Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .303 Savage with .308 | 168gr | MEN HPBT Match bullet and 16 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant AR-Comp, Vihtavuori N135 and Accurate 2495.
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.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,157 psi | 90% | 2110 fps | 98.1% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 33,286 psi | 85% | 2149 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,345 psi | 88% | 2165 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,968 psi | 87% | 2093 fps | 98.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,664 psi | 89% | 2037 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,911 psi | 89% | 2126 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,966 psi | 82% | 1375 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,838 psi | 89% | 2178 fps | 97.1% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,968 psi | 87% | 2047 fps | 99.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,749 psi | 81% | 1407 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,490 psi | 88% | 2090 fps | 97.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,215 psi | 90% | 2073 fps | 96.1% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,157 psi | 90% | 2083 fps | 96.1% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,592 psi | 88% | 2057 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 90% | 34,113 psi | 87% | 2057 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,475 psi | 85% | 2126 fps | 97.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 82% | 27,369 psi | 70% | 1946 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate 2495 | 28.4 gr | 90% | 25,643 psi | 65% | 1985 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 25 gr | 80% | 23,975 psi | 61% | 1909 fps | 96.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,081 psi | 77% | 2014 fps | 97.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,518 psi | 83% | 1998 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,938 psi | 84% | 2087 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,467 psi | 60% | 1224 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,009 psi | 79% | 2096 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,966 psi | 82% | 2008 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,424 psi | 60% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,589 psi | 78% | 2008 fps | 95.7% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,228 psi | 85% | 2034 fps | 95.4% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,243 psi | 85% | 2044 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,964 psi | 74% | 1942 fps | 97% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 28,369 psi | 72% | 1936 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | 26.9 gr | 88% | 26,498 psi | 68% | 1965 fps | 95% |
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 16 powders for .303 Savage loaded with the .308 | 168gr | MEN HPBT Match. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,178 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,375 fps to 2,178 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 16 of the 16 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 81–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 168.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:6.0 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. Alliant AR-Comp, Vihtavuori N135, Accurate 2495 rank at the top here: for .303 Savage with the .308 | 168gr | MEN HPBT Match 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.