.308 with 220gr softs

[Katvis Bosvark]

Anyone have tested 308 win loaded with 220gr softs.I also have large quantity of 220gr softs ,purchased a long time ago and would like to use these. Please send load data.

I live in the lowveld in South africa, regularly hunt in thick bushveld, normally with my .375 HH ,the heavy bullets dont deflect easily when clipping a branch . I want to load heavier bullets in my .308 for the same purpose in a lighter rifle. The heavier softs at low velocity also creates minimal meat damage.

None of the powder manufacturers seem to have load data for a 220gr

 

[AJC1]

The heavy 30 caliber bullets are really for 30,-06. You may find some cast data to work up from.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I just went through all my old and new manuals and the only thing I could find for 220 gr bullets in 30 cal was 300 H&H.
I don't know what your .308 is rifled at but 220gr spire points are probably to long to stabilize in most .308 cal rifles with a 1-12 rifling unless your bullets are round nosed bullets which are shorter than the spire point. If your's is 1-10 you may be in luck finding an accurate load with the spire points also.

But people are experimenting with them.

Explore these links, expecially the last one. Velocities are not given on Steve's pages but there are a lot of loads with different powders.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/220-gr-for-308win-any-ideas.613374/
Here is a link where one of our members experimented with 220gr bullets on Post 20 and his listed his load data, but I didn't see what rifling he had in his barrel.
https://www.shootersforum.com/threads/220-grain-round-nose-in-308-win.83438/page-2
Here is another one.
https://www.okshooters.com/threads/need-reloading-data-for-220-grain-308.204643/
and this one,
http://stevespages.com/308_13_220.html

Good luck

 

[Nature Boy]

We used to have a fella here named Andrew who was from Johannesburg. Nice guy and very helpful to me in my reloading development. Haven’t seen him in a while.

Paging @Andrew Leigh

 

[Grumulkin]

Anyone have tested 308 win loaded with 220gr softs.I also have large quantity of 220gr softs ,purchased a long time ago and would like to use these. Please send load data.

I live in the lowveld in South africa, regularly hunt in thick bushveld, normally with my .375 HH ,the heavy bullets dont deflect easily when clipping a branch . I want to load heavier bullets in my .308 for the same purpose in a lighter rifle. The heavier softs at low velocity also creates minimal meat damage.

None of the powder manufacturers seem to have load data for a 220gr

I loaded 220 grain round nose bullets in a 308 Winchester several decades ago and they shot fine. I don't have that data any longer but the Berger manual has loads for 210 grain match bullets and for 230 grain match bullets. As long as you know how to read pressure signs you should be able to extrapolate and work up a load. For example, the starting load with H4895 and the 210 grain bullet is 34.0 grains. The starting load with the 230 grain bullets and H4895 is 32.0 grains. For a 220 grain bullet I would start with 32.0 or 33.0 grains.

Keep in mind, if your 220 grain softs are round nose, that bullet will have a longer bearing surface than a match bullet so the maximum load will probably be less with your 220 grain bullets if they're round nose. If they're spitzers there shouldn't be much difference in data.

There are, of course, many more choices of powder. If you have a specific powder in mind I can see if it's on the list or if you PM me your address, I'll copy the pages and mail them to you.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I haven't seen Andrew Leigh around for quite a while. Hope nothing bad happened to him.

Katvis, I hope you find what your looking for and join us again sometime.

 

[Archie]

I have some load information regarding a 220 grain bullet in the .308 Winchester. All deriving from the information in the Hodgdon loading manual #26, before they switched to the 'magazine' format. (Dated in the title page 1992.) There is information, as was the custom, for most all levels of suitable powders then available. The highest pressure reading I notice is around 51,000 and some change PSI.
I have fired some of these loads in a Ruger M77 International (18.5 inch barrel) without events of note; save more recoil than lighter bullets. No cases sticking in chambers or significant primer deformation.
I note there is not information for 220 grain bullet in the new format offerings. (I have the 2017 and 2020 editions.)
I have no real information as to why this bullet was dropped for consideration in that interim. Perhaps 'no one does that'. Recoil is more intense than 150 grain loads, of course, but isn't nearly abusive or painful.

As AJC1 mentions, the 220 grain bullets do go faster in the .30-06 Springfield, but the 220s are in the 2200-2300 fps range in the .308 Winchester. Within the range the late Elmer Keith thought adequate.

Please send me a PM request and I will supply selected bits per your specifications or the whole section, as you wish. I am reluctant to do so in the forum.

The accepted information is no bullet weight is immune to deflection by vegetation. Yes, the bigger and heavier bullets are influenced less, but nothing has complete immunity. Of course, the size of the branch has greater or lesser influence. But a 220 grain bullet from a .308 Winchester has to be less unsettling than most any load from any dangerous game rifle.