Reloading 308 tikka

[iowaboy]

long time lurker and have learned some great information. Now I have a question. I reloaded for my compact tikka in 308 with 4064 and Hornady 150 grain SP. It matches the Hornady American Whitetail factory load at just under an inch at 100 yards. Now I'm trying to get a load shooting a 165 grain hornady interlock btsp. I have tried 4064, Varget Imr 4895, and cfe 223. The factory American Whitetail 165 grain shoots sub moa at 100 yards. I pulled a factory load and found what i think is ball powder and weighed it. I know Hornady has there own blend of powder but i have no expierence with ball powder and was wondering if anybody has an idea of what kind of powder it may be. I would like to try to match it and cut down on the amount of wasted powder and primers and time. Thanks in advance.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

A lot of factory ammo is loaded with proprietary powder that’s unavailable to consumers.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

TAC, AA2520, AA2460, StaBALL Match, and Win760 are some ball powders that might be worth a shot.

 

[SDHNTR]

A lot of factory ammo is loaded with proprietary powder that’s unavailable to consumers.

I’ve heard this, but have never seen any proof. It also makes little sense that Federal, Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, whoever… is loading up ammunition using powder that they manufacture on their own. Why would they reinvent the wheel?

 

[A382DWDZQ]

I’ve heard this, but have never seen any proof. It also makes little sense that Federal, Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, whoever… is loading up ammunition using powder that they manufacture on their own. Why would they reinvent the wheel?

They aren't manufacturing it, they order their proprietary powder from the manufacturers.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I’ve heard this, but have never seen any proof. It also makes little sense that Federal, Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, whoever… is loading up ammunition using powder that they manufacture on their own. Why would they reinvent the wheel?

I wouldn’t just take some guys word for it, send them an email and see what they tell you.

 

[Highvoltage1]

My tikka really like a max charge of varget and a 165 ballistic tip. Not sure if this helps or not with what you’re wanting. The ballistic tip and accubond are interchangeable so you could practice with the bt and hunt with the ab if you were hunting bear and elk and needed the penetration. The other bullet that’s pretty easy to load for also that is similar to the interlock is the Sierra gameking. They are an accurate bullet. The hpbt does well on elk. Best wishes

 

[xsn10s]

long time lurker and have learned some great information. Now I have a question. I reloaded for my compact tikka in 308 with 4064 and Hornady 150 grain SP. It matches the Hornady American Whitetail factory load at just under an inch at 100 yards. Now I'm trying to get a load shooting a 165 grain hornady interlock btsp. I have tried 4064, Varget Imr 4895, and cfe 223. The factory American Whitetail 165 grain shoots sub moa at 100 yards. I pulled a factory load and found what i think is ball powder and weighed it. I know Hornady has there own blend of powder but i have no expierence with ball powder and was wondering if anybody has an idea of what kind of powder it may be. I would like to try to match it and cut down on the amount of wasted powder and primers and time. Thanks in advance.

As far as Hornady ammo it could be proprietary powder, or it might not be. In either case I wouldn't worry about it as we have to use what we can get. 308 Win is pretty easy to load for so for a hunting load I'd try to use temp insensitive powders, or load for the ambient temps you'll be using the ammo. TAC has worked well for me with 165gr, 168gr, and 175 gr bullets, but TAC is temp sensitive. H4895 isn't a ball powder but it flows pretty well from my powder dispenser and is an Extreme powder. Honestly I think I'd concentrate on H4895, Varget, or maybe Staball Match. If you have a load that works with the powders you have on hand I'd stick with those until the component supply gets better.

 

[kota]

Winchester 748 is a ball powder very similar in burn rate to varget. Never used it, but varget is one of the better powders for 308.

We have also had good luck in 243 (308 parent case) with Winchester 760, which is also a ball powder.

One question though…if you like the American whitetail ammo in 165 why not just buy a big lot of it and call it good? It seems like a lot of time, effort and components to duplicate what you already have.

 

[iowaboy]

Winchester 748 is a ball powder very similar in burn rate to varget. Never used it, but varget is one of the better powders for 308.

We have also had good luck in 243 (308 parent case) with Winchester 760, which is also a ball powder.

One question though…if you like the American whitetail ammo in 165 why not just buy a big lot of it and call it good? It seems like a lot of time, effort and components to duplicate what you already have.

Just trying to duplicate Hornady load in case they change something on their end or they quit making it. Also availabilty in my area isn't the best.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Form's easy button for Tikka .308 is 45 grains of Varget and a 168 ELDM seated at 2.810 COAL. He's shot more than 15k rounds of .308 through various rifles to come to this conclusion.

 

[Formidilosus]

Form's easy button for Tikka .308 is 45 grains of Varget and a 168 ELDM seated at 2.810 COAL. He's shot more than 15k rounds of .308 through various rifles to come to this conclusion.

Well, 44-45gr of Varget with about any 165-175gr good bullet works.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Well, 44-45gr of Varget with about any 165-175gr good bullet works.

I watched an episode of UR about shooting compact/short .308s the other day. They were getting 2700 fps out of 16.25" .308 with 46 gr of Varget and a 168 Midsouth HPBT (assuming Sierra?). Are these numbers similar to your experience?

 

[Formidilosus]

I watched an episode of UR about shooting compact/short .308s the other day. They were getting 2700 fps out of 16.25" .308 with 46 gr of Varget and a 168 Midsouth HPBT (assuming Sierra?). Are these numbers similar to your experience?

View attachment 611925

That is hot. Well over 65k PSI. Not that it can’t be done, and maybe safely, just hot.

 

[sdupontjr]

Now, if you're not dead set on those 165's, I'd give the barnes 130 ttsx a try being you have varget. I load for (4) 308's, 2 tikkas and 2 Rem 700's. All 4 shoot very well with this combo. 2.825", 48-49g Varget, CCI-200 and Remington brass. I really need to shoot them over my Magnetospeed to get some velocities, but I would assume its 3100 or so give or take. At least that what the book claims, but I'd like to know.

 

[Vern400]

You've already tried some of the best powders.
I have two ideas.
1. You've got a 150 that shoots good. Load the 165 at the same base to Ogive length and try it again if you haven't already.
2. I've had tremendous success in a number of 308 with Sierra 165 spitzer boat tails. They're great on deer but might not be tough enough for elk. I don't know. never shot one. They are available. I got my last batch at Scheels. They are almost match accurate and my experience has been if a 308 won't shoot them, it won't shoot. I've killed about 70 deer with that bullet. All but a few were bang flop.

That's all I got, chief!

 

[iowaboy]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. loaded some 165 grain interlocks over some varget for a ladder test. started at 44 grains and went up by .5 grain increments to 45.5. 45 grains gave me a 1 inch group. I also shot my 150 grain load at 200 yards and ended up with a inch group but it was 2 inches high and 3 inches right Going to try some factory ammo tomorrow and see if it's me the shooter or my reloads. There was no wind so not sure why they went right. but they grouped well. I may take Kotas advice and just buy a bunch of factory loads and save myself the frustration.lol

 

[Wolfshead]

Tikka T3x compact .308 win
150 grain Accubonds with 46 grains of Varget.
this is from yesterday at 301 yds, target is six inches
scope is a Vortex Diamondback 1.75-5 x 32

 

[bigunit]

My 2 favorite loads that are basically interchangeable are 150 ttsx and 155 scenar. Both with 48gr varget l. 2990 and 2960fps respectively. Both shoot to same poi to 300 and I just stick to the scenar after that.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

165g accubond/partition and 45g barge is awesome in my 308.