Reloder-15 Any Good for .308 Win?

under_dawg · March 29, 2009, 12:55 PM

I have a pound of Reloder-15 that I bought for my Marlin 30-30. Powder around here is pretty hard to come by right now. I have found some load data for it in the 308, but am sort of new at reloading rifle ammo. Will Reloder-15 be a pretty good powder in a 308 with a 150 gr jacketed bullet?

Wildalaska · March 29, 2009, 12:57 PM

I use 40 grains of reloader 15 with a 185 grain scenar loaded to 2.850 (book legnth) with Lapua case, 210M primer for 2400 fps and five shot groups around 1/2 inch

WildbangAlaska TM

kraigwy · March 29, 2009, 01:21 PM

I've seen a lot of 308 high power shooters going to R-15, I'm not one of them, I still like 4895, but thats me, not the powder.

I do use R-15 in my HP 223 loads though, even if that isnt the question you asked.

velocette · March 29, 2009, 03:59 PM

I load RL 15 for my DPMS LR308B using Sierra SMK 168s, RP brass, Fed Match primers & 42.5 gr RL 15. I got sub MOA groups consistently when I did my job. It is a bit slower than IMR 4895 so perhaps better suited for longer barrels than my 18" tube, but no arguing the results I got.

Roger

freonr22 · March 29, 2009, 04:10 PM

from ammoguide.com

Available .30-30 Winchester Loads using Reloder-15 with 150 gr. bullets
Bullet Make
& Wt. (gr) Powder
Type Charge
(gr) Muzzle
Vel. (fps) K. E.
(ft-lbs) Barrel
Len. (in) Owner
150 Speer Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
34.0CM
2170
1569
20.0
View
stigma
150 Hornady Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
36.0
2427
1962
22.0
View
roadrn1
150 Sierra FN Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
36.0
2446
1993
22.0
View
roadrn1
150 Sierra Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
36.0
2450
2000
24.0
View
ammoguide
150 Barnes Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
36.0M
2550
2166
22.0
View
roadrn1
150 Nosler Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
38.0C
2578
2214
22.0
View
roadrn1

**Unclenick** · March 29, 2009, 04:20 PM

RL 15 does a respectable job with 150 grain bullets in the .308 Win. You usually can cross the 2800 fps line without compressing it. Start with around 42 grains and work up.

Wildalaska · March 29, 2009, 04:21 PM

Hes asking for 308 loads

WildthanksforhelpingAlaska TM

Bart B. · March 29, 2009, 04:23 PM

When a bunch of us were developing loads for the US Palma Team to use Sierra's new 155-gr. bullet, we each used a couple of different charge weights of Reloader 15. None of them shot all that well at 600 to 1000 yards. IMR4895 was the powder of choice as it metered fairly uniformly as well as producing the best groups. All the ball powders did horrible.

BobMcG · March 29, 2009, 04:23 PM

Yes. R-15 is a great powder for the .308. You can load it for use with 110-200 bullets in that cartridge.

under_dawg · March 29, 2009, 06:32 PM

Thanks for the reponses guys. I am loading it for my son's Savage that he got for Christmas. I was hoping it would be good for deer hunting. I ggogled it earlier and some said it was temp sensative. I'm not sure if that means the poi would change on a cold or hot day, or if it would not be safe...

**Unclenick** · March 29, 2009, 06:36 PM

Could be both of the above. Develop the loads on a warm day using magnum primers if you have some. They will help get it lit up in cold weather. By the time warm weather comes you may be able to get some H4895, which is less sensitive to temperature than most powders.

Clayfish · March 30, 2009, 01:01 PM

When I loaded for .308 I used r15 and 4895 with great results but the 4895 loads did just a little better in my rifle.

Apache6 · March 31, 2009, 07:51 PM

BartB- Did you test Varget? How did it do?

March 29, 2009, 12:55 PM	#1
under_dawg Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Cayce, SC Posts: 222	Reloder-15 Any Good for .308 Win? I have a pound of Reloder-15 that I bought for my Marlin 30-30. Powder around here is pretty hard to come by right now. I have found some load data for it in the 308, but am sort of new at reloading rifle ammo. Will Reloder-15 be a pretty good powder in a 308 with a 150 gr jacketed bullet?

March 29, 2009, 01:21 PM	#3
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	I've seen a lot of 308 high power shooters going to R-15, I'm not one of them, I still like 4895, but thats me, not the powder. I do use R-15 in my HP 223 loads though, even if that isnt the question you asked. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

March 29, 2009, 03:59 PM	#4
velocette Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 924	I load RL 15 for my DPMS LR308B using Sierra SMK 168s, RP brass, Fed Match primers & 42.5 gr RL 15. I got sub MOA groups consistently when I did my job. It is a bit slower than IMR 4895 so perhaps better suited for longer barrels than my 18" tube, but no arguing the results I got. Roger __________________ Trigger control + Breath control + Sight alignment = Gun Control. http://www.hrpclub.info/ NRA Smallbore Prone Master, High Power Master

March 29, 2009, 04:20 PM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,057	RL 15 does a respectable job with 150 grain bullets in the .308 Win. You usually can cross the 2800 fps line without compressing it. Start with around 42 grains and work up. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 29, 2009, 06:36 PM	#11
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,057	Could be both of the above. Develop the loads on a warm day using magnum primers if you have some. They will help get it lit up in cold weather. By the time warm weather comes you may be able to get some H4895, which is less sensitive to temperature than most powders. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 29, 2009, 12:57 PM	#2
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	I use 40 grains of reloader 15 with a 185 grain scenar loaded to 2.850 (book legnth) with Lapua case, 210M primer for 2400 fps and five shot groups around 1/2 inch WildbangAlaska TM

March 29, 2009, 04:10 PM	#5
freonr22 Member Join Date: December 17, 2008 Posts: 54	from ammoguide.com Available .30-30 Winchester Loads using Reloder-15 with 150 gr. bullets Bullet Make & Wt. (gr) Powder Type Charge (gr) Muzzle Vel. (fps) K. E. (ft-lbs) Barrel Len. (in) Owner 150 Speer Alliant/Herc Reloder-15 34.0CM 2170 1569 20.0 View stigma 150 Hornady Alliant/Herc Reloder-15 36.0 2427 1962 22.0 View roadrn1 150 Sierra FN Alliant/Herc Reloder-15 36.0 2446 1993 22.0 View roadrn1 150 Sierra Alliant/Herc Reloder-15 36.0 2450 2000 24.0 View ammoguide 150 Barnes Alliant/Herc Reloder-15 36.0M 2550 2166 22.0 View roadrn1 150 Nosler Alliant/Herc Reloder-15 38.0C 2578 2214 22.0 View roadrn1

March 29, 2009, 04:21 PM	#7
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Hes asking for 308 loads WildthanksforhelpingAlaska TM

March 29, 2009, 04:23 PM	#8
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	When a bunch of us were developing loads for the US Palma Team to use Sierra's new 155-gr. bullet, we each used a couple of different charge weights of Reloader 15. None of them shot all that well at 600 to 1000 yards. IMR4895 was the powder of choice as it metered fairly uniformly as well as producing the best groups. All the ball powders did horrible.

March 29, 2009, 04:23 PM	#9
BobMcG Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Posts: 81	Yes. R-15 is a great powder for the .308. You can load it for use with 110-200 bullets in that cartridge.

March 29, 2009, 06:32 PM	#10
under_dawg Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Cayce, SC Posts: 222	Thanks for the reponses guys. I am loading it for my son's Savage that he got for Christmas. I was hoping it would be good for deer hunting. I ggogled it earlier and some said it was temp sensative. I'm not sure if that means the poi would change on a cold or hot day, or if it would not be safe...

March 30, 2009, 01:01 PM	#12
Clayfish Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2005 Location: Valdosta, GA Posts: 953	When I loaded for .308 I used r15 and 4895 with great results but the 4895 loads did just a little better in my rifle.

March 31, 2009, 07:51 PM	#13
Apache6 Member Join Date: December 8, 2007 Posts: 87	BartB- Did you test Varget? How did it do?

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