.308 powder advice

[Maggot]

I tried my HBC/IMR4895 load at 1000 at the weekend.

This is pushing circa 3080 (47.2 from Palma brass in a 30" barnard FTR rifle) and although the group (if you can call it that) was savaged by the wind, the load seemed very consistent staying nicely withing .5moa vertical....more a frisbee than a group.

There are some very interesting powders coming in from reload swiss as well for the upper end of the .308WIn, no doubt Laurie will be all over them at some stage.

It would be nice to produce a "Yank Free" load to be fair.

[Laurie]

here are some very interesting powders coming in from reload swiss as well for the upper end of the .308WIn, no doubt Laurie will be all over them at some stage.

I've been trying Nitro-Chemie El-N110 and El-N130 recently in .308 and .223, the latter with heavies. These are high-energy powders, El-N110 sold by Reload Swiss as RS40, El-N130 as RS52. The former is very fast burning, but might (and I'll stress MIGHT) stand in for IMR-8208 XBR and H4895 for high-velocity 155gn loads in .308 Win. That is at very much reduced maximum charge weights compared to the two Australian powders, and it's NOT AT ALL SUITED to heavier bullets in .308. Pressures rise far too fast.

El-N130 / RS52 is going to be a gem for a lot of people I reckon. Basically, if the application suits H. VarGet / Alliant Re15, it'll likely suit this powder. I've tried it in .308 Win up to 190s, .223 Rem with 80s and 90s, and have very pleased with the results. Velocities are very good, spreads very small.

The good news is that plans for importing the entire N-C Reload Swiss range are in progress and the essential planning and arrangement of load testing for pressures / velocities to get reliable loads data is hopefully about to start. (I'm told that existing Reload Swiss data lacks many cartridges we'd expect, and when there is data, it's often limited or for inappropriate bullets) Any launch is still some time off and these things always seem to take longer than people originally hope.

The other factor that makes me cautious is that all testing I've done has been in cold or at best decidedly cool conditions to date. I've not had a warm test day at Diggle yet this year. I'll rerun some of my top loads in summer after leaving them to cook in the car in the sun for an hour or two beforehand, as I'm always wary about high-energy powders' temperature sensitivity. (Re15 can be a b*gger!)

[Dannywayoflife]

Any idea when these powders will be readily available?

[M99]

here are some very interesting powders coming in from reload swiss as well for the upper end of the .308WIn, no doubt Laurie will be all over them at some stage.

I've been trying Nitro-Chemie El-N110 and El-N130 recently in .308 and .223, the latter with heavies. These are high-energy powders, El-N110 sold by Reload Swiss as RS40, El-N130 as RS52. The former is very fast burning, but might (and I'll stress MIGHT) stand in for IMR-8208 XBR and H4895 for high-velocity 155gn loads in .308 Win. That is at very much reduced maximum charge weights compared to the two Australian powders, and it's NOT AT ALL SUITED to heavier bullets in .308. Pressures rise far too fast.

El-N130 / RS52 is going to be a gem for a lot of people I reckon. Basically, if the application suits H. VarGet / Alliant Re15, it'll likely suit this powder. I've tried it in .308 Win up to 190s, .223 Rem with 80s and 90s, and have very pleased with the results. Velocities are very good, spreads very small.

The good news is that plans for importing the entire N-C Reload Swiss range are in progress and the essential planning and arrangement of load testing for pressures / velocities to get reliable loads data is hopefully about to start. (I'm told that existing Reload Swiss data lacks many cartridges we'd expect, and when there is data, it's often limited or for inappropriate bullets) Any launch is still some time off and these things always seem to take longer than people originally hope.

The other factor that makes me cautious is that all testing I've done has been in cold or at best decidedly cool conditions to date. I've not had a warm test day at Diggle yet this year. I'll rerun some of my top loads in summer after leaving them to cook in the car in the sun for an hour or two beforehand, as I'm always wary about high-energy powders' temperature sensitivity. (Re15 can be a b*gger!)

Laurie,

Interesting stuff, we have been using the El powder in our 50s of recent and it is performing exceptionally well. It is also interesting that this powder has been available in the US for sometime badged for the 50s under another well known manufacturers brand.

Mike

[knewmans]

Wild Boar went to Bisley today.

Howa 1500 .308 24" barrel

155gr SMK 2156
PPU Case (56gr water capacity)
Fed 210 primer
Oal 2.9" (still about .1" off the lands)
Velocities at the muzzle (magneto speed chrono)

For comparison HPS 2155 ammunition 2750, 2724 fps

46.5gr 2860, 2883, 2828 fps
47.0gr 2922, 2915, 2917, 2918 fps
47.5gr 2934, 2929, 2918, 2929 fps

There was some primer cratering on all loads (same with HPS) but no noticeable flattening ? large firing pin hole.
There was increasing resistance to bolt lift with increased load and I declined to shoot any heavier loads.

The potential is obviously there to be supersonic at 1000yds. I plan to rerun with a different case probably RWS once fired from the NRA office and, with luck, on a warmer day.

Thanks for the pointers Laurie.

[DaveB]

It would be nice to produce a "Yank Free" load to be fair.

If it helps you feel better, many of the IMR propellants are actually made in Canada - by EXPRO Chemical in Valleyfield Quebec.

[rufrdr]

I am very partial to IMR 4895 and WW748 for .308 loads. I don't use and never found the need for anything else for this cartridge.