Favorite 308 load
- Thread starter TS2
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2026
- Messages
- 18
I have two .308 Savages, both of them are Law Enforcement models. These are the top 10 loads for each.
The oldest is a 2008 10 FP with a 24-inch barrel (with a replacement Savage barrel after the original was shot out with 6,500 rounds. I was learning how to reload and what bullets and powder worked with a .308). The new barrel has shot 120 loads and 427 groups.
The second one is a 10 FCP-K with a 24-inch barrel and a muzzle brake.
I bought this one while I was deciding if I wanted to replace the barrel on the 10 FP. It now has shot 173 loads and over 300 groups.
The oldest is a 2008 10 FP with a 24-inch barrel (with a replacement Savage barrel after the original was shot out with 6,500 rounds. I was learning how to reload and what bullets and powder worked with a .308). The new barrel has shot 120 loads and 427 groups.
| Top 10 Loads | By Average | ||||
| # Groups | Bullet | Weight | Average | Median | St Dev |
| 20 | Sierra Tipped Match King # 7755 | 155 | 0.327 | ||
| 4 | Sierra Match King # 2000 | 168 | 0.327 | ||
| 7 | Tipped Sierra Match King # 7768 | 168 | 0.343 | ||
| 31 | 0.330 |
The second one is a 10 FCP-K with a 24-inch barrel and a muzzle brake.
I bought this one while I was deciding if I wanted to replace the barrel on the 10 FP. It now has shot 173 loads and over 300 groups.
| Top 10 Loads | By Average | |||||
| # Groups | Bullet | Weight | Average | Median | St Dev | |
| 4 | Sierra Match King #2200 | 168 | 1 | |||
| 3 | Sierra Tipped Match King #7768 | 168 | 2 | |||
| 11 | Sierra Tipped Match King #7775 | 175 | 3 | |||
| 4 | Berger Long Range BT Target #30240 | 175 | 4 | |||
| 22 |
Way too fancy for me to keep up.
I've been into n135 this fall and winter.
Bore snakes only keep me shooting and it meters like or better than Benchmark.
Only been shooting three of my .308s since before deer season.
Henry Long Ranger , SFAR and a savage .223 that identifies as a .308.
Bulk 150s , MKHP , hot cores , Hdy flat bottom and BTSP , Sierra and Speer BTs. 150, 165 and 168.
S&B primers for the most part. Winchester, CCI and Remington for the rest.
2600 fps.308 and 2800 fps.223 is what I prefer but a little over is fine too.
Bore snakes only keep me shooting and it meters like or better than Benchmark.
Only been shooting three of my .308s since before deer season.
Henry Long Ranger , SFAR and a savage .223 that identifies as a .308.
Bulk 150s , MKHP , hot cores , Hdy flat bottom and BTSP , Sierra and Speer BTs. 150, 165 and 168.
S&B primers for the most part. Winchester, CCI and Remington for the rest.
2600 fps.308 and 2800 fps.223 is what I prefer but a little over is fine too.
Charlie98
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2026
- Messages
- 10
I've been working with my Savage 10TAC, the cheapo Cabelas special, for about 5 years. With decent glass (used Burris) and a decent rest, 168grn FGMM will give me 1.2" at 100yds... that has always been my barometer load, what I compare my handloads to.
Long story short... none of my previous handloads could match FGMM. Period. So I junked all my data... and started from scratch. The idea of 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' came to me, so I set out to load the 168grn SMK to 2710fps, which is what my Savage throws the FGMM at. Using RP brass, #200 primer, and 43.1grn IMR4064 got me there, and if I shot 5 rounds of this on top of 5 rounds of FGMM, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
About the time I settled on my IMR4064 load, I ran out of IMR4064.... and it became expensive. As an alternate, I picked up a pound of VV N140, and dug around under the bench for some TAC. TAC worked very well... sometimes. It does not like Magnum or arsenal primers, but standard #200's gave IMR4064 a run for it's money, with the 168grn SMK, but it really wasn't consistent overall.
About this time, I ran out of 168grn SMK's. I decided to make the change to the 169grn SMK... a better bullet, designed to go longer, and stay stable to 1000yds. It is a much different bullet. With this bullet, seated to 2.800", 43.3grn IMR4064 beat my previous best, and picked up a little velocity (2750fps.) Switching to VV N140... 44.1grn VV N140 put 12 shots in under 1". Winner winner, chicken dinner.
Long story short... none of my previous handloads could match FGMM. Period. So I junked all my data... and started from scratch. The idea of 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' came to me, so I set out to load the 168grn SMK to 2710fps, which is what my Savage throws the FGMM at. Using RP brass, #200 primer, and 43.1grn IMR4064 got me there, and if I shot 5 rounds of this on top of 5 rounds of FGMM, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
About the time I settled on my IMR4064 load, I ran out of IMR4064.... and it became expensive. As an alternate, I picked up a pound of VV N140, and dug around under the bench for some TAC. TAC worked very well... sometimes. It does not like Magnum or arsenal primers, but standard #200's gave IMR4064 a run for it's money, with the 168grn SMK, but it really wasn't consistent overall.
About this time, I ran out of 168grn SMK's. I decided to make the change to the 169grn SMK... a better bullet, designed to go longer, and stay stable to 1000yds. It is a much different bullet. With this bullet, seated to 2.800", 43.3grn IMR4064 beat my previous best, and picked up a little velocity (2750fps.) Switching to VV N140... 44.1grn VV N140 put 12 shots in under 1". Winner winner, chicken dinner.
Hey Char , Do you always use the bipod ?I've been working with my Savage 10TAC, the cheapo Cabelas special, for about 5 years. With decent glass (used Burris) and a decent rest, 168grn FGMM will give me 1.2" at 100yds... that has always been my barometer load, what I compare my handloads to.
Long story short... none of my previous handloads could match FGMM. Period. So I junked all my data... and started from scratch. The idea of 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' came to me, so I set out to load the 168grn SMK to 2710fps, which is what my Savage throws the FGMM at. Using RP brass, #200 primer, and 43.1grn IMR4064 got me there, and if I shot 5 rounds of this on top of 5 rounds of FGMM, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
About the time I settled on my IMR4064 load, I ran out of IMR4064.... and it became expensive. As an alternate, I picked up a pound of VV N140, and dug around under the bench for some TAC. TAC worked very well... sometimes. It does not like Magnum or arsenal primers, but standard #200's gave IMR4064 a run for it's money, with the 168grn SMK, but it really wasn't consistent overall.
About this time, I ran out of 168grn SMK's. I decided to make the change to the 169grn SMK... a better bullet, designed to go longer, and stay stable to 1000yds. It is a much different bullet. With this bullet, seated to 2.800", 43.3grn IMR4064 beat my previous best, and picked up a little velocity (2750fps.) Switching to VV N140... 44.1grn VV N140 put 12 shots in under 1". Winner winner, chicken dinner.
I've yet to try one. Big difference in prices and quality.
Charlie98
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2026
- Messages
- 10
That is an ancient Harris bipod I originally bought for my old H-bar, years ago. When I got the Savage, I just threw it on there... but I've found it's way more functional on the bolt gun, than the AR. It's fixed... it doesn't pivot... but you can adjust the legs for an uneven surface, and it works pretty well. I use a fixed rest if one is available... a springy bipod like the Harris has it's drawbacks.
When it was mounted on the H-bar, you could 'load' tension on it, and get off 3-4 round bursts with it, off a table...
