Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .303 Savage with .308 | 130gr | CutEdge ESP Raptor 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, 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 ≥ 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% | 34,374 psi | 88% | 2375 fps | 99.1% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,040 psi | 84% | 2392 fps | 96.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,258 psi | 87% | 2323 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,573 psi | 76% | 1539 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,576 psi | 86% | 2306 fps | 96.2% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,576 psi | 86% | 2365 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,993 psi | 74% | 1575 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,201 psi | 90% | 2336 fps | 98.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,273 psi | 90% | 2182 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,708 psi | 89% | 2349 fps | 99.7% |
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 | 23.6 gr | 80% | 26,542 psi | 68% | 2188 fps | 96.9% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 98% | 31,082 psi | 79% | 2343 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,213 psi | 82% | 2277 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | 8.5 gr | 80% | 21,306 psi | 54% | 1368 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 31,952 psi | 82% | 2270 fps | 95.6% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 86% | 29,617 psi | 76% | 2274 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 8.7 gr | 80% | 21,002 psi | 54% | 1401 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,098 psi | 85% | 2290 fps | 97.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,705 psi | 81% | 2116 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,934 psi | 69% | 2169 fps | 98.2% |
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 | 130gr | CutEdge ESP Raptor. Alliant AR-Comp delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,392 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,539 fps to 2,392 fps. Alliant AR-Comp 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 130.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:15.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant AR-Comp, 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, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .303 Savage with the .308 | 130gr | CutEdge ESP Raptor 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.