155 ELD-Ms 308 Gas Gun Powders / Loads

[neeltburn]

Decided to pull out my 308 gas gun and get some more time behind it. I put it together in 2017 and have not shot it much. Specs Below. Initially I ended up shooting 155 ELD-Ms over RE-15. My supply of RE-15 is gone now and I haven't be able to resupply. That said I have Varget and 8208 on had as well as a small amount of TAC. What powders do you all typically run in your gassers for best performance?

Current Load ( This netted a MV of 2740fps which I was pleased with)

• 155 ELD-Ms
• 44.8gn RE-15
• CCI BR2s
• Lake City Brass

Build Specs

• Aero M5 Enhance upper
• Aero M5 Lower
• Aero BCG
• Proof Research 1-10 20in Barrel
• Gissele DMR Trigger
• Supperlative AGB
• XLR Butt Stock
• Bushnell DMR 3.5-21
• SAS Arbiter TOMB Suppressor. (Debating switching my Omega 300 on it worth the swap?)

Rifle with previous typical 5 shot group. I can tell I need to work on recoil management with this more. Been shooting a lot of Dasher and 223. I loaded up a test batch of Varget from 44 to 46gn and nothing shot extremely well. Some of that could be me, but most were pushing 1 to 1.25 inches.

 

[sheepdog697]

i think imr4064 is pretty solid for 168 and 175gr pills. That being said, if i was you based off of that group.... id try to find some more RE-15.

Is that one of their steel barrels or their carbon barrels? Also did you do anything besides plug and play with this barrel? Outstanding group

 

[tekmann2377]

I have shot a bunch of Accurate 4064, H4895, and IMR 4064 in mine under 155-168 gr bullets. All seemed to work similarly well.

I have also tried some 8208 XBR- but advance cautiously near max load as I have found this powder to be "peaky." I would personally try this one first.

Even though RL-15 is temp sensitive, I have also gotten great results from it and too bad it is so hard to find!

 

[neeltburn]

i think imr4064 is pretty solid for 168 and 175gr pills. That being said, if i was you based off of that group.... id try to find some more RE-15.

Is that one of their steel barrels or their carbon barrels? Also did you do anything besides plug and play with this barrel? Outstanding group

It is a steel Proof. Just plug and play and verified it was good with a no-go and go gauge.

 

[bobke]

Have had excellent results with Varget, 8208 and AR Comp with most all varieties of 155’s in an 11.25” twist 20” Schneider barrel, 210m, in annealed Hornady or Lapua brass.

 

[neeltburn]

I have shot a bunch of Accurate 4064, H4895, and IMR 4064 in mine under 155-168 gr bullets. All seemed to work similarly well.

I have also tried some 8208 XBR- but advance cautiously near max load as I have found this powder to be "peaky." I would personally try this one first.

Even though RL-15 is temp sensitive, I have also gotten great results from it and too bad it is so hard to find!

I have seen the same thing with 8208 in bolt guns spiking pressure up quickly. To avoid brass getting chewed up I try to stay off the top end if I can find something that will shoot lower.

Note edited: I try to avoid max loads on gas guns.

 

[JR1200W3]

I'm really happy with TAC. Available, not ridiculously expensive, accurate in everything I've tried it in, a little temp sensitive but not the worse of the bunch. You can use H4895(never going to happen), Varget works well but slow, 2520(Temp sensitive AF), BL-C2(very temp sensitive and shitty accuracy in everything I've tried it in), A2460, A2495, 4064, VV N135, N140, 8208 should be really good, StaBall Match, and AR Comp although it's like $450-500 for an 8lb jug right now.

One of the problems you're going to have with that LC brass is that it's thick. You won't be able to fit "book max" charges in the case and you'll reach pressure faster. Ultimately you'll be getting slower velocities out of it.

For TAC I'd recommend between 44.5 - 45.5.

I'd like to try StaBall Match next