best load for 308

[Guest zen]

Working on loads for 308. I have 1 in 12 twist. The palma 155 and v-max 155/168 and berger 168 seem to be very good in the F/TR Savage. Have any other worked up loads for other bullets in the 308.

[Alleycat72]

46 gr of H380 and a 168 SMK

[Guest FroggyOne2]

The SIE 168 MK is the wrong bullet to be shooting beyond 600 yards.. it was designed to be a 300 meter bullet.. The berger is a better design.. but I would still stay away from 168's.. Having said that, since you have mentioned the 155's.. Which 155 palma bullet are you speaking of? SIE 155 Palma (2155), SIE 155.5 Palma (2156), Berger 155 VLD, Berger 155.5 Fullbore, Nosler 155 Custom Competiton (Which is the same bullet as the SIE 155 Palma (2155) in a J4 Jacket), Lapua 156?

With the 155 series of bullets, I would reconmend 46.0, 46.5 or 47.0 grains of Varget, with either Winchester or Lapua brass. There are two types of Lapua .308 brass.. standard .308 that uses the Large Rifle primer and then there is the new Palma brass which uses a Small Rifle primer..

I am going to presume that you have a 26" bbl. And since it is a 12 twist.. I would reconmend the Berger 185BT, work your way up slowly starting at 42grs of Reloader 15 to a max of 44grs to stay on the safe side.. my last years Palma rifle, I was using a 32 inch Broughton 12 twist Medium Palma bbl and 44.6 grains of RL15 with the Berger 185BT, It was a warm load. Or work it up with Varget, max 45grs. Either way, start low and watch for pressure.. Your looking for the accuracy load.. not the speed load.

Do a Ladder Test. Which is loading one round starting at the bottom of your test spectrum and loading in sequence each next one .3 grains of powder to your expected max.. Shoot them off the bench and look for a "node" which is where a 2-3 rounds will group together.. then go back and start at the first one of the node and load up 3 rounds of each between the new test spectrum to the top of the node in .1 incriments. One of those loads should group all together!

[Guest zen]

Thanks for the info Froggyone2. Shooting the 155 Sierra Palma Match #2156 out of a 30 inch barrel with 45 and 45.5 of Varget, set .020 from lands. I have tried some moly bullets also. Will do the ladder test with Varget, RL15 and possibly BL-C2. I have a few hundred large primer Lapua brass fire formed for this rifle to work with. I will look at the 185BT Berger bullet.

Edited July 14, 2010 by zen

[Guest bigguy233]

Try 48gr of IMR 4007 with your 155 sierra and work from there until you see what your Rifle likes. Seat .015 to .020 off. My savage FP 10 shoots a 5 shot ragged hole at 100 yds and a 5 shot slightly larger ragged hole at 200 yds. Shot of a harris Bi pod.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Bigguy.. it may work in yours.. don't mean that it will in his!

[broylz]

i shoot 168gr hpbt hornady bulets out of my r700 with 42.5gr of RL15 at 2.82" oal

[roverboy]

I've never loaded anything heavier than 150's, but I've got good accuracy from Hornady Spirepoints. My favorite .308 load is the Hornady 150 with 47.5 gr. 748 and a CCI 200. A Federal 210 match primer is a little better.

[Guest bigguy233]

You are so right Froggy all rifles will like a different load, however these loads shot very well in 2 of my neighbors rifles also both savages. So Zen you will need to see what you rifle likes but it is a place to start. In fact give me a call at 615 440 8971 and i will send you some to try if you can measure your chamber even better. Ron

[Guest ajf700]

43.5gr IMR 4895, Hornady 168 A-Max.

[Guest zen]

Finally got some 185 bergers loaded up and at 200 yards the 43 and 43.5 grains of RL 15 are the best groups, seems like the same groups. I shot the best group of the day at 200 yards with the amax 168 and 45 grains of varget .020 from the lands. I am using a 30 inch barrel.

The Bergers will be better at longer distance I am sure since I shoot Berger VLDs out of a 223 . Thanks for all the input and help. I will keep working on the loads.