shooters World Tactical Rifle on both, as well.

Compressed loads in rifle rounds aren't the same as pistol rounds. They aren't the hazard like in pistol cartridges.

8208XBR, TAC, H4895, AR Comp, AA2230, SW Tactical Rifle, Benchmark, Power Pro Varmint, N135 would all do very well for 130&150gr .308, and meter well. They also work well in .223. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few powders that'd work well.

Barnes has data on there web site.Have a look there . I used there most accurate load for 30/06 with h4895!and it is very accurate.Lots of choice’s of powder there they list tac as most accurate.And I believe folks use tac for 223 .Good luck

I load both 110grn and ~150grn for my 16" barreled M1a... I use IMR3031, which is also what I use for jacketed in .30-30, and jacketed and cast in .348WCF. It works really well. Once I go beyond 150grn, I turn to either IMR4895, or IMR4064.

If I were to pick one powder to load low- to mid-range bullet weight in .308, with an eye towards using it for 5.56mm, I'd pick TAC, or with a very outside vote, for H335. The extruded (IMR) powders like IMR3031 will work with both, but trying to stuff all those sticks into the diminutive 5.56mm case can be a chore. For what it's worth, assuming I can ever find an 8# can of TAC, I'll likely switch to that to load both my 5.56mm and 7.62mm blasting ammos. TAC even outshot IMR4064 with the 168grn SMK out of my Savage bolt gun... although I'll have to do it again to really believe it.

All of the above are good but just another choice is Varget if you can find it.

There is ideal or optimal......and there is available. Local gun shop has more A4064 on the shelf that I could ever shoot in what is left of my lifetime. A4064 has also been turning up regular from the usual online suspects. So has IMR3031. I'd think the latter for the light bullets and the former for the 150's.

Win 748 is my go-to for .308. I meters well, and burns great.

If you're wanting to cross over to 223. H4895, AR Comp, 8208xbr, or Benchmark would be on my short list.
Shooters world also has several options.

Check 223 should work well in both calibers as well.

My "go to" powder is IMR4064. But there are several good ones. Varget, RL-15, Winchester 748, BL-C2, and the list goes on.

Short list off the top of my head. Category A (best). IMR 4064***** AA 4064, Varget (good luck *****), IMR 4320 (avoid old steel can)***, VN140*****. Category B (ones I know to be "good") IMR, H4895, R15, BL-C2, CFE223, W748 Category C (I think I remember seeing load data but haven't tried personally) IMR 3031, H335, AA2230, R12, VN130.

There are others, and please reference load data before buying any of Cat C as they may not be a fit. I'm way out in the woods and just going off memory.

Furthering my comments above, and referencing another thread going on right now...

Loading slow powders in a short (18") barrel will give you velocity... and also some blast. It all depends on how much velocity you want out of your short barrel. This is one of the reasons why I 1) limit my bullet weight to 150grn or less, generally (although I am working with the 168's just to see the accuracy potential from my rifle: ) and 2) why I moved from IMR4895 to IMR3031, and am experimenting with other 'faster' powders. Simply put, I get better burn characteristics with faster extruded (IMR) powders in the short barrel. The caveat to that is TAC; although I am still experimenting with TAC, it has shown a LOT of promise in almost everything I've tried it in.

I stay largely away from ball powders like H335 and BL-C(2). Yes, they flow well through the powder measure, but boy howdy! they put out a fireball. I even worked up a substitute with H335 in my M1 Garand, and out of the longer Garand barrel it still gave me a baskeball sized fireball. H335 works great in the 5.56mm... and that's where I'll continue to use it, and I'll continue to ignore BL-C(2) on the shelf.

Last time I checked, 308 Winchester uses powders with a medium burn rate.

Fortunately Barnes puts out a load pamphlet that is downoadable. They even put an Astrid next to the best performance. TAC was one of them...

I have a Savage Hog Hunter That likes 45 grs. of IMR 4895 or 44.5 grs. of Varget with 150 grs. Hornady Interlocks and 150 gr. Federal Power-Shoks. Can't help with 130 gr. bullets. These are the bullets I have a lot of so I plink with them and these loads shot very tight groups for me.

H322 is a great powder.

H4895, VV N135, RL15, Varget, VV N140

My go to 308 powders are H4895 and 8208XBR.

Nature Boy said:

H4895, VV N135, RL15, Varget, VV N140

Click to expand...

Ran my first test with n135 today like it just fine...