308 Winchester down loads

[bb4guns]

Anybody hand load their 308 Winchester barrels down to 45,000 MAP pressure?

[bb4guns]

I ask the question because have read that the SB2 frames like to operate at around 45,000 MAP pressure on cartridges that have a case diameter greater than .378 inch. I understand that Handi-Rifles have been chambered from the factory in a number of calibers with case size .473 thru .526 operating at up to the 500 Smith & Wesson of 60,000 MAP pressure.
I wonder if anyone has fired a couple thousand rounds of 500 Smith and Wesson thru a Handi-Rifle?

[45/70fan]

I know this is an older post but trying to get these old forums active. You can safely shoot full power loads. If you are looking to reduce recoil, try H4895. https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

[orerancher]

I ask the question because have read that the SB2 frames like to operate at around 45,000 MAP pressure on cartridges that have a case diameter greater than .378 inch. I understand that Handi-Rifles have been chambered from the factory in a number of calibers with case size .473 thru .526 operating at up to the 500 Smith & Wesson of 60,000 MAP pressure.
I wonder if anyone has fired a couple thousand rounds of 500 Smith and Wesson thru a Handi-Rifle?

If the 500S&W in the Handi is anything like It is in My Encore...Couple Thousand Rds,  Makes You way Tougher then Me!

[jedman]

This may not be what you mean by downloaded but several years ago I had some 100 gr. 32 cal. lead bullets .312 dia. and loaded some in my 308 with 7 grs. of Green Dot powder.  Shooting from my front porch at a target I put out at 30 yards they grouped into about 1” groups which kinda surprised me and they were so quiet you didn’t need any hearing protection.
A lot of fun to shoot and would be great for shooting garden thief’s.

 jedman

[30calflash]

 Something to consider would be to use 300 Savage load data for the bullet weight you're using. The 300 runs at a lower pressure close to your specification. In the 308 case it will be reduced a little further. Use a powder appropriate for the load, no slow burning types wanted.

[geezerbiker]

I've always made my .308 loads a little on the light side for 2 reasons.  First, I also have a .30-06 and if I need more power, I go for a different rifle. Second, the little black tail deer we have here don't take much to bring them down.

Around here finding a black tail deer outside of a town during hunting season is the hard part.


Tony