H380 for .308 Win?

[rtaylor71]

I just ordered a Remington 700 SPS AAC-SD and she arrives Monday. I'll be trying some 168 gr match Hornadys and some 165 gr Sierras to start off. I'm a little low on Varget powder but I have a new jug of H380. I would really appreciate some input from someone with experience with this rifle and powder. Any advice for an amateur reloader (and rifle shooter)?

Thanks!

 

[Wil Terry]

ARE YOU SAYING you have no loading manuals whatsoever ??

 

[Arkansas Paul]

ARE YOU SAYING you have no loading manuals whatsoever ??

I didn't see where he said that at all. He merely asked for our opinion on H380 powder.

I love it. It is the easiest metering powder I've ever used. Set the powder measure and load. I've loaded hundreds of rounds with it without having to touch the measure. I check every 8-10 rounds but its a moot point with H380.

Its accurate too. It's my favorite powder for .243 Win. I've had excellent results with it in the .308 Win as well.

I even loaded quite a few rounds for .30-06 with it. I was at the range and a guy asked what my load was. I told him it was a 165 grain Hornady SST and H380. He said, "Isn't H380 a little fast for that load?" I shrugged and shot a 3/4" group. He didn't say anything else about my load. Now don't get me wrong, it may not have gotten me the max velocity or anything like that, but that doesn't concern me in the slightest. I found a super accurate load with a powder that is VERY easy to use. I put a few through a friends chronograph and they're clicking along at about 2750 fps and let me just tell you, they do a number on deer. Bang flop most of the time.

Bottom line, great powder.

 

[rtaylor71]

I have a library of reloading manuals and a very fast internet connection to supplement. What I'm looking for is information as to whether or not this particular rifle likes the powder/bullet combination - from someone who has tried it.

Thanks for your reply, sir.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Now, whether or not it works for your particular rifle isn't going to have anything to do with whether or not it worked for someone else in their rifle. Even if they came off the line back to back, there can be enough variance for one to prefer a different load than the next.

However, I doubt seriously you'll have an issue with H380. Most of the rifles that I have loaded for weren't that picky. I can usually make an accurate load with the components on hand with minimal trouble. Of course there's no guarantee. I've ran into one that I couldn't get to shoot for anything.

 

[rtaylor71]

Thanks for your reply, Paul. It sure does meter well! I loaded some this morning for my .22-250 and measured every round, but there was no reason to. If it shoots half as well as it throws in my dandy, I'll be one happy shooter!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Funny you mention it with the .22-250. That's where it got its name.
The story goes that Bruce Hodgdon used it in the .22-250 along with 52 grain bullets and it shot so well with 38.0 grains that he named it that. Don't know how true that is, but even the Hodgdon site says it.

 

[rtaylor71]

That's interesting - I wouldn't have any trouble believing that! My Savage Predator 10 is one of my favorite rifles. It's so much more accurate than I am, it's not even funny. I loaded three different 55 gr bullets today to try tomorrow at the range. I'm looking forward to the results!

 

[NCsmitty]

Strange that Hodgdon doesn't show any loads for H380 in the 308 on their website, yet they do for the even slower burning W760/H414.
I do know that www.reloadersnest.com had a few loads for H380 in the 308 Win.

NCsmitty

 

[Jim Watson]

Problem is, nobody has any experience with THAT PARTICULAR RIFLE. Make and model do not carry over reliably.
Speer, Nosler, and Sierra have data; Lyman up through 165 gr but not 168 or above.
Pick a number.
I have always had good results, maybe not the best, but good, with the middle load when Speer showed three. Now they only give two, but 95% of maximum is what the mid load was.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Strange that Hodgdon doesn't show any loads for H380 in the 308 on their website

I found that to be peculiar as well.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Strange that Hodgdon doesn't show any loads for H380 in the 308 on their website, yet they do for the even slower burning W760/H414.
I do know that www.reloadersnest.com had a few loads for H380 in the 308 Win.

NCsmitty

Hodgdon lists H380 between the faster 4895, Varget and IMR4064 and the slower H414 and W760 so burn rate wise it should be fine since all those powders are used in the .308. The problem with some powders, even though the burn rate is correct the characteristics of the powder sometimes don't match the cartridge you want to load. The results sometimes just don't work out well. Funny thing is, while Hodgdon supplies no data at all for H380 in the .308 they do supply data for the 30-06 with bullet that weigh 150gr and above. (and it generates good velocity too)

I AM NOT saying H380 is or isn't good for the .308, I'm only suggesting why there might not be any load data floating around for that combination. My fear is, when a powder manufacturer supplies no data at all for a powder in a certain cartridge there is usually a very good reason. For that reason alone I would not use it, especially since they do supply data for the 30-06 which is very similar.

 

[rtaylor71]

I'm going to sight the rifle in by this weekend, and I'll post some results then. Thanks to everyone for the comments!

 

[rtaylor71]

Well, we got a good ice storm here in West Texas, so I failed to make it to the range this weekend. However, I did make it after work Wednesday. I didn't get to try all the loads I made up, but I did get on paper at 100 yards. I shot a sub 1" group with some Hornady 168 gr match with 45 grains of H380, Federal brass. Beginner's luck? Perhaps.

I'll do some more extensive experimentation and keep y'all posted.

 

[Poper]

Hodgdon #26 shows H-380 load data for the .308 with all bullet weights from 100 grains through 250 grains. I know that is going back a bit (1992), but it does make one wonder.

Poper

 

[Drue]

I bought a Rem 700 Varmint to shoot silhouette in 1980. Between then and 2007 I fired approximately 9800 rounds with it. Almost all of them were the Sierra 168gr MK over 45gr of H380. By 2007, the groups were opening up and I could not chase the lands anymore. I rebarrelled it to .260. The 168/45gr H380 worked very well for me. It was accurate and effective on the targets (when I managed to hit them. . .). It was obviously easy on the barrel. H380 flows smoothly and the powder measure throws very consistent charges with it. Being slower than 4895, 748 and Varget, some autos may not like it. My M1A did not. In the 700, it was great.

Drue

 

[rtaylor71]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Drue. I have some Sierra 168 gr MK's with 45 gr H380 already loaded; I'll be trying them pretty soon. I probably won't even come close to 9800 rounds though!

 

[conrad427]

I was surprised to find NO data for that bullet and 380 in my new Hornady book. I do not own a .308 but from what I have read the cartridge is a very forgiving one and not very picky about components.

As for your first attempt, I would say you don't have much more experimentation left to do! Sounds like a good recipe. Might try a few things like seating depth and primer change but be sure to write everything down. I have gotten myself in the weeds making slight changes and ended up with a load that wouldn't shoot for beans, and then could not remember what worked in the first place!

As far as 380 metering well, yes they are like little ball bearings from heaven!

 

[MI2600]

I just reloaded 150 gr SP, using 47 gr of H380 for my son-in-law. According to my old Lyman manual, that was the "accuracy load".

 

[scottishkat]

My Sierra #4 has data for H380 and 165 SBT 41.5 -48.7
for 168 SMK 42.5 - 48.2.

Speer has 45 - 49
Barnes has 45 - 49

Hogdon doesn't list it for a reason I am sure they tried it.

Good Luck and shoot straight

 

[Buzsaw]

I bought an 8 lb jug a few yrs ago because I usede it in my 22-250, and stumbled on a sub moa load in 30-06, but discovered that h380 seems a bit temperature sensitive (n my experience).

 

[inkedcook]

I found H380 about 6 months ago, when my usual powder was unavailable.
It's clean, and works just fine. I Load 43.3gr behind the 168gr Sierra Matchking. Sub MOA @ 100yd results and around 4480FPS @ muzzle.

I shoot mine out of a Rem 700 SPS, and a DPMS LR-308 with a 24".
Separate but equal platforms.

 

[Poper]

inkedcook,

Are you kidding? 4480 f.p.s. out of a .308 Win. with a 168 gr. bullet? Is this a typo that should read 2480 f.p.s.?

Poper

 

[45lcshooter]

Ive used H380 in my 22-250, 308, 223, 30-30. Its one of the most powders I use. If you meter, it meters very well. You and your firearm have to like the powder you are using.

 

[hotajax]

I just ordered a Remington 700 SPS AAC-SD and she arrives Monday. I'll be trying some 168 gr match Hornadys and some 165 gr Sierras to start off. I'm a little low on Varget powder but I have a new jug of H380. I would really appreciate some input from someone with experience with this rifle and powder. Any advice for an amateur reloader (and rifle shooter)?

Thanks!

This is a great powder for .308 Win. I used H380, 47 grains, with a 150 grain Hornady flat base spire point, and Remington cheapo primers. Here comes the "no kidding" part. With a lever action Savage Model 99, I shot sub-minute groups of 5 off a bench. The recipe came from an old Lyman manual.