About to start reloading 308

[DaveC]

Hi all, first off I am not new to reloading, been reloading pistol rounds for years, but about to start on rifle rounds, 308, which is new to me.

I am target shooting only, I have decided to go for the Sierra 186g HPBT Match kings, have a box of 500 sitting on the bench, also have a few hundred once fired (all sized and clean) and some new Lapua brass all ready to reload.

The only thing I am missing now is powder, now I trawled through the web and found Varget looked like a really good choice, but when calling around to see if anyone had it in stock, well, not a chance..

So any recommendations? I don’t want to start using a powder and develop a load with something that is going to be unobtainable the next time I want to reload, I have been through this with the pistol rounds when Bullseye vanished.

Thanks

Dave

[DedIdick]

I assume (ASS-U-Me??) that you meant 168gn Sierra BTHP bullets.
If you can't acquire Varget (which I use) then there are plenty of other powders available that you can use. eg. Viht N 140, Viht 540, Tr140, IMR/H4895,H BL-C2, H335,IMR4064, etc. etc. etc. Virtually every Reloading powder supplier has one suitable for 168gn .308s.


ps. when you find a powder that suits, buy lots of it. (I've still got 4/5 cans of Varget)

[Simon_S]

See if you can get some TR140 powder. I use it its cheap and it works well

[dannywayoflife]

The ramshot line of powders work very well in the 308 tac and wildbore are excellent choices

[JB101]

Vit N140. Or the TR140 as mentioned earlier , I would also suggest considering sierra 155 bullets to start with
if you have already used your rifle with acceptable results with either 168 or 155 rounds load with what worked as a 'reference' point
Regards
James

[Paul101]

I've just started reloading for my .308 and find the TR140 excellent and cheap behind 155grn SMK HPBT from once fired Lapua cases with CCI 200 large rifle primers.

Managed to buy 3 kilos.

[frontend loader]

I use Lovex D073.5 reloading powder.I have excellent results with 17Rem an 308.Also it's available at Wilsons.

[MikB]

I shot Target Rifle in 308 for years with Sierra Matchking 155s and Alliant Reloder 15. I changed for a while to Vihtavuori N140 - I expected little difference and found none. I was never a top target shot, and my barrel was somewhat worn, but I could do a 72 out of 75 with 2+15 at 600 on a good day. I often won the 10 rounds in 90 seconds at 100 yards comp the club used to hold in the 1990s.

AFAIK, 168s tend to be used more for the longer ranges, above 600.

Regards,
MikB

[dannywayoflife]

168 smk's are useless past 800 mate

[MikB]

168 smk's are useless past 800 mate

Well, not everybody thinks that. Personally I never got on with them at all. Might've been the 14" twist in me tube. Once I'd tried 155s I never looked back.

Regards,
MikB