Newb here... ok to use same powder and primer for different loads?

[TruckMonkey]

I am new to reloading. Mostly plan to reload .308 and 300 win mag.

I would like to keep my materials to a minimum.

Is it a bad idea to use the same powder and primer for .308 and 300 win mag?

It looks like lots of folks are using h1000 powder for the win mag load I am looking at.

Thanks

 

[dazz397]

I havent done those 2 exact rounds but from my experience you have to make sacrifices in performance to do this. Like I can use varget for 308 to make an awesome round but if I want to use it for 6.5cm I have to use lower grain bullets and the velocity is slow. If I'm just plinking it's fine but usually I want the best performing powder and bullet combo and it rarely will ever be the same powder.

 

[cornfedkiller]

I'm fairly new to reloading compared to many guys here too, but you could look up noslers and barnes load data and see if any of the suggested powders are the same for the two calibers and bullet weight you want to shoot. Like dazz mentioned above, you will likely be sacrificing a little accuracy, but I'd guess still better (and possibly cheaper) than factory rounds.

 

[wind gypsy]

You don't want to do this. They are considerably different in powder capacity and what is good in a Win mag is too slow burning for a 308 and what is good in a 308 is too fast burning for a win mag.

The exception would be if you're shooting 180+ grain bullets in the 308 and 150-165 class bullets in the Win Mag. I'm not sure why you'd do that but people have their reasons.

 

[bdan68]

308 Win. and the 300 Win. Mag. are just too far apart to use the same powder. H1000 is a good powder for the 300 Win. Mag. but too slow burning for the 308. Just buy another pound of powder for your 308, maybe Reloder 15, Varget, or IMR/H4895. You can use the same primers, that's not as big of an issue.

 

[TruckMonkey]

Ok- sounds like I will go different powders.

What about primers? Where do I find best primers for loads?

Looking at VLDs, accubonds and ELD-Xs for bullets

 

[wind gypsy]

Ok- sounds like I will go different powders.

What about primers? Where do I find best primers for loads?

Looking at VLDs, accubonds and ELD-Xs for bullets

I've never used a non magnum primer on a Win mag but they work good in my 6.5 SAUM, 7 SAUM, and 300 WSM with up to 67 grains of powder. I've seen a general guideline of using LR with 65 grains or less and LRM with 65+ grains.

Primers are cheap, I'd buy magnum primers for the WM. That said, I believe the federal 210 primers are on the hotter side of LR primers so I'd try them if you're set on not buying magnum primers.

 

[wind gypsy]

Right, wrong, or indifferent, I rarely experiment with Primers. Large Rifle primer loads get 210M, Large rifle magnum loads get 215M, and small rifle primer loads get CCI 450s. I'd go federal or CCI primers in general. Some of the russian primers used to be popular but are no longer imported.

 

[muddydogs]

Ok- sounds like I will go different powders.

What about primers? Where do I find best primers for loads?

Looking at VLDs, accubonds and ELD-Xs for bullets

All I use for primers is CCI Mag primers in the 20 different calibers I load for. Doesn't matter what the load data I'm looking at recommends I use CCI but I do work up my loads over a chrony while checking for pressure signs.

I use the same powders in a few different calibers, found the load data to get started then here again I worked up the load. The powder I'm using might not be the most accurate powder listed in the load data but you have to understand that the most accurate powder listed in the load data was for the rifle or test barrel used to develop the load data and really means very little unless your using the same exact rifle and then it still might not be the best.

If I have a powder setting on the shelf I use for another caliber and there is load data available for this powder in the caliber I'm wanting to load for I'll work up a load with this powder. If the velocity and accuracy is there then great one powder to load two calibers with, if I'm not seeing what I want to see down range then no problems I'll try another powder. Always worth a try with what you have as you might find that your rifle like the combo more then the next best greatest powder out there.

Some examples are I have great shooting loads for my 243, 25-06 and 7mm Rm with Reloder 22 and Accubond bullets. Reloder 15 has shown great results in the 308, 7.62x54R and 7.7 Jap. My 204, 223 and 30/30 all like W748