Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Hey guys,
There may not be an easy or obvious answer to this question, but here it goes.
I reload a fair amount. Allot of 357, probably 2k a month on average, some 30-30, 308 and 38-55 as well. But, I have recently decided to start reloading for my 30-06 (an inheritance) and a newly acquired 300 WM. The question is....
Is there one powder that gives very good results in all three?
I know it is asking allot. I just finished off the last of some H4895 and need to get some more rifle powder and was wondering if there was a one type fits all with different amounts, and gives good accuracy, for all three.

If I have to have different, fine, but it would be nice, and cost effective if I could go with one.
Thanks
Hank

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

There are powders out there that overlap and can be used in all three. That doesn't mean that you will get peak performance and accuracyin all three cartridges using one powder. If I were to shoot for one do-it all powder for these three cartridges I would give IMR 4007 SSC a try.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

IMR4350 is going to aboutclose as you are going to get. But lousy velocity in the 308. Varget or 4064 would be great in the 06 and 308, butlousy velocityin the 300WM.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Good results, but NOT optimum! A powder with a burning rate close to IMR4350 would work. Maybe H414 or WW 760. IMR 4350 is a bit slow for a .308, and is on the fast side for a .300 Win. Mag., and is close to ideal in a .30/'06. H414 and WW 760 are pretty close to IMR 4350, but you can get more of it in the little .308 case, which will permit you to improve upon what would be possible with an extruded powder in that case. But in the bigger cases, you might end up with more empty space in the case than is ideal with H414/WW760.

Personally, I would use H380 in the .308, and RL 22 in both the .30/'06 and the .300 Win. Mag. So you could just about obtain max performance using two powders for the three cases.....

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

You're gonna have abit of a rough time finding that single magic powder that is going to produce acceptable velocity and acceptable accuracy in all three of those guns. As was said before, 4350 is about as close as I feel you can come. But there's always the probability that one or more of those guns just won't shoot it satisfactorily. Happens all the time. Just way too many variables to consider.
But, on the other hand, if you DO find it works for you for what you can live with, I guess that is what you're after. Good luck.....

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Look at Reloader 19 and 22 they may have some potential also winchester powders 760 maybe

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

i would try imr 4320,4064,or 4350. ive had a lot of good luck with all three.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Thanks for the input guys,
I am going to try some Varget for the 308 and I'll try something else for the 300 later when I get the dies.

I didn't figure there was a "magic bullet", pun intended, for all three, but I had to ask.

Thanks again.

Hank

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

give imr 4064,4320,or 4350

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Trying to use one powder in several different designs of rifles is like trying to put super swamper tires on a Corvette.

They might all be 16 inch, but the super swampers is not going to clear the fenderwells.

Powder comes in 1 lbs cans and are usually around $14 - $16 a can.

But the powder that you need to reload what you are working on and don't worry about the rest until you need to reload for it.

I keep a 8 lbs keg of IMR 4350 for reloading 270 / 30'06 and 300 Winchester Magnum, but wouldn't think of using it for a .308 or 300 Savage or 30/30.

The smaller rifle caseslikesother powders like IMR 3031 and 4064.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

i dont really know where you are going with that but i do use 4064 in all of them and it works really well. thats why it was first on the list.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Yea, but you won't get great performance with 4064. I load for a friend 4064in a 270win with 130gr gameking, and he is only seeing 2870fps. I personally get over 3000fps easy with 130gr bullet with a 270 with 4350.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

sometimes velocity isnt everything.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Well, if I can't reach the potential in the rifle, why not go down to another round? Like a 7mm-08?

I just can't understand why people can't afford 15 dollars of powder to get reach the potential out of a rifle. If I get just as good accuracy with another 150fps, why not? Maybe you can teach us something?

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

I have loaded 47gr.of IMR-3031 for my 30/06 for years. It gives me 2763fps. Most important, with a good rest, I can shoot 1/2" groups (or less) constanty.
I use the 150gr. Hornady spbt bullet. In addition, it is pleasant to shoot,(lower recoil than other loads) and I can shoot very accurately out to 300yds.(longest range I have been abe to test it, so far). AND, it kills deer.
I can't imagine why I'd want to shoot 57gr. of some other powder just to get another couple of hundred fps. at the cost of accuracy due to additional recoil.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Well, true, people has to know thier limitations. If you can't handle the recoil, then I don't blame you for loading down.

but if one doens't have that issue as you do, why not?

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

the guy asked for one powder. not me so why dont you take you answers to the man who asked for the one powder? he asked i answered. i dont have a problem spending 15-20 dollors on powder.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Well, here's the deal as I see it.....The man asked for one powder to do the job for several different cartridges. He was explained to that one powder may perform to a certain degree of acceptability for all three, but probably would not perform to the max for all three. Whjy would you want mediocre performance from your guns just for the sake of being able to use one single powder? Accuracy is what we (most all of us) strive for. Velocity and accuracy is the best. I, for one, am willing to shave just a tad off accuracy for a substantial increase in velocity for a deer load. Not a lot, just a tad. This is working with just one gun. To find a powder that you can fine tune this well with three guns is asking a whole hell of a lot. If you want mediocrity, you may find it. If you want max performance with acceptable (for you) accuracy and velocity I doubt that one single powder is going to do it. Just kind of asking for one bullet to give you all you want for accuracy in all three guns. Probably just isn't going to happen............

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Nope, you answered once, and for some reason answered one more time. Same answer. Rifleman came on and told his opinions. Obviously, you didn't like his opinions, and had to respond to him even though he wasn't the one asking. So I figured you were up for a conversation on the subject. I don't understand your mentality. You have said some fairlygoofy things on here. Why load down just to say you use only one powder. But hey, its your money. Your time.

RE: Powder for 308, 30-06 and 300 WM
 

Thanks for all your inputs guys.
I was hoping there would be something that might work well in them all, but I didn't really think it was reasonable.
I am trying some Varget right now in the 308, will see how that works.
I'll try something else in the 300 when I get a chance. I have my 300 shooting 3/4 to 1 inch groups now w/ Hornady custom 150 grains so I am not in a great hurry to reload for it yet, other than the cost.

Thanks again
Hank