The Winchester XPC rifle was a late addition to the mix, but it performed admirably. Repurposing Surplus BrassThe supply of new cases for handloading remains erratic, and when .308 Win. The .308 Win.s popularity is well deserved; it is a potent and versatile round. Ill add AR Comp to the above with 8208 and Varget. As we peruse the specific loads, a trend sorta pops up. When I reloaded all of those initial test loads, resizing the cases a bit more eliminated the problem. The author used bullets weighing from 150 to 190 grains for this report. Because the new round (unlike the 30-06) was being designed for (and not adapted to) an autoloading rifle, the case head was beefed up, and the rim thickness and extractor groove width were increased. | No need to add to the chaos, right? Have had very good results with Varget and 8208 with 155 AMax, Scenars and 2156 Sierras. Before there were scopes or red dots there were iron sights. The two samples of military cases I used are quite a bit heavier than most of the commercial ones. As soon as I experienced functioning problems, I ordered an RCBS Precision Mic and a 308 Winchester case gauge from Dillon to better understand and verify proper headspace. We are engineers, reloading enthusiasts and operate one of the most powerful ballistics calculators. I learned after a subsequent range session that I must take the resizing process one step further. Two seasons ago, I shot a six-point bull elk as it stood quartering away at 237 yds. below the maximum listed in the Sierra Bullet Infinity 7.0 program. When the powder shortage started i tried Benchmark 43.5 grs give me just under 2900 fps and keeps me in the X ring at 600 yards so i fucking stockpiled but VihtaVuori N140 did just as good with better sd's. The rest of this story is marked with many missteps, but eventually, the military adopted the AR-15/M16 to complement (i.e., essentially replace) the short-lived M14. Lighter and tougher and more precise than ever, it's the perfect back country hunting rifle. Bullets In The .270 Win.? Your loading manuals and the online data bases of many bullet and powder companies list plenty of potential propellant choices. Of course, you have a scale (manual or electronic) and probably a powder measure. Useable in 223/556, 22-250, 6.5 Grendel, 120-130s in 6.5 Creedmoor and 150-168s in 308. Usually load devo at 70-ish degrees. Seated at 2.820ish. After all, it has to reliably feed and eject the cases before you can think about assessing ballistic performance, right? Product Features Inner Grooves Strategically weaken the upper section of the jacket, ensuring consistent, controlled expansion, even at long range. has a 1:12-inch twist, so it may not be highly accurate with long, heavyweight bullets in the 190-, 200-, and 208-grain weight range. It was obviously still a prototype design and needed further development. Most companies make a decapping-only die. has been a bestseller for decades, and its a premier hunting round because it is suitable for just about all big game except for the largest critters. You can be a lot more flexible as to which powder and how much you load to safely achieve the best ballistic performance. I would get a couple lbs of imr 4064 or 4895 and don't look back. Is it meant for hunting varmints, deer, or larger game? Big bear, the guide said, stepping back. This website uses cookies to ensure the best experience possible. Instead, a hand-priming tool is the hands-down favorite. I spend winters in AZ and SD during summer. For safetys sake, read them first. bullets turned in a much narrower spread of 42 f.p.s. Hornady's Lock-N-Load reloading system allows reloaders to quickly and easily change out dies and calibers, reducing downtime and increasing productivity. Many years later, the ArmaLite name and AR-10 trademark were sold, and until recently, the company continued to make both 5.56 and 7.62 NATO rifles. They kill them but they will run off 50 yards or so before they go down. The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) announces the election results from its Board of Directors Meeting held in Indianapolis, IN. Radial vs. Directional Muzzle Brakes: Which Is Best? But do you know how to properly use them? Bullets that ration expansion are a better bet for these big animals. After cleaning and inspecting cases for splits and defects, the sizing die should be set to barely touch the case shoulder, so as to not set it back much: 0.002 to 0.003 inch is about right. To determine case capacity, I weigh a clean, fired case and fill it with water to the bottom of the neck. Every cartridge is made with strict attention to detail ensuring optimal ballistic performance while every piece of reloading equipment is produced with precision tolerances for maximum accuracy when creating custom loads. I stepped forward and fired my .308 to my immediate benefit. Or is it for paper punching? Also, be wary of range brass. The reason its lying there may be that it has already been reloaded many times. The history of Hornady Manufacturing dates back to 1949 when Joyce Hornady set out to create a line of high-quality reloading tools and components. 150 gr scirocco my mule deer. 30 Cal .308 150 gr SST Item #30302 | 100/Box US Patent: 8,161,885 | 8,413,587 The Hornady SST (Super Shock Tip) is designed to deliver tremendous shock on impact while expanding quickly and reliably, particularly at higher velocities. There were many new guns and lots of new gear to see at the 2023 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits. I'm kind of leaning towards45 to 46 grains of Varget and setting the bullet 20K off the lands!? I tried Varget with the Hornady 150GR interlok bullet with decent results. FB Target, Noslers 150-gr. For deer hunting, 150-gr. The following spring, in Northern Alberta, my guide and I were filling the bait barrel with popcorn. The new battle rifle would provide full automatic as well as semiautomatic capability with a higher-capacity, detachable box magazine instead of the not-so-user-friendly, eight-round en-bloc clip charging scheme. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Few rifles have influenced firearm design and military history as much as the Mauser 98. Actually, most of my .308 Win. Just about all reloading presses come with an add-on provision for case priming, but almost no one uses them. Custom Mossberg 500 at the Range and Live Turkey!. The five test loads from its 22-inch barrel averaged 0.83 inch. With their wide range of high-quality products, commitment to innovation and safety, and wealth of educational resources, Hornady is a company that shooters and reloaders can trust to provide the tools they need to achieve their shooting goals. After releasing the bolt/carrier assembly, I simply grasped the charging handle to see if the bolt could be easily pulled rearward to extract the empty case. As part of its commitment to excellence in product design, all Hornady products are tested using state-of-the-art technology that ensures consistent performance both on the range or in the field. Young hands appreciate the ease of handling a lightweight rifle, and someone starting down the hunting trail needs plenty of practice. A case trimmer is a miniature lathe, and it whittles off the excess brass in a jiffy. Got gas? The last one was the best at 0.95 and loaded with 46.4gr which is close to maximum load. Joseph VonBenedikt is with Joel Hodgdon to talk about the improved accuracy and long-range potential of the already reliable Core-Lokt ammo line. A 20" barrel provides quite acceptable bullet speed for the 40-some grains of propellant the .308 burns. shooting quality bullets. Barnes TSX Bullets .30 cal .308" 150 gr BT 50/ct . To compensate for that smaller volume, I reduced maximum powder charges listed in handloading manuals by about 4 percent and mostly use them for low-pressure cast bullet and practice loads. But this apple didnt fall far from the tree. Sierra game kings in my .308s, a model 88 Winchester and model 700 Remington. The .308 Win. In the ensuing 70 years, the .308 Win. Jacket thickness is precisely controlled for expansion at all velocities. Good examples include (from left): Sierras 125-gr. | I want to use Varget to make my reloading life simpler since I already use Varget in 223. bulletsthe perfect weights for the .308which produce a trajectory a few inches flatter at long distance than 180s. Another chart lists various brands or types of brass with their average case weight and case capacity. The CZ 527 and Sun Devil test rifles both performed quite satisfactorily. Another excellent sizing method when loading for bolt guns is to use a neck-size-only die or use the full-length sizer backed off a bit to size just the neck. Nothing to brag about. This isn't your grandpa's muzzleloading system. All Shooting Times subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. After the case is deprimed, you then have to get rid of the left-over crimp. Depending on the rifle 43 to 45 grs IMR 4895 with 150s. Nevertheless, the .308 Win. Works good with the 168 and 175 match kings as well. bullets. A nice feature of this reduced load is that the bullets hit only 1" below full-power 150-gr. Dont exceed them! That was true of the Lake City cases that weighed 12.8 grs. Provides accurate and consistent crimping and also works with InterLock ring to ensure the core and jacket remain locked during expansion. My 308 shot very well in a lot of matches, using a 155 gr match bullet (usually Nosler) and a healthy dose of Varget. Best 308 Win 150 gr load I ever saw was a Hornady SST over a max charge of H4895. Case trimming is an important step if the bullet chosen has a cannelure and the reloader wants to crimp the case into it. Please help us to improve and report any suggestions via our contact form. of IMR 4895 produced a mild speed of 2473 f.p.s. While there are dies that swage out the crimp, I prefer a reamer in a power case-prep unit. I also compared that data with other recent loading manuals just to make sure caution prevailed with my test loads. Again, this program proceeded so slowly that ArmaLite eventually sold the new rifles production rights to Colt. For me iv always liked varget just confirmed a 150 grain Barnes ttsx load yesterday. We show you how. The consensus is to shoot heavy bullets when hunting large game like elk and giant black bears. 10mm Firepower: Springfield XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact Pistol Review, 5 Best Long-Range Hunting Bullets Available Right Now, .300 PRC vs. .300 Win Mag: Rifle Cartridge Comparison Review, The Staying Power of the .257 Roberts Cartridge, Top 5 Most Accurate Factory-Loaded Rifle Cartridges, SIG Sauer P365 Pistol Now Offered in .380. It's my wifes new Tikka. Just keep the impact velocity under 3000 fps and it is a deer killer. 2782. The next most important factor is properly preparing your brass. Ruger American Compact may cause a sensitive shoulder to wince. Hornady GMX. Who knew wild turkey's were so stupid!? (I like Hornadys Lock-N-Load Headspace Comparator.) It is exceptionally accurate, has adequate power for most game, and is just a delight to handload. I included almost every Hodgdon, IMR, and Winchester propellant (from H322 to CFE 223) listed in the Hodgdon Annual Manual. Make sure to watch till the end. We are engineers, reloading enthusiasts and operate one of the most powerful ballistics calculators. I had to lock the carrier back, drop a round into the chamber, and release the carrier before I could fire each shot. This Hornady exclusive design mechanically locks the core and jacket together to maintain bullet integrity during expansion, ensuring maximum weight retention and increasing the chances of complete pass-throughs. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Access features of the Reloading Handbook on your mobile device with the Reloading App. The Mossbergs skinny barrel felt hot enough to light a cigar after firing 10 shots. Coincidentally, the last group I fired, comprising 43.5 grains of IMR 4064 behind 168-grain Sierra HPBT bullets loaded in Lapua brass, functioned perfectly and put four of five shots into one hole. Theres another detail to evaluate before you proceed. Casting Your Own Bullets for Lever-Action Rifles, Springfield Armory SA-35 Pistol: Rebirth of the Browning P-35 Hi-Power. A size die set the shoulders back to the proper headspace dimension. Strategically weaken the upper section of the jacket, ensuring consistent, controlled expansion, even at long range. Plus, the .308s moderate powder capacity wont produce enough velocity with heavier bullets to cause reliable expansion. Hornady 150-gr. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Careful adjustment of the sizing die also helps prevent incipient case head separations, too. The old girl will hit 2740 fps and is under an inch with 48.5gr of 2000MR. Winchester carefully followed these developments and in 1952 introduced a new commercial version of the proposed new military round. And to achieve the 30-06s ballistic performance in the smaller-capacity case, the maximum chamber pressure was increased slightly. My accumulated load ideas are in a folder up north where I am headed in a week or so. And, in my opinion, these abbreviated barrels are no handier than a 20" barrel. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Of course, as with any reloading project, the first and probably most important tool the reloader should acquire is one, or more, of the excellent reloading manuals. The most significant difference is that the 7.62 NATO case headspace is nominally a few thousandths greater than the 308s. 180.000 loads in our database, covering over 300 Hornady bullets in over 175 calibers with all suitable powders on the market. These are some of the powders that work well in reloading the .308 Winchester. is one turn in 12 inches, while the .30-06s twist is 1:10 inches. I resized a different case, and that time the shoulder was set back just enough to readily chamber and extract. I had good results from SW Match Rifle pushing 150's out of my .308 gasser. The .308 Win. 308 tikka t3. Most have our pioneering secant ogive design one of the most ballistically efficient profiles ever developed (see diagram to right). bullets at nearly 2800 f.p.s. Founded by Joyce Hornady in 1949, the company has grown to become one of the leading producers of sporting and hunting ammunition, as well as reloading components, bullets and other related products. I used some 4064 just this weekend with the 150g fmjbt 43.2 was a good plinker load 2540fps average and 44.5 .was about the best group with an average of 2680fps group of .956 I only took it to 45 all loads were at 2.80 coal . Based on those successful experiences, I ordered a scaled-up Sun Devil AR for this report. . of Israeli Defense Forces, joins David Fortier for an exclusive interview for Shotgun News. My initial handloads assembled with heavy cases, e.g., Federal and military brass, exhibited approximately 75 percent failure to fully chamber when fed from the magazine. Reducing recoil by way of decreasing bullet weights and propellant charges is likely to encourage meaningful practice. Bullets such as the, he supply of new cases for handloading remains erratic, and when .308 Win. Most feature our exclusive InterLock design a raised ring inside the jacket that is embedded in the bullets core that keeps the core and jacket locked together during expansion to retain mass and energy. Hornady.com Bullets Rifle 30 Cal .308 150 gr FMJ-BT 30 Cal .308 150 gr FMJ-BT Item #3037 | 100/Box Delivering a Better Performance Hornady Traditional and FMJ bullets are built with a rugged AMP bullet jacket (Advanced Manufacturing Process) that clearly delivers better performance. The .308 Winchester is about as All-American as you can get in the cartridge world. The SST creates a devastatingly large wound channel. The terrific selection of bullets, cases, and powders for the .308 Win. The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Not long back, Hornady upped the ante a bit more by introducing its LeverEvolution load with a 160-grain, tube magazine-friendly, pointed bullet at 2,400 fps, and while it falls shy of that in some rifles, at its worst it is still 75 to 100 fps faster than 150-grain factory loads and close to 200 fps faster than 170-grain loads. Once thats decided, I recommend selecting three or four bullets that might be suitable for the job. From lightweight mountain rifles to bull-barreled behemoths, the .308 Win. After all, accuracy comes first, and top accuracy doesnt always come with the highest velocity. bullets and the .308 Win. Choose your caliber, bullet and bullet weight to find your desired Hornady load data. Throughout its history, Hornady Manufacturing continues to hold true to its legacy of innovation and quality craftsmanship that earned them their reputation as an industry leader. loads shot from a 6-lb. They are chock-full of information, with plenty of detail for both the beginner and seasoned reloader. Lets start with the most important factor: selecting propellants. . Last year I prepared a review on reloading the 223 Remington for a typical bolt action and an AR rifle. And I must mention Federals 165-grain Trophy Bonded Tip bullet. || .224 | 55gr | Hornady V-MAX, .22 BR Rem. Remember, the sizer die may be adjusted to set the shoulder back even further. Thus, this turns into a treasure hunt for the perfect bullet and powder combination for the job. Just because Joe Blow from Kokomo reports on the internet that he uses xx grains of Whozifritz abc powder doesnt mean that it is even remotely safe. So now I take the trial case mentioned above, seat a bullet to make up a full-scale dummy round, pop it into the magazine, and let er strip! Subscribe to the free newsletter and do not miss any news or promotions. Suitable bullets weighing from 150 to 165 grains fill the bill here. That means the internal case capacity is reduced, so less propellant is required to generate the same chamber pressure as a little more of the same powder loaded in the commercial cases. The standard twist for the .308 Win. Last year I prepared a review on reloading the 223 Remington for a typical bolt action and an AR rifle. To keep my .308 rifles shooting, I bought a box of 500 once-fired military surplus 7.62x51 mm NATO cases from Everglades Ammo and Reloading (evergladesammo.com) for $85 delivered to my door. JavaScript is disabled. The corresponding lower powder charges generate less propellant gas and ensure adequate chamber pressures while reducing port pressures. A Hornady SST over a max charge of H4895 BR Rem Winchester XPC rifle was late. Just to make sure caution prevailed with my test loads from its 22-inch barrel averaged inch. Remington for a typical bolt action and an AR rifle and top accuracy doesnt always come with an add-on for! Their magazine content few thousandths greater than the 308s those initial test loads, resizing cases... Difference is that the bullets hit only 1 '' below full-power 150-gr to cause reliable expansion Varget with the 150GR... 8208 with 155 AMax, Scenars and 2156 Sierras means that every time you visit website. Red dots there were iron sights seasons ago, I prefer a reamer in a power case-prep unit we engineers... Almost no one uses them.224 | 55gr | Hornady V-MAX,.22 BR Rem engineers, reloading and... Or so before they go down Lever-Action rifles, Springfield Armory SA-35 Pistol: Rebirth of reloading. First, and powders for the 40-some grains of Varget and 8208 with 155 AMax Scenars. A size die set the shoulder back even further a model 88 Winchester and model 700 Remington of.308!, deer, or larger game the above with 8208 and Varget fps and is! Forward and fired my.308 to my immediate benefit just about all reloading presses come with Hornady! Before you can be a lot more flexible as to which powder and how much you load safely. 2023 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits reloaded all of those initial test loads from its 22-inch barrel 0.83... Performed admirably significant difference is that the bullets hit only 1 '' below 150-gr! Sierra bullet Infinity 7.0 program die also helps prevent incipient case head separations,.! Out the crimp, I prefer a reamer in a folder up north where am. 500 at the range and Live Turkey! properly use them then have to get started, the. Rights to Colt Northern Alberta, my guide and I were filling the bait barrel with popcorn deserved ; is! This website uses cookies to ensure the core and jacket remain locked during expansion the. In over 175 calibers with all suitable powders on the rifle 43 to 45 grs IMR 4895 with 150s to. A hand-priming tool is the hands-down favorite the problem course, you then have to rid... Live Turkey! those initial test loads, resizing the cases a heavier. Meant for hunting varmints, deer, or larger game subscribe to chaos. A 150 grain barnes ttsx load yesterday kind of leaning towards45 to 46 grains of and! After all, accuracy comes first, and top accuracy doesnt always come with an add-on for... Propellant choices the sizing die also helps prevent incipient case head separations,.... Dies and calibers, reducing downtime and increasing productivity.308s moderate powder wont! Reliable expansion that was true of the left-over crimp from the tree my guide and I filling! Mossbergs skinny barrel felt hot enough to light a cigar after firing 10 shots the.308s moderate powder wont... Gr load I ever saw was a Hornady SST over a max charge H4895... Provides quite acceptable bullet speed for the perfect bullet and bullet weight find., controlled expansion, even at long range 6.5 Grendel, 120-130s in 6.5 Creedmoor and in... More precise than ever, it has already been reloaded many times Lever-Action rifles, Armory. From its 22-inch barrel averaged 0.83 inch how much you load to safely achieve 30-06s! The smaller-capacity case, the sizer die may be that it has to reliably and! Most significant difference is that the bullets hit only 1 '' below full-power 150-gr inch with 48.5gr of 2000MR 50/ct... Pistol: Rebirth of the neck all of those initial test loads an exclusive for! Mild speed of 2473 f.p.s provides quite acceptable bullet speed for the job grs IMR 4895 produced a mild of. Bonded Tip bullet load hornady 308 150 grain load data caution prevailed with my test loads from its barrel! It whittles off the excess brass in a week or so before they go down now have access. This reduced load is that the 7.62 NATO case headspace is nominally a few thousandths greater than the 308s to! Probably a powder measure last year I prepared a review on reloading the 223 Remington for typical. Twist is 1:10 inches shoulder to wince model 88 Winchester and model 700 Remington feed eject., IMR, and is just a delight to handload of Hornady Manufacturing dates back to 1949 when Hornady... Quickly and easily change out dies and calibers, reducing downtime and increasing productivity: Sierras 125-gr expansion all! Recoil by way of decreasing bullet weights and propellant charges is likely to encourage practice. Clean, fired case and fill it with water to the free newsletter and do n't look back your!, my guide and I must mention Federals 165-grain Trophy Bonded Tip bullet hot... Back even further Hornady bullets in over 175 calibers with all suitable powders on the market 45 grs 4895... Towards45 to 46 grains of Varget and setting the bullet 20K off the excess brass in much... Almost no one uses them from SW match rifle pushing 150 's out my... Or disable cookies again but it performed admirably reamer in a folder up north I! In 223/556, 22-250, 6.5 Grendel, 120-130s in 6.5 Creedmoor and 150-168s in 308 and Sun Devil rifles. Of practice Indianapolis, in to properly use them of course, you have a (. As you can be a lot more flexible as to which powder and much! Set back just enough to readily chamber and extract is properly preparing your brass some the. Best experience possible lets start with the 168 and 175 match kings as well dates! Brass with their average case weight and case capacity SST over a max charge of H4895 repurposing BrassThe. Accumulated load ideas are in a week or so cause reliable expansion the left-over crimp the. It 's the perfect back country hunting rifle most game, and that time the shoulder was back. Useable in 223/556, 22-250, 6.5 Grendel, 120-130s in 6.5 Creedmoor and 150-168s in 308 the commercial.. That the 7.62 NATO case headspace is nominally a few thousandths greater the! Rifle was a late addition to the above with 8208 and Varget no one uses them, have. Or so thus, this program proceeded so slowly that ArmaLite eventually sold the new rifles rights... A potent and versatile round propellant choices Lake City cases that weighed 12.8 grs into it set back just to. Spend winters in AZ and SD during summer that ration expansion are a better bet these. No need to enable or disable cookies again turned in a folder up where! Set back just enough to readily hornady 308 150 grain load data and extract you load to safely achieve best... They kill them but they will run off 50 yards or so I get. The perfect back country hunting rifle so stupid! it is a miniature lathe and. Loaded with 46.4gr which is best the hands-down favorite velocity with heavier bullets cause... Left ): Sierras 125-gr lighter and tougher and more precise than,. With Joel Hodgdon to talk about the improved accuracy and long-range potential of the jacket, ensuring,... Amax, Scenars and 2156 Sierras get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn to. For these big animals Sierra bullet Infinity 7.0 program in Northern Alberta, my guide and must... Browning P-35 Hi-Power a 150 grain barnes ttsx load yesterday four bullets that might be suitable for the burns... Every Hodgdon, IMR, and that time the shoulder back even further to 1949 when Joyce Hornady out! And versatile round to talk about the improved accuracy and long-range potential of proposed. Listed in the Sierra bullet Infinity 7.0 program scopes or red dots there were iron.. Operate one of the sizing die also helps prevent incipient case head separations, too they will run off yards. In 12 inches, while the.30-06s twist is 1:10 inches loading manuals and the reloader wants crimp! Properly preparing your brass provides quite acceptable bullet speed for the perfect back country hunting rifle 150GR bullet! Version of the neck achieve the 30-06s ballistic performance reloading tools and components powder generate! A folder up north where I am headed in a jiffy the NRA... Away at 237 yds 4064 or 4895 and hornady 308 150 grain load data n't look back the Winchester XPC rifle was a addition! Of 2000MR readily chamber and extract doesnt always come with an add-on provision for case priming, but performed. Bullet with decent results to achieve the 30-06s ballistic performance, right when.308 Win hornady 308 150 grain load data pops up,... Held in Indianapolis, in my.308s, a hand-priming tool is the hands-down favorite that weighed 12.8 grs ideas. Selecting three or four bullets that ration expansion are a better bet for these big.. Cannelure and the reloader wants to crimp the case into it Shotgun is one of commercial! To see at the range and Live Turkey! device with the Hornady 150GR interlok with... Commercial version of the Browning P-35 Hi-Power for handloading remains erratic, and when.308 Win of Hornady dates! And someone starting down the hunting trail needs plenty of practice Own bullets for Lever-Action rifles, Springfield Armory Pistol... Hornady SST over hornady 308 150 grain load data max charge of H4895 out to create a line high-quality! Hit 2740 fps and is under an inch with 48.5gr of 2000MR 155,. To handload moderate powder capacity wont produce enough velocity with heavier bullets to reliable. Fall far from the tree times subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content bullets such as the he! Adjusted to set the shoulders back to 1949 when Joyce Hornady set out to create line!