Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .30 Picra with .308 | 135gr | Atomic 29 FNHP bullet and 30 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 60% and propellant combustion ≥ 80%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 9*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,505 psi | 85% | 1348 fps | 92.3% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,665 psi | 88% | 1178 fps | 100% |
| Accurate TCM*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,867 psi | 86% | 1348 fps | 93.7% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 76% | 36,709 psi | 90% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 64% | 36,201 psi | 89% | 1070 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,853 psi | 88% | 1089 fps | 100% |
| Alliant 2400*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 34,795 psi | 86% | 1368 fps | 89.6% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 76% | 36,318 psi | 89% | 1368 fps | 96.6% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 72% | 33,837 psi | 83% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 36,260 psi | 89% | 1132 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 35,157 psi | 87% | 1138 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 72% | 36,114 psi | 89% | 1089 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon LilGun* | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,388 psi | 82% | 1391 fps | 88.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,295 psi | 62% | 971 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D037.2*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,679 psi | 88% | 1365 fps | 92.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,997 psi | 84% | 1158 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot Enforcer*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 34,867 psi | 86% | 1371 fps | 90.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,729 psi | 61% | 994 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 24² | <<locked>> | 64% | 36,535 psi | 90% | 1362 fps | 98.7% |
| Rottweil P 806² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,723 psi | 88% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Heavy Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,679 psi | 88% | 1365 fps | 92.8% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,171 psi | 84% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2*ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,506 psi | 90% | 1394 fps | 93.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 68% | 34,969 psi | 86% | 1260 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 72% | 34,490 psi | 85% | 1322 fps | 98.7% |
| Vihtavuori N105² | <<locked>> | 72% | 32,314 psi | 80% | 1309 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110* | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,648 psi | 80% | 1348 fps | 88.7% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,491 psi | 87% | 1079 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350² | <<locked>> | 68% | 36,593 psi | 90% | 1283 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,679 psi | 88% | 1191 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 9*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,110 psi | 74% | 1276 fps | 90% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,561 psi | 80% | 1142 fps | 100% |
| Accurate TCM*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,429 psi | 75% | 1273 fps | 91.4% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,728 psi | 58% | 1115 fps | 98.5% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,982 psi | 81% | 1030 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,097 psi | 79% | 1040 fps | 100% |
| Alliant 2400*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 30,951 psi | 76% | 1302 fps | 87.3% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,771 psi | 56% | 1125 fps | 89.2% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 24,947 psi | 61% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,054 psi | 81% | 1093 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,583 psi | 58% | 984 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,499 psi | 68% | 981 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon LilGun*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 29,080 psi | 72% | 1319 fps | 85.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 4 gr | 60% | 12,198 psi | 30% | 732 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D037.2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,647 psi | 75% | 1283 fps | 90.2% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,429 psi | 75% | 1112 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot Enforcer*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 30,501 psi | 75% | 1299 fps | 88.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 4.1 gr | 60% | 11,864 psi | 29% | 741 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 24² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,155 psi | 79% | 1296 fps | 97.6% |
| Rottweil P 806² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,256 psi | 77% | 1260 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Heavy Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,647 psi | 75% | 1283 fps | 90.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,719 psi | 76% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2* | <<locked>> | 84% | 23,801 psi | 59% | 1175 fps | 85.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,746 psi | 68% | 1158 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,975 psi | 59% | 1142 fps | 94.5% |
| Vihtavuori N105² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,162 psi | 55% | 1129 fps | 96.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110* | <<locked>> | 84% | 29,414 psi | 72% | 1293 fps | 86.5% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 5.5 gr | 60% | 20,305 psi | 50% | 876 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,138 psi | 72% | 1181 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,778 psi | 78% | 1145 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
* not dangerous but load has suboptimal powder burnt with possible characteristics such as extensive muzzle flash or inaccurate loads.
² fill rate low - you might want to consider using a filler to ensure proper ignition.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 30 powders for .30 Picra loaded with the .308 | 135gr | Atomic 29 FNHP. SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,394 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 971 fps to 1,394 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 6 of the 30 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (280 MPa), the top charges use 61–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 135.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:15.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .30 Picra with the .308 | 135gr | Atomic 29 FNHP they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 9, Accurate TCM, Alliant 2400 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. ADI AP 100, ADI APS 350, ADI APS 450 stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.