Loading 308 with H-414

[chasep255]

So the only rifle powder I have been able to find is Hodgdon 414. I have never used this powder before and it is not included in any of my loading manuals. I need to load 110 grain Sierra HP bullets in my 308. Does anyone know where I can find loading data for this?

 

[Jim Watson]

H414 is approaching too slow burning for the case volume of .308.
It only shows up in Hodgdon and Lyman data for the heavy bullets.

Best to get some 168 - 180 grain bullets if that is the only powder you can get. If you can get other bullets.

I don't know of any bad effects if you were to load a 110 over a powder charge recommended for 168... but that does not mean there aren't any.

 

[DAVID NANCARROW]

Agreed, H414 doesn't even show up on their reloading site until you get to 155 grain bullets as a recommendation. I have had good luck with H380 but that's a faster burning powder

 

[SSA]

Hodgdon #26 and Sierra's second edition manual both show a max of 54 gr H414 with a 110 ge bullet. That's probably a full case.

 

[McShooty]

That would be a full case, but combining a slow powder with a light bullet will give very unsatisfactory results.

 

[chasep255]

I usually use H335 but like I said that is all the gun shop had for me. Maybe I can get heavier bullets. I am shooting these out of a Remington 700 VTR so I have heard that I want to stay away from heavier bullets due to the twist rate.

 

[SSA]

Stick with lead-core soft points, as opposed to hollow points, plastic tips or all copper bullets, and anything up to 180 grains should be fine.
Anything 150 or under should work.

 

[Paul B.]

I have an earlier copy of the One Book/One caliber loading booklets for the .308 Win. It does have data for W760 which is the same as H414. Start with the starting load and carefully work up.

W760/110 gr. bullet:

Start: 52.0gr/2878 FPS/39,900 C.U.P.

Max: 54.0 gr./2961 FPS/44,800 C.U.P.

I worked up to the max load with W760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot-Core for 2550 FPS from a rifle with 18.5" barrel and 2610 FPS in a rifle with 22" barrel.
he loads were accurate enough but that powder is IMHO a bit too slow for the .308. It starts to come into it's own with 180 gr. bullets IMO. W760/H414 is probably closer to IMR/H4350 that anything else.
That booklet even has loads for the 220 gr. bullet for the .308. That data is not shown in the newer editions.
Paul B.

 

[schmellba99]

I use it exclusively with 95 grain projectiles out of my .243. It is a good powder.

Granted, .243 and .308 are completely different projectiles, but the parent case is the same.

Why would it be too slow for a .308 but a great powder for a .243, which is pushing a lighter bullet to faster speeds? (I seriously am having a brain fart here).

 

[SSA]

The 308 bullet has 50% more area for the expanding gas to push against, and the bore has 50% more volume, than the 243. A slow powder like H414 doesn't burn & expand fast enough to build equally high pressure in the larger bore.

52 grains of H414 in the 308, with a 110 gr bullet, might result in the same velocity as 40 gr H414 with a 100 gr bullet in a 243. The 308 uses more powder, the 243 (in this example) uses less powder at higher pressure.

With light bullets in the 308, powders faster than H414 will provide higher velocities with less powder and are likely to be more accurate.

 

[Paul B.]

"With light bullets in the 308, powders faster than H414 will provide higher velocities with less powder and are likely to be more accurate."

You're absolutely right. The problem is that's the only powder the OP has. Just a case of trying to make do with what's available.

Paul B.

 

[SSA]

Paul B,
Not trying to talk the OP out of anything. Just trying to help schmellba99 with his self-described brain fart. I would not be surprised if a 110gr bullet/H414 load turned out to be useful.

 

[schmellba99]

Makes sense SSA.

My .243 loves the load of 40.5 gr H414 under a 95gr CT BST. For a factory rifle, it is very accurate out to 400 with that combination. Great for white tail hunting.