A close friend of mine does a lot of rifle hunting, I mostly bowhunt, this year I decided to try and do some gun hunting. My question is this, I want to work up a hunting load for my 308. It is a Ruger Predator and I have the following

Powder
AA2520
Varget
IMR 4895
IMR 4064
IMR 8208XBR
H-4895
Win 748

Bullets
Sierra 165gr. Gamekings
Speer 150gr. Soft Point
Speer 165gr. Soft Points

Primers
Winchester Large Rifle
Winchester Large Rifle Magnum
CCI #34 ( I use these manly for the old autoloaders)

If you were putting together a hunting round, strictly, what combo would you use given the list above?

Large rifle primer, Varget and 150 gr. bullet works for me. I have also used IMR 4064

For my .308 Remington 700.......
165gr Speer PSPBT
44.6gr Varget
CCI Large Rifle Primer
Lapua brass

4895 is a real good powder and I've been wanting to work up a load with it but the damn weather is just too hot

Bingo, both work for me too

On the Varget I specifically use 47.5g powder CCI #250 large rifle primers, Barnes TTSX 150g bullets. I have an OAL gage bolt measure I use to determine seating on my T3-308



With the 4064 all I've used is Hornady SST 160g, I'd have to look in my notebook at home for the rest of that data

I guess I will work some with the Varget. In reading their website they list it has having the lowest Extreme Spread over a wider temperature range, IMR 8208XBR is suppose to be less temperature sensitive as well, think I will work with both.

+1. my list too

Varget and the 308 are a great match - bullet wise -I'm a heavy bullet guy 165gr. for me.

I like the 165gr also but hard to find Varget around here

165 gamekings, varget or imr 4895, 308 bullets drop quick with a 200 yd zero it drop 9 inch at 300 24-29 at 400 so out to 325 ,its aim & shoot you know your in a 9" window, with a plain 3-9 scope. good hunting

Thanks fellas.

looking through my reloading notes last night I remembered working up a load for my Ruger VLE using Varget and 165 GK.

Now for another question, do you feel that the load I developed for one bolt action 308 would be safe to shoot in another or should I start all over again and work up?

Any modern bolt action 308 rifle should handle a load developed in another similar weapon provided that it's below max charge for the load. Just check for pressure signs that might show up due to shorter throat, tighter bore, etc but I seriously doubt that you'll see anything to make a change except accuracy. Your current rifle might require tweaking the recipe to gain accuracy or it may be more accurate than the other weapon with the recipe you already have.

That is what I thought Wiley. I have enough supplies that I might try to work up a load for this particular rifle.

My M77 groups very well with Varget and 165g SSTs. Game kings would. E a heat choice too.

I put together some IMR 8208XBR and 165gr. Gamekings now I am gong to work on Varget and 150gr. SP. Hopefully I can sneak off to the range on Sunday, suppose to be nice.

Thanks fellas

I shoot RL-17 and 165 Gamekings. Very accurate combo in every .308 I've shot it in. Can't remember off the top of my head how many grains.

Look up 165 Gamekings on Midway and read the reviews. I'd spend my time on that bullet.

I have used the Sierra 165 Game King in 30/06 for years. Killed many deer. Use H-4350

Some guys at the range were adamant that I should try IMR 4895.

I shoot IMR 4895 and 165 GK. They are as accurate as my match grade ammo and kill deer great.

Everyone else I have spoken with insisted that for hunting to use Varget or IMR 4895, due to their stability on different temperatures. Okay back to the bench.

4064 has always done well in mine. Started with it and never saw reason to change.