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Hi all, I've decided to take the plunge and start reloading. I've done some reading, both the forum and some reloading manuals and started to buy a few bits of equipment but could use some advice as you can imagine.

I've got some Lapua brass and am thinking of sierra matchking 155g in 308 for target shooting from 300-1000 yards but don't really know what powder or primers to buy. I'd rather not spend £50 a pop trying various options, what do the experts recomend?

Cheers,
Rob.

We're in much the same position as yourself and have been studying powder options recently. It seems the Ramshot range are getting a good reputation as value for money powders. Easily metered too. Dromia may be along soon to enlighten us.

A good stating point would be Viht N140 powder & CCI 200 primers.

Loads of different options but N140 is a good starting powder for what you specify.

pockets99 wrote:I've got some Lapua brass and am thinking of sierra matchking 155g in 308 for target shooting from 300-1000 yards but don't really know what powder or primers to buy. I'd rather not spend £50 a pop trying various options, what do the experts recomend?

One of the most versatile and cost effective single-base powders for this application is TR140. Lots of us on here use it including International Palma shooters, Commonwealth Games competitors, International 300m champions and many more. The distributor is based at Bisley and it is also available from various dealers around the country, and availability and price are very favourable compared to many other options. I will point out that the distributor is a friend of mine, but I'm sure many others on here will recommend the powder, and you'll find many reports and recommendations if you search these forums for TR140. I shoot TR140 in Lapua, RWS and MEN brass behind 155 grain Sierra 2155, 2156 bullets, and also behind Nosler Custom Competition 155 and 168 grains (essentially clones of the Sierra 2155 and 2200 bullets, but made more consistently and significantly cheaper if you can get hold of them).

I'm not going to list the TR140 contact email address 'in the clear' and risk subjecting him to unnecessary spam, but I'll pm you the contact details.

..

Stuck wrote:A good stating point would be Viht N140 powder & CCI 200 primers.

Loads of different options but N140 is a good starting powder for what you specify.

+1, although I use Federal Large Rifle primers for my .308 loads.

N140 or just as good but cheaper TR140.

N140 TR140 if you can get it. Ramshot powders are good and they meter really well.

Another TR140 user here, with 155grn SMK 2156's and Federal 210 primers in Lapua brass.

TR140 for me with Fed210M primers however Fed210 are fine as well. TR140 is a tad slower than N140 which is no hardship, it is also cheaper and readily available under a couple of names.

Thanks for all the responses folks, recon I'm gonna try some TR140 as that seems to be the consensus, needed to post a few more times before I'm trusted to retrieve PMs :-)