Best Muzzle Velocity for 20 inch 1:10 twist .308 WIN

[NM308Fan]

I have been successful with other calibers in achieving consistent muzzle velocities once I use a given weight of bullet and type of powder. However, I want to achieve the best result quickly for competition in the spring with a caliber new to me.
I have a Ruger American .308 WIN with a 20" barrel and 1:10" twist. I would like to load 165gr and 168gr bullets with Varget powder. My specs agive me good velocity info. Does anyone have loading or velocity data that might suggest a muzzle velocity for this combination of components to achieve best accuracy?

 

[Colorado Redneck]

Nosler Load Data is a source to start you on your way. Here is a link
https://www.nosler.com/308-winchester

 

[jmr40]

308 is EASY to load for. You'll get good accuracy with just about any powder and any powder charge you use. The only difference is MV. I use the online data from Hodgdon.

https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/

A max load of Varget gives me about 2700-2750 fps with all the accuracy I can use with 165/168 gr bullets.

Nosler data shows the same powder charge, but with 50-75 fps more speed.

 

[44 AMP]

welcome to TFL

Does anyone have loading or velocity data that might suggest a muzzle velocity for this combination of components to achieve best accuracy?

"Best" accuracy is dependent on the combination of rifle, ammo, component load practice, and the shooter.

Each combination can and usually does have its own individual quirks, so there is no "this is accurate in everything" formula.

Also, accuracy standards are variable ranging from "good enough to get the job done" all the way down to the search for the one hole group that measures 0.000 dispersion (the unrealistic but mathematical ideal).

You mention "match" shooting, but not what kind. A 20" barrel won't reach the highest speeds practical, but can be consistent and accurate, depending on the specific gun and load used.

I'd just start with the starting load from the bullet maker and work from there. Looking it up, the Ruger American .308 isn't marketed as a match rifle, its sold as a hunting rifle, so match grade accuracy might not be possible. Only your gun can show you how well it can shoot.

 

[Shadow9mm]

Last I checked muzzle velocity was not, in and of itself, a factor in accuracy.

My process
1. work up to max to check for safety
2. work back down from max to find a stable ES/SD
3. shoot groups starting at the recommended COL for the bullet, seating deeper in 0.003 increments to adjust the time the bullet spends in the barrel and sync it up with the barrel harmonics.

Done

 

[bamaranger]

Varget

Varget is a good choice for an accuracy powder with the .308 and was suggested to me when I shot a bit of F-T/R a while back. My mentor in that endeavor was a true world class shot and ran Varget as well. A reasonable charge of Varget and 175 gr HPBT Sierra's from 26-28" bbls took us out to 1000. I learned a bit, but shot poorly. My goal was not to finish last, and out shoot myself. Cost and time convinced me to leave it. In the heavy match rifles (18lbs!!!) recoil was not an issue.

The 168gr HPBT bullet was described to me good to 600, with the heavier 175's slipping the wind better farther out. The match 150 would be a good bit flatter and I might consider it if I was shooting unknown distance mid range courses and the accuracy was good. A slightly more affordable bullet with a track record in competition is the 165 gr HP Gameking.

I think I would buy a box of Federal 168 match, shoot them as a benchmark for accuracy and note the velocity, then work my loads up around that ballpark. Case prep and match tricks MIGHT buy you some accuracy with the Ruger, and it may not. I have the short barreled Predator in .308, and it shoots well for what it is, but it cannot compete with the big match rifle. Bamaboy put a MagPull stock on his 6.5CM Predator, and it does quite well and might make a good starter in some type of PRS shooting.

The big question is what type of competition with the Ruger American, and is it the Predator model?

 

[totaldla]

I have been successful with other calibers in achieving consistent muzzle velocities once I use a given weight of bullet and type of powder. However, I want to achieve the best result quickly for competition in the spring with a caliber new to me.
I have a Ruger American .308 WIN with a 20" barrel and 1:10" twist. I would like to load 165gr and 168gr bullets with Varget powder. My specs agive me good velocity info. Does anyone have loading or velocity data that might suggest a muzzle velocity for this combination of components to achieve best accuracy?

Your not going to see much more than 2700fps with a 165gr bullet - just to set expectations.
There probably is some recipe that can net you more velocity, but I don't see what it will buy you.

I can't answer for Varget - I use 8208xbr.

The word "accuracy" has to be defined for the 308 because the cartridge is so well understood that a cheap gun with decent ammo will shoot moa.

 

[taylorce1]

I have a friend who swears CFE 223 has been accurate and pushes bullets the fastest in his Ruger American Predator. He's in the upper 2600 fps with 168 TTSX bullets from the 18" Predator model.

 

[ocharry]

my 308 shoots the 168 class bullets just fine...but it prefures the 175 bullets...dont limit your self to how fast or how slow the bullet is going and to a specific weight

i use the nosler 175 bullets and Varget...works good for me and MY rifle

YMMV..and my .02

ocharry

 

[Paul B.]

I have several rifles in .308 with 18.5",20",22" and 24" barrels. My load was worked up at a time in my life when I'd gone exclusively to using ball powders. I settles on W760 as W748 was a bit squirreily in some rifles as I approached maximum charges. The 18.5" gave 2550 FPS, 20" not chronoed, 22" 2610 FPS and 24" gun not chronoed.
The load was originally worked up for the 18.5" gun, a Ruger M77 RSI which would not show any kind of decent groups for it's previous owner and which took me a bit over two years to finally find a usable load. Interesting to note that average velocity was the same as the Speer Nitrex factory ammo which the sadly dropped. Change any one thing from that load and the RSI would shoot patterns.

As others have said there are many powders that work well in the .308. H4895 is good one and one I used before going to all ball powders. I went back to both type a few years back when I bought an RCBS Chargemaster but haven't used a stick powder in the .308 as of yet.
Paul B.