Any reload recommendations for a Kimber Hunter .308?

[Ranger619]

A Kimber Hunter .308 followed me home yesterday. Since they have been out a while, does anyone have a good starting point for a load for a .308? I am probably going to start with a 165 grain bullet. I am looking at a max range of 400yards for up to elk sized game.
Thanks

 

[TauPhi111]

168 grain Barnes TTSX and varget. Can't remember the exact load, but you can find load data on Barnes site.

 

[Ranger619]

Thanks

 

[N2TRKYS]

I've had great luck following Nosler's load data with 165 grain Accubonds and Partitions. If I had to shoot Barnes bullets, it would be the 130 grain ttsx.

 

[RumLover]

TTSX all the way, if the 168's don't shoot well, try the 150's over H4895, 44-46 grains. Dropped several large mulies and whitetails with that load. My 308's never liked the 168s for some reason, both were 1 in 10" twists. Either way, the ttsx's like to jump to the lands and be pushed fast. Try 0.020" and 0.050" in your test rounds to find a starting point of what OAL your rifle likes. I also tried varget, IMR & H4350, RE 15 and a couple others, the H4895 out-grouped all the others with the TTSX. I was getting around 2725 out of a 22" barrel.

 

[robtattoo]

Big fan of 150 accubonds over an unhealthy dose of cfe223.

If you're set on monolithic bullets, I think you're really going to have to drop down to 130s or 150s to get the performance at 400yds It's really tough to get the velocity out of a .308 to keep anything over 150 going quickly enough to expand properly at 400.

 

[Dirty-D]

130 gr TTSX as fast as you can run them.

gonna need the speed, the TTSX expand marginally at 2000fps, and turn into FMJ's at 1800 fps.

Out of my short 18.5" gun, I run out of speed at about 375-400 with the .308 130 TTSX (I consider 2000fps a floor), your .22" rifle might get an extra 50 or so yards with the extra velocity.

 

[mtwarden]

reading with interest as I have a .308 Hunter inbound, going to shorten to 20”

I really like accubonds, was thinking 150, but I see they have a 125 gr as well?????

 

[robtattoo]

Stick with the 150s
Speed is less of an issue & I've had awesome performance out of them on deer up to 300yds (I believe my farthest so far was 290 +/-)

 

[Ranger619]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[mtwarden]

Thanks for all the info.

ditto- thanks

 

[ramont]

My best .308 load has been;

168gr TTSX
40.5 grains of IMR 3031
Cartridge Overall Length 2.83"
Federal 210 primer
Case TTL 2.008"

This load produces consistent .5 to 1 MOA 5 round groups. I used this load to take a nice 6x6 elk year before last at 110 yards, one shot and the bull dropped in his tracks.

 

[statikpunk]

Im using 165g scirroccos with 47.5 g of CFE 223 out of my 308 and still getting 2708 fps out of a 16 inch barrel with no pressure signs. I'm sure you would be getting 2850-2900 out of a kimber barrel with that load. as a matter of fact you could probably step that charge up a little bit and be just fine (i can't remember now but I'm pretty sure I'm still under book max ). I have had a hard time producing better velocities out of a 308 than with CFE223 , plus it's an easy powder to find, which is a bonus in my book.

 

[lcxctf2000]

I run 150gr TTSX out of my Savage 10.

48gr Varget got me 2900fps
50gr of BL-C(2) got me 3000fps

My H4895 load only got me 2850fps

Those are hot loads that I worked up to slowly. Looked for pressure signs on the cases as well as watching for fps jumps using my chrono.


I've run that gun on Varget a lot so I went with the 48gr load. I'll spend more time shooting BL-C(2) to get a feel for it in different temps before I switch to it. Accuracy was pretty even.

Winchester brass. Fed primer. Seated .010 off the lands.

 

[Steakngravy]

I have a kimber montana 308 tried . 130 ttsx over n130 and it shot good but better with the 150 accubond. Then did the same with the 150 ttsx still the accubond was the best group. The tried them over varget and tac again it seemed to just shoot the accubond a bit better then i tried the 165 accubond over varget and it tightened up a bit more 1/2 "or so with a 7x scope thats as good as i can hold a ul rifle

 

[Steakngravy]

Tac powder will likley produce your best speeds if your rifle likes it. Id try tac and accu150s and 165s. Or varget either will do well . Vv n130 is very accurate but is a bit on the slow side

 

[Ranger619]

Thanks for the info. I have done a barrel break-in and have sent my scope off to have a new reticle put in. I will be dialing in loads in a few weeks.