I shot a new load for me in the 308 A-Bolt today. 22 inch barrel. 47.0 grains of Varget with a standard WW primer. 150 grain Nosler Partition. Shot pretty well and clocked 2729 fps. I have trouble getting much over 2750 with 150 grain bullets in this rifle. I have tried several combinations. So far this rifle has grouped best with plain old Remington Corloks factory loads. Groups about 1 1/4 inches with that load. I have not chronograhped the Remington factory load as yet.

Try IMR 3031. It may work a little better for you.

Thanks. I tried 4064 but have not tried 3031 yet. I see that I have a can though so I may give it a whirl.

Wow, thats pretty surprising about your velocities. With 47gr of Varget and 165gr gamekings, I get 2815fps consistently. This is loaded at 2.78" COL also with federal brass. I do shoot a 210primer, but that should'n't make a huge difference. With 150gr bullets, with 47.5gr and 48gr, I get close to 2900fps.

I also use IMR4064 but don't get the velocity I want with that.

I find Varget causes alot of carbon fouling. But I still use it.

I get around 2800 with the Nosler Ballistic tip and 4064. However this load shows pressure signs. I have a 22 inch barrel on the A-Bolt. The rifle has only had about 70 shots through it so far. I have no problem with the 2700+ velocity. If I can get a little more thats good but 2700 fps will bowl over a deer with no problem. I seldom load anything I have much over 2800-2850. Velocity much past that causes more meat damage than I like to see. I can load the 280 to near 3200 FPS with my 26 inch barrel and 140 grain Ballistic tips but I keep it down to about 2800. I have found that the Ballistic tips perform best for me at 2700- 2800 fps. I reload more to load down my rifles than to hype them up. Thanks for the replies. Have a good one!!! The 308 loaded with the 170 grain Flat Point made for the 30-30 does a hell of a job on critters loaded to about 2550 fps. Its kind of like a 30-30 Ultra Mag. For deer hunting I just load my 30-06 to about 2800 fps. It groups an inch or under with the 150 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter bullet. Thats about the perfect velocity for 200 yard shots with that bullet. The Pro-hunter is a little fragil at Velocities over 2900 fps.

I loaded my 06 up to 2900 fps with 168gr BSTs and it touches holes at 100 yards. I handload for 6 center firerifles right now 1 30-06, 2 .223s, 2 7X57 mausers, and a 300 WSM. All of these rifles shoot under 1 inch at 100 yards and most shoot about .5 inches. My 06 and .223 touch holes at 100 yards. My 300 WSM is shooting about .6 inches.

All of them shoot better groups at the max loads.

Wow, people either go one way or the other. Some guys, especially the heavy ego'd guys at Accurate Reloading, all gets benchrest accuracy at well over max load. Then I see guys using the fastest "suitable" powder gettting the best accuracy at min load.

I learned that the barrel has alot to do with it. With krieger barrels, I see best accuracy at midways with everything.

Mine do too. In the new Sierra manual they list a hunting load and a accuracy load. The accuracy load 99 percent of the time is a reduced from the Max load. My 257 Roberts is one exception and will shoot under a half inch at 100 yards with a very close to max load. I need to chronograph the Reminton factory load in the 150 grain corlok. Thats the load this Browning has grouped the best with so far. I just don't need to load most of my rifles to the Max to do the job that I want it to do. I would rather save a little money and wear and tear and keep things in moderation. To me there is such a thing as enough. Its nice to hear all of the points of view. Thanks.

I chronographed the Remington factory 150 grain cor-lokt today in the 308. they clocked 2832. I went one more grain on the 150 grain Partition load and the average went from 2729 to 2793. I am still one half grain below Max and that extra i/2 grain would boost it up to 2825 or right in that area. I already have my load for this fall, the one at 2729 but next time I may load it to the new load from today. This lasest load shoots a hair smaller group. This current load is 48 grains of Varget. The max in my Nosler manual is 48.5.

How do you guys get so much Varget into the cases? With Fed cases and 150 grain bullets seated out to 2.8" I can't get more than 43 grains without compressing the load.