Loads for 16" .308

[jasonprox700]

I should be receiving my new AP4 in .308 sometime next week.  Now, I just need to find some good loads to try.  Can anyone recommend powders for a 16" barrel?  I plan on trying some of the really light bullets (110 V-Max), some of the 165/168gr, and 180's.  Most of the load data that I found showed test barrels being around the 24" to 26" length.  In that case, I would assume the slower burning powders would give the highest velocities.  But what powders are faster burning that would be suitable for my gun?  I don't need charge weights, just powders.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[paul105]

Go to Hodgdon's on line data manual and go to the "Handgun" data for the .308 Win.
It shows data in a 15" barrel.  If you click on the print tab and then cancel, you can see barrel length and other components.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

Paul

[jhalcott]

  I have a 12" lone eagle and a few friends have Encores ,XP's and a savage in 308. We generally get good performance when using "normal" rifle loads and powders. We DO get less velocity than the manuals show, but our accuracy is VERY good. In some cases it is sub inch for 3 shot groups when WE do our part.
  One guy has 2 Encore barrels made by different 'smiths. They do NOT like the same loads, each preferring a particular bullet/powder combo to shoot the best. IF you are willing to settle for 1 1/2 to 3" groups, either load will do in BOTH guns!

[wncchester]

"In that case, I would assume the slower burning powders would give the highest velocities.  But what powders are faster burning that would be suitable for my gun? "

It's not true that short barrels gain any speed from faster powders.  All other things being equal, the powder that shoots fastest in a 26" barrel will also give the highest speed in a 16" barrel.  (But the muzzle blast may up-root small trees and kill milk cows at 75 yards!)  A longer barrel only takes better advantage of the pressure that exists, it doesn't change the powder's time/pressure curve which produces the best bullet speed.

As for accuracy, that pursuit requires the same expermental work as with any other barrel length.

[lastchanc54]

I have a 15 inch 308 Encore and I had the same concerns. I was suprised to find that almost anything I stuff in the thing shoots great! My average groups at 100 yards are about an inch. With the 150 grain handloads, there is no drop at 200 yards with a dead on sight setting of 100 yards. I cans still hold dead on at 25 yards and hit tiny targets! I recently loaded some 100 grain bullets with H-335 and some with 4064. they both shot great but about three inches higher than the 150 grainers. So I put a tiny paint dot on my scope for both settings so I can switch back and forth quickly. I even shoot military ball ammo with great results. This is the least fussy gun I have ever seen. I have tried 5 different powders (I like Varget too) and it just keeps shooting in the same holes with no noticeable differeance in muzzle blast or flash. Not what I expected at all, nice to catch a break!