I’ve been tinkering with this combo for a while and haven’t had much luck in my 308 rifle. This powder has been my go to for accurate 308 loads with Sierra 175 SMKs and 180 grain SST bullets, as well as 75 grain loads in 223. Anyone tried it with Amax bullets with good success? I had some pressure issues as well so I’m stepping down in half grain increments. My supply of IMR 4064 is limited so I may cut bait and save it for loads I know work better.
IMR 4064 and 168 Grain Amax
- Thread starter DMW1116
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Blue68f100
Member
Some bullets like a long jump to lands. May run a test for OAL and find what it likes, then tune for the charge. Most all SMK's I've used like around 0.030" jump.
bigpower491
Member
It was a favorite powder of mine in a DPMS AR platform. Cannot remember the load off hand, but I know I never ran it close to max. And I used the service rifle data out of Hornadys 10th.
I'd rate it and Varget as top notch for it, but give the edge to Varget because it went thru the uniflow a bit better
I'd rate it and Varget as top notch for it, but give the edge to Varget because it went thru the uniflow a bit better
That’s where I am. I started with Hodgdens service rifle data and had pressure signs less than halfway through the charge range. I’m using Hornadys data now. I tried some today but the best group wasn’t something I’m willing to pay match bullet prices to replicate.
JFrank
Member
A max bullets shoot very well close to the lands.
Hornady shows 2.8” as COAL. I think I can stretch them to 2.810 and still fit in the magazine. I did a COAL test a bit ago but with a different powder and couldn’t see a difference from 2.797 up to 2.806. I have an unopened box of 100 and about 50 from this box. I have 1 other powder I can try, H335.
Full info:
168 gr Amax COAL 2.800-2.805” Winchester brass, CCI #34 primers
Best load so far was 1.2” @ 100 yards with 42 grains of IMR 4064. The best group from today might be close but I have to measure. 42.5 grains was definitely over pressure, with ejector hole impressions and bent case rims. The best today was 40.3, dropping in 0.4 grain steps.
Full info:
168 gr Amax COAL 2.800-2.805” Winchester brass, CCI #34 primers
Best load so far was 1.2” @ 100 yards with 42 grains of IMR 4064. The best group from today might be close but I have to measure. 42.5 grains was definitely over pressure, with ejector hole impressions and bent case rims. The best today was 40.3, dropping in 0.4 grain steps.
bigpower491
Member
You may want to consider changing powders. I always got real good accuracy, well, as good as one might expect , with them seated to listed OAL running in a heavy barreled DPMS. The load was a bit over 40gr, and like I said, they shot quite well for me. I never expected the under 1/2" groups I could pull out of a good bolt gun in that rifle, but it would do under MOA consistent
Charlie98
Member
Funny... my .308 Savage loves IMR4064 and 168's. I have a box of A-max bullets, but I haven't gotten into them yet... only SMK's and NCC's.
If you are getting pressure signs using service rifle data... something is going on, Hodgdon's (or Hornady's...) service rifle data is not exceptionally hot.
If you are getting pressure signs using service rifle data... something is going on, Hodgdon's (or Hornady's...) service rifle data is not exceptionally hot.
bigpower491
Member
41.6 is the max in the 11th edition of Hrnadys manual.
Hate to say it but I think you're a candidate for Varget.
My good mate had the same DPMS rifle I did. His did not care so much for my loads, which I looked in my notebook this evening and I was running 40.3 at 2450fps. That was with a heavy 24" barrel
My best groups ran a touch under 3/4, which for the platform, I'd say was pretty good
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Well if my Hornady app would work I could look these things up. It’s been giving errors since yesterday. At least for these bullets I’ll be following Hornadys load data and I’ve been trying to see if they have data for these with H335 since I have a fair bit with no dedicated loads.
bigpower491
Member
They have nothing for 335 listed. I personally have never seen data for 335 in 308, never really looked for it tho.
168gr, IMO, is probably the best all around weight for 308. IMR 4064 always worked great for me, as did Vatget.
I'm actually going to be working on a bolt gun for a mate here soon. Varget is my powder of choice for that. When I couldn't get a 308 to shoot with 4064, I always grabbed the Varget.
Rifles are funny.......you can have 2 of the same thing together and neither will shoot the others pet load worth a hill of bean.
Nature Boy
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H4895 and VVN135 netted some accurate loads for me with the 168 AMAX. I could never find the same with IMR 4064
JFrank
Member
I find imr 4064 a decent powder for my 308 win, maybe a bit easier recoil or not quite as sharp as Varget or H4895 but and interesting enough I used about the same charge rate under a 165 class bthp (43.6 in a Savage while 44.2 did the job in a tikka) no pressure and good accuracy.
Go figure.
Go figure.
I’ll dig around a little and see what I can find on H335. I have exactly 50 bullets left from the current box. I panic bought some H335 for loading 223 but decided to use TAC instead. Hodgdens load data shows some decent velocity and low pressures from H335 and 168 grain SMK. The SMK is different from the Amax but its a starting point at 39 grains.
I measured groups from the IMR 4064 tests today and the best group was 1.5” at 100 yards.
I measured groups from the IMR 4064 tests today and the best group was 1.5” at 100 yards.
I had to delete and reinstall the Hornady app the other day for the same reason. Works as it should now.
I was at 44.0 in a Savage bolt action. I was running Winchester brass and S&B primers. My overall length was the same as yours.
I've found that just because I want to use a powder doesn't mean the gun will.
8208xbr might be another option besides the ones you listed.
Charlie98
Member
In my experience, IMR4895 didn't work as well with 168's as IMR4064... in fact, my Savage fairly hated it. YMMV, of course. Given the choice, I would probably pick H4895 over IMR, the one can I had gave me significant velocity advantages over the IMR flavor, for some reason.
I would not pick H335 for .308, let alone the heavies. H335 is a great 5.56mm powder (it's what I use...) and I have built loads with it for 150's in the .308, but it's flashy and blasty there, and not that consistent. It also requires a Magnum primer because it's a ball powder.
bigpower491
Member
Here's the powders Hornady lists in service rifle data
VV 135, 140, and 150
IMR 4064, 4895
Accurate 2520, 2495
Alliant RL15
Hodgdon 4895, Varget
Winchester 748.
There's a few others out there not listed that would probably work, like BLC-2(which was the 7.62x51 military powder)
Like said above.... sometimes rifles just don't like what you want to use.
Good Luck
VV 135, 140, and 150
IMR 4064, 4895
Accurate 2520, 2495
Alliant RL15
Hodgdon 4895, Varget
Winchester 748.
There's a few others out there not listed that would probably work, like BLC-2(which was the 7.62x51 military powder)
Like said above.... sometimes rifles just don't like what you want to use.
Good Luck
My LR308 shot very well with IMR4064 and 168 amax's at 2.800. IIRC it was somewhere around the top of Hornady's service rifle data. I do remember being slightly confused about hitting pressure signs a bit earlier than I did with 4064 and 168 smks.
I do have a load with H335 using a 52 grain Barnes Match Burner. I also use it for FMJ loads but I’m out of both.
I’ll keep an eye out for H4895. I’m being quite picky for the Amax bullets. They shoot pretty well but just not enough to buy more if I can’t tighten them up. My rifle actually shoots the Winchester M80 7.62x51 really well. Maybe I should look for some 150 grain bullets and some BL-(C)2.
I’ll keep an eye out for H4895. I’m being quite picky for the Amax bullets. They shoot pretty well but just not enough to buy more if I can’t tighten them up. My rifle actually shoots the Winchester M80 7.62x51 really well. Maybe I should look for some 150 grain bullets and some BL-(C)2.
I have some TAC left on hand. Perhaps that would work better. Ramshot has Amax specific load data and as long as I stay on the lower end it should work.
There appears to be something about the Amax that pushes pressures up. The Lyman manual has data for a 175 grain match king and a 178 grain Amax. For IMR 4064 the pressures are considerably higher.
There appears to be something about the Amax that pushes pressures up. The Lyman manual has data for a 175 grain match king and a 178 grain Amax. For IMR 4064 the pressures are considerably higher.
AJC1
Member
I would be looking for AR comp or tac if you want to try something different to get good results.
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