Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .303 Savage with .308 | 220gr | Winchester Silvertip bullet and 31 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 60, Accurate 4064 and Vihtavuori N135.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,375 psi | 90% | 1831 fps | 99.9% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,417 psi | 85% | 1860 fps | 99.9% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,257 psi | 85% | 1854 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,431 psi | 85% | 1880 fps | 98.6% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,592 psi | 88% | 1837 fps | 95.9% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,534 psi | 88% | 1883 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,664 psi | 89% | 1903 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,910 psi | 87% | 1880 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,620 psi | 86% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,157 psi | 90% | 1909 fps | 99.7% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,592 psi | 88% | 1837 fps | 95.9% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,069 psi | 87% | 1880 fps | 97.8% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,055 psi | 87% | 1847 fps | 95.9% |
| Norma 201 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,823 psi | 86% | 1827 fps | 95.8% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,736 psi | 86% | 1844 fps | 98.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,663 psi | 86% | 1237 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 92% | 33,808 psi | 86% | 1919 fps | 96.5% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,230 psi | 90% | 1834 fps | 98.3% |
| Rottweil R 902 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,330 psi | 88% | 1831 fps | 95.9% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,069 psi | 87% | 1880 fps | 97.8% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,055 psi | 87% | 1847 fps | 95.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,881 psi | 87% | 1775 fps | 98.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,041 psi | 89% | 1814 fps | 99.2% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,186 psi | 90% | 1818 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,649 psi | 86% | 1785 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,592 psi | 88% | 1867 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,605 psi | 86% | 1831 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,621 psi | 88% | 1860 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,968 psi | 87% | 1827 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,432 psi | 88% | 1860 fps | 98.2% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,012 psi | 89% | 1896 fps | 97.1% |
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>> | 80% | 33,286 psi | 85% | 1798 fps | 99.7% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,831 psi | 66% | 1719 fps | 98.6% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,024 psi | 79% | 1814 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate 4064 | 25.3 gr | 80% | 24,526 psi | 63% | 1699 fps | 95.6% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,314 psi | 83% | 1795 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,574 psi | 78% | 1814 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,634 psi | 83% | 1867 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,691 psi | 81% | 1841 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,816 psi | 63% | 1076 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,008 psi | 74% | 1795 fps | 98.6% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,314 psi | 83% | 1795 fps | 95.1% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,905 psi | 71% | 1762 fps | 95.6% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,140 psi | 82% | 1811 fps | 95.2% |
| Norma 201 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,879 psi | 81% | 1791 fps | 95.1% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,617 psi | 76% | 1768 fps | 97% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,976 psi | 64% | 1106 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | 30.5 gr | 90% | 31,952 psi | 82% | 1880 fps | 95.6% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,301 psi | 85% | 1801 fps | 97.8% |
| Rottweil R 902 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,053 psi | 82% | 1788 fps | 95.1% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,905 psi | 71% | 1762 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,140 psi | 82% | 1811 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,908 psi | 81% | 1742 fps | 97.6% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,831 psi | 66% | 1644 fps | 96.5% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,357 psi | 80% | 1749 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,720 psi | 81% | 1749 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | 24.4 gr | 80% | 26,745 psi | 68% | 1722 fps | 98.7% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,949 psi | 71% | 1722 fps | 96.7% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,501 psi | 78% | 1788 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,053 psi | 82% | 1791 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,890 psi | 69% | 1713 fps | 95.6% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,618 psi | 78% | 1811 fps | 95.5% |
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 31 powders for .303 Savage loaded with the .308 | 220gr | Winchester Silvertip. ReloadSwiss RS 60 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,919 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,211 fps to 1,919 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 31 of the 31 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 85–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 220.0 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. ReloadSwiss RS 60, Accurate 4064, Vihtavuori N135 rank at the top here: for .303 Savage with the .308 | 220gr | Winchester Silvertip they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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.