Powder for .243 and .308

UtahShooter

UtahShooter

Active member
I have 8208 XBR and Varget powders that I use for my .308 but I have a buddy who has a .243. I was just curious if anyone loads both of these with 1 powder.

I am sure that Varget will work but just wanna try something new.
 
Varget, Imr 4064, IMR 4895 have proven very effective in both.

I am not sure if I would want to be the pioneer on this project of 8208 in both with so many proven powders that do work in both.
 
Varget. Definitely. Along with .223, .22-250, .30-06...

In fact I just got done loading a couple of boxes of .243 with Hornady 75 grain JHP and Varget...
 
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Originally Posted By: ackleyman
I am not sure if I would want to be the pioneer on this project of 8208 in both with so many proven powders that do work in both.

I will be the guinea pig on this and let you know. I just was curious about a different powder recommendation
 
just a word of caution, because in the Hornady manual it mentions lighter charges of slow burning powder combined with heavier bullets (.243 Winchester) can cause unexpected high pressures.
Perhaps you know this, or maybe someone else could elaborate if I got that all wrong??
 
Originally Posted By: UtahShooterI have 8208 XBR and Varget powders that I use for my .308 but I have a buddy who has a .243. I was just curious if anyone loads both of these with 1 powder.

I am sure that Varget will work but just wanna try something new.
It all depends of bullet weight you plan to load . As varget will work well in either depending on bullet weight, if you were to load above a 75 gr bullet in the .243 a slower powder would be in order, because of the overbore of the cartridge. As bullet weights increase a slower powder will have a much better curve, and actually less chamber pressure in an overbored cartridge. This can generally be applyed across the board, 25-06, 257 bee, 7mm rm and the 243 and several others will fall into this category.
The .308 is far from over bore and will likley shoot a decent charge of varget with any corresponding bullet weight without to much fan fair, as long as you are within parameters varget works excellent in that cartridge.
 
My R25 in .243 likes IMR 4895 with 75 vmax. Only 20" barrel. Also likes IMR 8208 with the 58 vmax. And IMR 4064 with 87 vmax. All of those loads will shoot under .7 with 15 rounds at 100yrds. Have had alot of .2-.3 with 3 shot groups. Played with varget a little with the 87 vmax and it shot around 1" with 37 grains. But 4064 was getting .7 with 15 rounds. Maybe if I played with varget a little more with seating depth it could have been better but I was almost out. Overall go to load in this rifle is the imr4895 with 75 vmax that I have tried so far.
 
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Originally Posted By: UtahShooterI have 8208 XBR and Varget powders that I use for my .308 but I have a buddy who has a .243. I was just curious if anyone loads both of these with 1 powder.

I am sure that Varget will work but just wanna try something new.

I use RL-17 in both... but then I shoot the 190 gr SMK's and 208 gr AMax's in 308 and 87 gr VMax's and 105 gr AMax's in 243.

RL-17 will perform well in 243 with heavy bullets.
 
I'd go for IMR4064. Powder works very well, kind of a pain to measure but it's performed very well in most all of my cartridges, including my 270 win, 308, 22-250, 223. I picked up a 8lb jug of ramshot tac and have just started trying it in my 223 and 308, so far so good.
 
I load Varge in my .308 and it is great. I get 2650 fps out of an 18 1/2 inch barrel and great accuracy. I have loaded it in a 243 also with good results in the lighter bullets. I also say that if heavy bullets are the order in .243, then a slower powder is called for.
 
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