I am just starting OCW with this powder in 223 tomorrow, the advert for this powder says its ideal for 556 and 762 AR guns, I found a small sampling of load data for 556 but very little for 308. Anyone have experience with 8208 and 308 yet?
8208 XBR and 308
- Thread starter ArmyJerry
- Start date
Yes. Great for 168's on down. 175's can get more velocity with Varget. What bullet you using for 308?
Most common usage is with 155's and I feel that's where 8208 really shines. With those I would work from 43 to 45.5 grains in Winchester or Lapua brass. Most find a great load around 45.0.
168's I'd go from 40.5 to 43.5. Most find something between 42 and 43.
My 16.5" gas gun has lower nodes than others with longer barrels but here's a 7 shot group at 100 yards with 168 Amax's at 100 yards from zeroing this last Tuesday. The orange dot measures 1".
Only had 4 rounds left at the end of the day and decided to put them on paper at 500 to have something to take home and show off to the wife. Same load as above, Lots of potential with 8208 as you see here, the grid is 1" squares. Didn't hold for wind, just held center diamond and fired.
Most common usage is with 155's and I feel that's where 8208 really shines. With those I would work from 43 to 45.5 grains in Winchester or Lapua brass. Most find a great load around 45.0.
168's I'd go from 40.5 to 43.5. Most find something between 42 and 43.
My 16.5" gas gun has lower nodes than others with longer barrels but here's a 7 shot group at 100 yards with 168 Amax's at 100 yards from zeroing this last Tuesday. The orange dot measures 1".
Only had 4 rounds left at the end of the day and decided to put them on paper at 500 to have something to take home and show off to the wife. Same load as above, Lots of potential with 8208 as you see here, the grid is 1" squares. Didn't hold for wind, just held center diamond and fired.
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One of my best 308 bolt rifle loads is 48.2 gr. 8208 XBR and a 125gr. Speer TNT.
Mind you, this is out of a 30" 12 twist barrel but it's my best for under 300 yds. It's a little on the quick side for bullets over the 155's IMHO.
B
Mind you, this is out of a 30" 12 twist barrel but it's my best for under 300 yds. It's a little on the quick side for bullets over the 155's IMHO.
B
It a good powder but it builds up pressure quick.Keep a close eye when developing loads.
Regards , Mike
Regards , Mike
I run XBR in my 24" 1-10 .308 Savage, pushing the 185 Bergers to 2743 avg.
I just worked up a load for my AR pushing 55gr Sierra Blitzkings, those haven't been
across the chrono yet, only OCW.
.308 in LC LR brass
.223 in LC Brass
Will soon work up a load for the .243 with 95gr VLD's and 95gr SST's in Norma and Federal Brass.
Trying to stay with the XBR since I have an ample supply, and a LGS seems to keep getting it in
Steve
I just worked up a load for my AR pushing 55gr Sierra Blitzkings, those haven't been
across the chrono yet, only OCW.
.308 in LC LR brass
.223 in LC Brass
Will soon work up a load for the .243 with 95gr VLD's and 95gr SST's in Norma and Federal Brass.
Trying to stay with the XBR since I have an ample supply, and a LGS seems to keep getting it in
Steve
That just seems crazy fast, from a 24" barrel and using a powder as fast burning as XBR.
Care to share load data?
42.2 gr IMR 8208 XBR in a Lapua case, with 175 gr SMK and BR-2 primer gives me 2700-2710 fps avg. In my rifle load to 2.825" OAL.
I love the powder but it's in short supply where I live.
It's on my "short list" of powders.
CFE223, IMR-4064, Varget, H-4350, and IMR-8208 XBR cover all of my rifle loads with bullet weights from 52 gr to 175 gr. For the few 185 gr and up bullets I shoot I have plenty of RL-17 but when it's gone the loads will change to one of the "favorite five".
I love the powder but it's in short supply where I live.
It's on my "short list" of powders.
CFE223, IMR-4064, Varget, H-4350, and IMR-8208 XBR cover all of my rifle loads with bullet weights from 52 gr to 175 gr. For the few 185 gr and up bullets I shoot I have plenty of RL-17 but when it's gone the loads will change to one of the "favorite five".
I was planning on using 8208 in a dpms sass, 18in barrel, with 155 scenars. What velocity would y'all expect without beating up the action too much?
I'm just a bit shy of 2700 with the Sierra 155s (2156) out of my 18" DPMS. Match prepped mil. surplus brass. Haven't tried it under 168s but it's noticeably deficient velocity-wise under the 175s. I was seeing pressure signs 50fps. under my Varget load that's running comfortably below max. Benchmark also works well with the 155s but the slightly slower XBR seems to run the gun a bit better for whatever reason.
168 Sierras with 43gr of 8208 gives ragged dot accuracy in my Remmy PSS. Not sure of velocity but with that level of accuracy and from a 26" barrel I'm really not worried about it.
Xbr is what use when varget is not available. I like it better than Varget .
**these loads work for my rifle , do not try these without working up to this.***
Rem700 m40a1 clone 24" rock 1-12 twist
175 smk
41-41.5 xbr
LC LR
2.80
210m
2620 fps
AW 20" factory barrel
155 scenar
45.8 xbr
Lapua
Cci 250
2.835
2850 fps
Aw awp barrel 24"
M40a1 hot load !!
168 smk
43.2 xbr
Lapua
210m
2.80
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-reloading-depot/182028-imr-8208-xbr.html
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ng/74116-308-sie-175-varget-imr-8208-xbr.html
**these loads work for my rifle , do not try these without working up to this.***
Rem700 m40a1 clone 24" rock 1-12 twist
175 smk
41-41.5 xbr
LC LR
2.80
210m
2620 fps
AW 20" factory barrel
155 scenar
45.8 xbr
Lapua
Cci 250
2.835
2850 fps
Aw awp barrel 24"
M40a1 hot load !!
168 smk
43.2 xbr
Lapua
210m
2.80
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-reloading-depot/182028-imr-8208-xbr.html
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ng/74116-308-sie-175-varget-imr-8208-xbr.html
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XBR was developed either by or for Australian military use...with one of the considerations being stability in different temp. ranges. It's made in Australia and packaged by Hogdon/IMR
I've used a lot of 8208 in .223, and it's a great powder there.
Every powder I've used in .308 works equally well in .223 so logic dictates 8208 will be excellent in .308 as well.
Every powder I've used in .308 works equally well in .223 so logic dictates 8208 will be excellent in .308 as well.
I ran off ~ 350 rounds of various 175 and 178 gr bullets, using 41.5 grains of 8208 in a variety of brands of brass: Hornady Match, Winchester, Lapua, BHA, etc. Some of them in lots of 50 and some in odd lots of cases I had that were used to finish up the primers I had in the feeder!
So I ran off 4-5 full boxes (50 round count, all same case head) and several small ones with anywhere from 5-25 rounds (no mixed brass). All rounds were loaded with Fed 210m primers, loaded on my Dillon 550 with the Dillon powder measure and brass lots.
I didn't chrono any of them but did fire samples from each at 100 yards and then way out yonder to 700. 100 yard groups were often fantastic, going into 3/4". And I made good hits at 565 -700 yards with that load. I did find that I had difficulty extracting some of the cases in one of my bolt guns, a Rem. 700 that has a match chamber. They extracted but they were sticky. So I went to some other ammo I had loaded up with Varget and continued with no difficulty.
I returned a couple weeks later with 2 other bolt guns, both Remingtons, one with a match chamber done by the same smith who did the first one and another one, a 5R Milspec that is stock. Both ran the 41.5 gr. load with great accuracy and no issues with sticky bolt lift.
I have elected not to pull the remaining ~ 120 or so as they ran fine in two rifles and I have another 2 that I want to try them in as well! The next loads I'll do will start a grain lower and I'll work up. And maybe I'll get off my ass and set up my chrony...
Cases all looked good, no issues with blown or burnt primer pockets. I'm uncertain what caused some of the cases to stick in the chamber of the first rifle but clearly, I can't rule out that load might be too hot for that rifle. But it is accurate!
So I ran off 4-5 full boxes (50 round count, all same case head) and several small ones with anywhere from 5-25 rounds (no mixed brass). All rounds were loaded with Fed 210m primers, loaded on my Dillon 550 with the Dillon powder measure and brass lots.
I didn't chrono any of them but did fire samples from each at 100 yards and then way out yonder to 700. 100 yard groups were often fantastic, going into 3/4". And I made good hits at 565 -700 yards with that load. I did find that I had difficulty extracting some of the cases in one of my bolt guns, a Rem. 700 that has a match chamber. They extracted but they were sticky. So I went to some other ammo I had loaded up with Varget and continued with no difficulty.
I returned a couple weeks later with 2 other bolt guns, both Remingtons, one with a match chamber done by the same smith who did the first one and another one, a 5R Milspec that is stock. Both ran the 41.5 gr. load with great accuracy and no issues with sticky bolt lift.
I have elected not to pull the remaining ~ 120 or so as they ran fine in two rifles and I have another 2 that I want to try them in as well! The next loads I'll do will start a grain lower and I'll work up. And maybe I'll get off my ass and set up my chrony...
Cases all looked good, no issues with blown or burnt primer pockets. I'm uncertain what caused some of the cases to stick in the chamber of the first rifle but clearly, I can't rule out that load might be too hot for that rifle. But it is accurate!
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The reason for the sticky bolt could be the brass , or the different chambers in the rifles ,the sized brass might not fit well in both.
Thanks 81!
I think that is probably it as well. I had 5 cases that would not chamber at all in a box of 36 8X Fired Lapua cases! So I pulled those and annealed all of them and resized them after turning the die down another couple thou.
As I load for 6 different .308s, I have chosen to stay at the high end of factory spec for the case size so I can still use them in all of them. I realize that is not optimal for accuracy in any particular rifle.
I think that is probably it as well. I had 5 cases that would not chamber at all in a box of 36 8X Fired Lapua cases! So I pulled those and annealed all of them and resized them after turning the die down another couple thou.
As I load for 6 different .308s, I have chosen to stay at the high end of factory spec for the case size so I can still use them in all of them. I realize that is not optimal for accuracy in any particular rifle.
I'm getting real close to 2700fps with a 16" gas gun using 155 Nosler CC using 44 grains of 8208 YMMV
Thanks for the info gents, I cant seem to get this powder to shoot as good as RL 15 with the 223 77 grainers in LC brass yet but will keep trying
I have run it with 155 Scenars and 155 Palmas with very good results. I have been using mostly Federal and Lapua brass with around 43gr with the Scenars @ ~2725 or 45gr with the Palmas @ ~2840. These numbers are from a 18in 5R Savage barrel.
2800+ seems like its cookin from an 18" barrel...how's the accuracy in that (I presume) 10P-SR?
That is cookin ;-)
It was a factory Savage 10FP 26in barrel cut down to 18.
With the Scenars, I would show pressure signs long before that but with the Sierras, the bearing surface is so short that I could run a lot more powder before I showed signs of pressure. My Scenar load was more accurate for sure but the Sierra load was still sub-MOA. I was so pleased with the speed that I was willing to sacrifice some group size to have it. That said, I've still had quite a few first (and second) round strikes between 700 and 1100 yards. The trade off is that the barrel is at just over 3000 rounds and is showing signs of excessive bore wear.
-Bryan
