Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .303 Savage with .308 | 125gr | Barnes TSX bullet and 11 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2207, Vihtavuori N120 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
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 ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. 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: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,201 psi | 90% | 2438 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,070 psi | 90% | 2382 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,037 psi | 74% | 1562 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,519 psi | 88% | 2369 fps | 96% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,215 psi | 90% | 2336 fps | 97.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,345 psi | 88% | 2323 fps | 99.7% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,229 psi | 87% | 2425 fps | 96.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,398 psi | 73% | 1594 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,953 psi | 87% | 2352 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,098 psi | 87% | 2208 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,373 psi | 85% | 2365 fps | 99.4% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2207 | 23.5 gr | 80% | 25,498 psi | 65% | 2198 fps | 95.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,982 psi | 84% | 2336 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,147 psi | 54% | 1394 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,489 psi | 83% | 2320 fps | 95.2% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,402 psi | 85% | 2297 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,256 psi | 82% | 2277 fps | 99.5% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,126 psi | 82% | 2375 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 8.7 gr | 80% | 20,813 psi | 53% | 1427 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,908 psi | 81% | 2306 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,618 psi | 78% | 2142 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 23.5 gr | 80% | 25,904 psi | 66% | 2182 fps | 97.3% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 11 powders for .303 Savage loaded with the .308 | 125gr | Barnes TSX. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,438 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,562 fps to 2,438 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 11 of the 11 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 73–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 125.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:14.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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. ADI AR 2207, Vihtavuori N120, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .303 Savage with the .308 | 125gr | Barnes TSX they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.