I am looking for good loads for my .308 AR. What are the best powders and charges? What works for you?
It would be helpful to list the barrel length and twist.
I recently bought a couple pounds of CFE223 and 155 AMAX to try in my 14.5" (pinned) 308 upper. My 18" I usually shoot 168-178 gr.
There are many good threads regarding this subject already here. For a starter, there are some classic loads, typically using either the 168 or 175 SMK or other BTHP match bullet, over either IMR 4064 or Varget that are great starting points. Most of these are well-published for use in the M14 and are close duplicates to the Federal GMM load data.
I have found the Nosler or Sierra 168 to shoot great out of multiple rifles with 41-42 gr IMR 4064, LC brass, and CCI-200 primers. It isn’t the fastest or the latest whiz-bang, and it won’t necessary get you to 1000+ yds, but it is easy on the rifle and brass. The rest is up to you and your rifle.
Generic M118lr clone: LC brass, 42.5 varget, 175SMK or 178AMAX seem interchangeable, CCI 400, 2.275, LFCD
Generic m80 clone, 44 gr WC845, CCI 34 primer, LC Case, 147 gr FMJ. Works well in my SR762, M1a, PTR 91 and FAL.
Is anyone using H335 with 155 grain bullets?
I have a load with 155AMAX and Ramshot TAC. 42.5gr, LC brass, CCI 400, 2.795", LFCD.
Tell me more. I have a few pounds of TAC. Do you have a chronograph and if so what velocity are you getting? Also what are you shooting it from?
I’m sorry to say that this load showed consistent ejector wipes today (90*), but accuracy was very good at around 1MOA at 200 yards. I was trying to develop a load for my SCAR and CM901 rifles with the 155AMAX to hopefully get less recoil than the 178/Varget load above that I’ve used for years. Chrono shows 2550-2600fps across 10 shots today using the CM901 with 16.1" barrel. This predicted barrel time with this data is a bit faster than the OBT (based on previous data at around 80*) with a predicted pressure of 58400. I lowered the charge .2 in the model to get back on the OBT, but the pressure only went down to 57600, so I doubt this minor tweak will get rid of the ejector wipes in the heat. I bet it would be fine in a bolt gun at this pressure.
Factory Win and FC 762 ball show the same wipes in the CM901 and the SCAR. FGMM 175 and M118LR and my M118LR clone do not, or very minor. QL predicts slightly higher pressure with my M118LR clone.
I’m going to try 155/TAC at the lower node at .964ms (around 39.5). The velocity will be down around 2400 - about the same as the 178/Varget load. This should have less recoil (same velocity, less mass) and much lower pressure <48k.