Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .308 Marlin Express with .308 | 130gr | Barnes X BT bullet and 29 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant AR-Comp, IMR 3031 and Hodgdon H322.
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: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,859 psi | 90% | 2671 fps | 98.8% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,161 psi | 84% | 2697 fps | 98.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,046 psi | 86% | 2546 fps | 97.1% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,698 psi | 85% | 2615 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,886 psi | 85% | 2671 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,611 psi | 87% | 2740 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,249 psi | 86% | 2661 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,511 psi | 89% | 2618 fps | 99.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,582 psi | 87% | 2582 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,148 psi | 88% | 2697 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,728 psi | 89% | 2710 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,409 psi | 89% | 2585 fps | 96.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,605 psi | 68% | 1696 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,279 psi | 88% | 2766 fps | 98.1% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,467 psi | 89% | 2638 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,756 psi | 87% | 2648 fps | 99.7% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,844 psi | 90% | 2717 fps | 96.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,721 psi | 68% | 1739 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,191 psi | 86% | 2674 fps | 95.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,698 psi | 87% | 2657 fps | 98% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,568 psi | 87% | 2589 fps | 95.7% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,972 psi | 84% | 2575 fps | 96.5% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,714 psi | 89% | 2638 fps | 97.1% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,799 psi | 85% | 2572 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,785 psi | 87% | 2608 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,192 psi | 90% | 2648 fps | 98.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,770 psi | 85% | 2694 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori N140ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,192 psi | 90% | 2694 fps | 96.7% |
| Vihtavuori N540ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,785 psi | 87% | 2680 fps | 95.7% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 82% | 30,342 psi | 63% | 2395 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 88% | 28,021 psi | 59% | 2415 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,709 psi | 77% | 2454 fps | 95.9% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,551 psi | 81% | 2572 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,013 psi | 75% | 2566 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 31 gr | 80% | 26,397 psi | 55% | 2352 fps | 96.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,605 psi | 68% | 2467 fps | 97.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,059 psi | 84% | 2569 fps | 99.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,751 psi | 73% | 2438 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon H322 | 33.6 gr | 84% | 35,259 psi | 74% | 2546 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,379 psi | 84% | 2661 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,248 psi | 84% | 2543 fps | 96.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,279 psi | 51% | 1516 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 34.9 gr | 90% | 33,634 psi | 70% | 2566 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,301 psi | 72% | 2464 fps | 98.7% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,376 psi | 78% | 2556 fps | 99.1% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,392 psi | 80% | 2625 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,236 psi | 51% | 1552 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 84% | 38,812 psi | 81% | 2625 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,866 psi | 69% | 2457 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 39,436 psi | 82% | 2546 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 96% | 35,781 psi | 75% | 2487 fps | 95.2% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,260 psi | 76% | 2507 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,638 psi | 81% | 2536 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,517 psi | 66% | 2385 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,748 psi | 64% | 2375 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 88% | 29,182 psi | 61% | 2418 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,740 psi | 81% | 2605 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,450 psi | 82% | 2635 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 29 powders for .308 Marlin Express loaded with the .308 | 130gr | Barnes X BT. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,766 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,696 fps to 2,766 fps. Accurate 2495 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 29 of the 29 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (330 MPa), the top charges use 68–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 130.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:14.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2495, 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, IMR 3031, Hodgdon H322 rank at the top here: for .308 Marlin Express with the .308 | 130gr | Barnes X BT 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.