Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .308 Marlin Express with .308 | 159gr | IBEX TRD bullet and 38 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are IMR 3031, Alliant AR-Comp and Hodgdon H335.
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>> | 92% | 42,409 psi | 89% | 2359 fps | 99.5% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,959 psi | 86% | 2356 fps | 97% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,540 psi | 89% | 2434 fps | 99.7% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,018 psi | 90% | 2434 fps | 97.1% |
| Accurate 4064ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,624 psi | 83% | 2402 fps | 97.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,641 psi | 89% | 2283 fps | 98.6% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,047 psi | 90% | 2287 fps | 97% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,656 psi | 89% | 2333 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,612 psi | 89% | 2405 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,292 psi | 86% | 2425 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,250 psi | 90% | 2385 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,799 psi | 85% | 2277 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2385 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,221 psi | 88% | 2402 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,185 psi | 69% | 1483 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,626 psi | 87% | 2448 fps | 99.1% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,047 psi | 88% | 2323 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,104 psi | 86% | 2359 fps | 96.4% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,741 psi | 85% | 2408 fps | 96.6% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,524 psi | 87% | 2333 fps | 100% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,438 psi | 89% | 2408 fps | 97.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,098 psi | 69% | 1519 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,640 psi | 87% | 2365 fps | 96.3% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,772 psi | 89% | 2365 fps | 97.4% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,104 psi | 86% | 2359 fps | 96.4% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,741 psi | 85% | 2408 fps | 96.6% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,134 psi | 90% | 2408 fps | 97.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,308 psi | 90% | 2382 fps | 99.2% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,118 psi | 86% | 2290 fps | 97.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,785 psi | 87% | 2323 fps | 98.3% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,453 psi | 89% | 2339 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,743 psi | 89% | 2293 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,205 psi | 86% | 2300 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,772 psi | 89% | 2339 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,004 psi | 90% | 2428 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,714 psi | 89% | 2388 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,539 psi | 87% | 2385 fps | 97.2% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,148 psi | 88% | 2425 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>> | 80% | 30,356 psi | 63% | 2123 fps | 97.1% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,229 psi | 72% | 2224 fps | 95% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 82% | 25,179 psi | 53% | 2067 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,346 psi | 74% | 2293 fps | 95% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 92% | 31,647 psi | 66% | 2241 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,247 psi | 80% | 2205 fps | 97.8% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,624 psi | 81% | 2208 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,567 psi | 85% | 2300 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,491 psi | 74% | 2267 fps | 96.9% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 27.5 gr | 80% | 27,717 psi | 58% | 2129 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,418 psi | 72% | 2221 fps | 99.1% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,260 psi | 76% | 2195 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,866 psi | 69% | 2208 fps | 96% |
| Hodgdon H335 | 31.1 gr | 82% | 35,041 psi | 73% | 2264 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,729 psi | 52% | 1325 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 28.8 gr | 84% | 29,689 psi | 62% | 2185 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,766 psi | 75% | 2208 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,435 psi | 80% | 2306 fps | 95.6% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,245 psi | 76% | 2323 fps | 95.3% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,189 psi | 82% | 2293 fps | 99.9% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,634 psi | 70% | 2238 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,801 psi | 52% | 1358 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 86% | 38,957 psi | 81% | 2316 fps | 95.6% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,534 psi | 72% | 2205 fps | 95.1% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,435 psi | 80% | 2306 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,245 psi | 76% | 2323 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,100 psi | 75% | 2277 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,635 psi | 72% | 2218 fps | 97.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,795 psi | 73% | 2172 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,575 psi | 66% | 2123 fps | 95.4% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,169 psi | 67% | 2139 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,596 psi | 85% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,199 psi | 69% | 2146 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,979 psi | 61% | 2064 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 82% | 25,889 psi | 54% | 2057 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 90% | 34,055 psi | 71% | 2224 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,809 psi | 73% | 2254 fps | 95.2% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 92% | 39,769 psi | 83% | 2382 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 38 powders for .308 Marlin Express loaded with the .308 | 159gr | IBEX TRD. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,448 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,483 fps to 2,448 fps. Accurate 2495 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 38 of the 38 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (330 MPa), the top charges use 69–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 159.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:11.5 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. IMR 3031, Alliant AR-Comp, Hodgdon H335 rank at the top here: for .308 Marlin Express with the .308 | 159gr | IBEX TRD 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.