Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .308 Marlin Express with .308 | 155gr | Merlin Virtus bullet and 42 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant AR-Comp, Hodgdon H335 and IMR 3031.
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: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,104 psi | 86% | 2428 fps | 99.5% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,163 psi | 88% | 2467 fps | 97.6% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,449 psi | 78% | 2441 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,337 psi | 88% | 2510 fps | 97.3% |
| Accurate 4064ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,925 psi | 73% | 2408 fps | 96.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,728 psi | 89% | 2369 fps | 98.8% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,192 psi | 90% | 2375 fps | 97.2% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,090 psi | 88% | 2411 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,598 psi | 89% | 2490 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,466 psi | 85% | 2497 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,279 psi | 88% | 2461 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,930 psi | 86% | 2375 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,625 psi | 85% | 2356 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,133 psi | 86% | 2464 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,974 psi | 88% | 2484 fps | 97.8% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,582 psi | 87% | 2359 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,836 psi | 67% | 1522 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,046 psi | 86% | 2523 fps | 99.1% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,742 psi | 87% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,192 psi | 90% | 2484 fps | 97.2% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,235 psi | 88% | 2467 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex D073.6ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,960 psi | 90% | 2533 fps | 97.4% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,105 psi | 88% | 2441 fps | 100% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,061 psi | 88% | 2487 fps | 97.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,821 psi | 66% | 1562 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,901 psi | 85% | 2438 fps | 96.4% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,062 psi | 90% | 2470 fps | 97.8% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,192 psi | 90% | 2484 fps | 97.2% |
| Shooters World Match Rifleᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,960 psi | 90% | 2533 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,815 psi | 89% | 2188 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,047 psi | 90% | 2493 fps | 97.9% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 43,105 psi | 90% | 2464 fps | 99.3% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,105 psi | 90% | 2408 fps | 97.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,899 psi | 81% | 2356 fps | 97.9% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,205 psi | 86% | 2405 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,308 psi | 88% | 2372 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 92% | 43,250 psi | 90% | 2418 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,380 psi | 89% | 2418 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,595 psi | 83% | 2457 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N140ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,337 psi | 88% | 2467 fps | 98.1% |
| Vihtavuori N540ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,683 psi | 85% | 2454 fps | 97.3% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,959 psi | 88% | 2510 fps | 96% |
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>> | 80% | 26,252 psi | 55% | 2116 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,461 psi | 72% | 2323 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 88% | 24,714 psi | 52% | 2159 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,695 psi | 77% | 2408 fps | 95.8% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 96% | 30,501 psi | 64% | 2310 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,389 psi | 74% | 2231 fps | 97.2% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,781 psi | 75% | 2234 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,086 psi | 77% | 2329 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,518 psi | 68% | 2290 fps | 96.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 29 gr | 80% | 24,453 psi | 51% | 2129 fps | 97.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,618 psi | 64% | 2231 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,522 psi | 80% | 2333 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,504 psi | 70% | 2221 fps | 97% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,776 psi | 62% | 2224 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H335 | 33.6 gr | 84% | 34,214 psi | 71% | 2333 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,146 psi | 82% | 2316 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,409 psi | 49% | 1358 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 31.1 gr | 86% | 28,195 psi | 59% | 2238 fps | 95.3% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,851 psi | 69% | 2234 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,391 psi | 78% | 2382 fps | 95.6% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,349 psi | 82% | 2415 fps | 95.5% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,505 psi | 72% | 2375 fps | 95% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,693 psi | 72% | 2306 fps | 99.6% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,329 psi | 68% | 2297 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,250 psi | 49% | 1391 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 88% | 38,522 psi | 80% | 2392 fps | 95.7% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,939 psi | 71% | 2293 fps | 95.3% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,391 psi | 78% | 2382 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,505 psi | 72% | 2375 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,582 psi | 85% | 2156 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,779 psi | 68% | 2293 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,488 psi | 66% | 2238 fps | 96.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,359 psi | 70% | 2228 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 30,516 psi | 64% | 2185 fps | 95.3% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 86% | 30,371 psi | 63% | 2188 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,304 psi | 78% | 2293 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,718 psi | 62% | 2159 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,788 psi | 54% | 2070 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 86% | 25,396 psi | 53% | 2139 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,764 psi | 68% | 2283 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 94% | 33,518 psi | 70% | 2313 fps | 95.1% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 94% | 39,189 psi | 82% | 2457 fps | 95.2% |
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 42 powders for .308 Marlin Express loaded with the .308 | 155gr | Merlin Virtus. Lovex D073.6 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,533 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,522 fps to 2,533 fps. Accurate 2495 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 42 of the 42 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (330 MPa), the top charges use 66–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 155.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:12.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2495, Accurate 4064, Hodgdon TrailBoss 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, Hodgdon H335, IMR 3031 rank at the top here: for .308 Marlin Express with the .308 | 155gr | Merlin Virtus 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.