What's the recipe for the Federal Gold Medal Match 308 Ammo?

[teddy12b]

It's been a while, but I remember reading somewhere on the internet that people had figured out exactly what the recipe was to handload your own federal gold medal match ammo.

Does anyone here know what the powder was?

I know the bullet is the Sierra 168gr. Matchking.
I might just use lapua brass even though that's not what federal uses.

[Lone Star]

Anyone who "figured out exactly" what the recipe is, is most likely wrong.  Since the factories do not use canister powders when loading ammo, we can't get the exact same powders they do use.  And when the factories change the lot of powder in a cartridge they just adjust the charge weight to reach the pressure/velocity they want.  Bottom line - even if someone says they "know" the recipe, they really don't.


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[teddy12b]

I think you made a good point.

According to Federals website their 168gr match ammo has a velocity of 2650 at the muzzle of a 24" barrel.

According to Hodgon's website using the minimum Varget powder you'll get 2520fps and the max safe charge will get 2731fps.  I don't know how long of a barrel they are using though.

The barrel on my 308 is only 18" so I'll have to play around with this some more.

[quickdtoo]

Hodgdon's 308 data is fom a 24" barrel, Fed210M primer in Win brass, from the 2008 Annual.

Tim

[teddy12b]

Thanks for the info.  That helps me out a lot.