Best Powder for my reloads?

[Mr Wick]

First post. Happy to be here.

I'm using a Dillon 550c Turret Press

My Brass is once fired 308 Federal Gold Medal Sierra Match King - 175 Grain
My bullets are Hornady ELD-X 178 Grain. Couldn't find 175 Grain

I was using Accurate 2495 Smokless Propellant

Since I am using Premium Brass and Bullets is there a better powder to use for my loads?

Thanks.

 

[Gargoyle]

The list is huge. What else you got on hand?

 

[MSS]

Many powders work here. I like Varget, 4064, RL 15, N140, N540, NORMA 203B, SHOOTERS PRECISION.

 

[Mr Wick]

They would work better then what I'm using? I can order or buy anything.

 

[jepp2]

I'm using a Dillon 550c Turret Press

Ball powders will dispense more accurately on your Dillon that stick powders will, if that is important to you.

 

[Bronsin]

Add H4895, AA4064, And IMR4895 to the list. It's anybody's guess as to whether any of them will work better. The bigger question right now is can you get any of them? I've seen AA2495 for sale recently and at very good prices too. VARGET has been $10-$12 higher per pound, if you can find it.Berger and Sierra will leave those Hornady's in their wake.

 

[Gargoyle]

Varget was the best for me running heavies:

175 SMK
Lapua Brass (Fed brass same H20 capacity)
WLR
43gr Varget @ 2650 26" barrel

AA2520 will match Varget with one more grain of powder.

 

[MSS]

Better than what you are using? Hard to say. If your rifle likes that combo then use it. Your rifle will also like other combos. Having said that I can tell you lots of folks have good luck with Varget, 4064 and RL 15. Very common for .308 168gr and 175gr. 2495 is also a good powder. The 178 eldx would not be my first choice for .308 but it might work well for you. I love the 178 in my .300 wsm.

 

[Gargoyle]

Better than what you are using? Hard to say. If your rifle likes that combo then use it. Your rifle will also like other combos. Having said that I can tell you lots of folks have good luck with Varget, 4064 and RL 15. Very common for .308 168gr and 175gr. 2495 is also a good powder. The 178 eldx would not be my first choice for .308 but it might work well for you. I love the 178 in my .300 wsm.

Had an RPR 308. Only shot 42gr of IMR4064 into bughole with 175 SMKs. All the other wonderful powders mentioned in this thread couldn't help. In fact, I was gonna sell the RPR until I came upon that load. Then I sold it anyway to a friend that couldn't get that gun out of his mind. LOL!

Rem 700 VSF 26" Varget all the way. (The load I posted above)

Last 22yrs loading 308 WIN taught me H4895 burn for 150 & lower grain weight, and Varget burn rate for above 150. Now I would say 165gr since H4895 was stellar in my M1A and AR10 with 155 Amax.

 

[MSS]

Had an RPR 308. Only shot 42gr of IMR4064 into bughole with 175 SMKs. All the other wonderful powders mentioned in this thread couldn't help. In fact, I was gonna sell the RPR until I came upon that load. Then I sold it anyway to a friend that couldn't get that gun out of his mind. LOL!

Rem 700 VSF 26" Varget all the way. (The load I posted above)

Last 22yrs loading 308 WIN taught me H4895 burn for 150 & lower grain weight, and Varget burn rate for above 150. Now I would say 165gr since H4895 was stellar in my M1A and AR10 with 155 Amax.

H4895 is also great. I would load that or 4064 or RL 15 before I become a Varget snob lol. Varget is such a great powder I really had no reason until the recent shortages to use anything else. I recently loaded Norma 203b which is an RL 15 knock off and it worked REALLY well.

RL 15 meters well for an extruded powder and is the M118 load. A good possible choice for OP.

 

[Gargoyle]

RL 15 meters well for an extruded powder and is the M118 load. A good possible choice for OP.

At some point maybe. I have a gov document, its googleable, lol. It says 41.7gr IMR 4064.

 

[JB10]

Im using imr4065 with 175 bergers

 

[Mr Wick]

Thanks so much everyone

 

[joshb]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[6.5 forever]

Try Tac with a Dillon press.

 

[Dwight]

Bruno has some Varget for those in need. I just made an order over the weekend.

 

[newbieshooter]

Lots of Varget at PowderValley since last week.
1-pounders (limit 20+) and 8-pounders (limit 2)

Hodgdon Varget Smokeless Gun Powder

Small-grained for uniform metering, Hodgdon Varget smokeless powder is popular with reloaders. Get great prices on Hodgdon Varget powder at Powder Valley.

www.powdervalleyinc.com