Popular powders

[A.G. WILSON]

What seems to be the most popular reloading powder for the 308 case in a semi-auto? Your results?? Thanks

[hagar]

Varget, RL15, IMR 4895

[308bolt]

Originally posted by A.G. WILSON
What seems to be the most popular reloading powder for the 308 case in a semi-auto? Your results?? Thanks

WC846
It is commonly used in .308 and .223 for military loads.

[Bwana John]

IMR4895, IMR4064 (or Hodgdon)

[jay.sharkbait]

2230c meters well.

Bait

[Dunk RD]

4895 ha always done a fine job for me also.
Dunk RD

[lew]

I use 4895 for all of my .30 caliber and 8mm guns. Meters well and has the proper burn rate for semi-autos.

[chromestarhustler]

i load varget into everything. works well,

[762shooter]

I have used IMR-4895, IMR-4064 and really liked the last batch of WC-846
that I had. The WC-846 worked well in my CETME and the IMR-4064 and
IMR-4895 worked well in my Garand as well as my bolt guns.

[moses]

Does burn rate even matter in an FAL since it has an adjustable gas system?

I have been working up loads for my 260 rem FAL and 260 rem likes the slower burning powders R-19, H4831, H414, I had to open my gas from 2 1/2 (using Imr 4895 loads) to 6 when using the 3 above slower burning powders.

Otherwise it was chewing up the brass pretty good and launcjhing them 30 ft like an AK

[A.G. WILSON]

Thanks for all the responses. I have used 1/2 can of AA2520 but no one mentioned it. Anyone else have any experience with it?

[Jimi X.]

I have a large amount of Winchester 748. The main reason I use it, is that the data at the time, NRA and other sources, showed that for the 308, and the 223, 748 showed the highest velocities, with the lowest pressures. The NRA has a book entitled "Semi-Auto Rifles, Data and Comment", this was the primary source which convinced me to use this ball powder. And back then, I also compared the reloading data from all the main manufacturers. I also have used 4064, don't remember which others I tried. But definately like the metering of ball powder.

Since then, new powders, and the availability of surplus powders have come into the market. I am not saying that 748 is superior, back then, I believed it was. With the amount I have, I haven't had a need to try the other, newer powders. But I am satisfied with 748.

[ftierson]

Win748/H335/BL-C2/WC846 are probably all the same Olin powder from different production lots. All work extremely well in the 5.56x45mm and the 7.62x51mm NATO.

The original AA2230C was a Czech powder that was newly manufactured and burned like older lots of H335 (a little slower than older BL-C2), using about 26.0gr behind a M193 bullet. Recent AA2230C is pulldown powder, probably from South African 5.56x45mm (but I'm guessing about that). All of the AA2230C that I've used has worked extremely well and used AA2460 loading data (except for one lot that was somewhat faster, requiring about 25.4gr for the same velocity). That, of course, also means that AA2460 is an excellent powder for both cartridges.

I mention powder charge weights with 55gr M193 bullets only for comparison purposes and in no way am I suggesting those as loads for others to use without the normal workup to safe load procedure being utilized.

Forrest

[hagar]

Originally posted by A.G. WILSON
Thanks for all the responses. I have used 1/2 can of AA2520 but no one mentioned it. Anyone else have any experience with it?

It has about the same burn rate as Varget, but pressures can spike in the summer. I use it as my winter load in 200/300 yard 223 ammo for highpower, and it works well. Meters very well and shoots good. Also use it with 168 Noslers (before I knew better than to buy 168 grainers) and got good results out of an M1A and 308 bolt gun.