Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .303 Savage with .308 | 125gr | CutEdge Maximus bullet and 10 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>> | 88% | 33,881 psi | 87% | 2418 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,823 psi | 86% | 2365 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,066 psi | 74% | 1572 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,273 psi | 90% | 2398 fps | 96.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,012 psi | 89% | 2346 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,418 psi | 90% | 2457 fps | 96.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,834 psi | 74% | 1614 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,867 psi | 89% | 2382 fps | 97.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,824 psi | 89% | 2231 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,272 psi | 88% | 2395 fps | 99.6% |
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 | 24.1 gr | 80% | 26,295 psi | 67% | 2231 fps | 96.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 84% | 31,792 psi | 81% | 2320 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,335 psi | 54% | 1407 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,214 psi | 85% | 2349 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,880 psi | 84% | 2300 fps | 99.6% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 88% | 30,966 psi | 79% | 2359 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 8.8 gr | 80% | 20,653 psi | 53% | 1430 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,779 psi | 84% | 2336 fps | 97.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,009 psi | 79% | 2156 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 24.1 gr | 80% | 26,716 psi | 68% | 2215 fps | 97.8% |
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 10 powders for .303 Savage loaded with the .308 | 125gr | CutEdge Maximus. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,457 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,572 fps to 2,457 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 10 of the 10 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 74–90 %, 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 | CutEdge Maximus 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.