Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .308 Marlin Express with .308 | 165gr | RWS Doppelkern bullet and 54 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are IMR 3031, Winchester 748 and Accurate 2520.
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>> | 88% | 40,654 psi | 85% | 2369 fps | 99.9% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2408 fps | 98.6% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,234 psi | 86% | 2448 fps | 100% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,785 psi | 87% | 2454 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,031 psi | 86% | 2467 fps | 99.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,931 psi | 90% | 2333 fps | 99.6% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,308 psi | 90% | 2339 fps | 98.5% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,770 psi | 85% | 2411 fps | 99.3% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,453 psi | 89% | 2425 fps | 96.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,728 psi | 89% | 2480 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Power Pro 1200-R | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,612 psi | 89% | 2503 fps | 96.2% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,191 psi | 86% | 2457 fps | 96.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2392 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,423 psi | 87% | 2329 fps | 99.6% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,524 psi | 85% | 2457 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,496 psi | 89% | 2379 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,293 psi | 88% | 2480 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,453 psi | 89% | 2444 fps | 99.5% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,422 psi | 84% | 2411 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon H4895 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,656 psi | 89% | 2461 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon LEVERevolution | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,770 psi | 85% | 2467 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,040 psi | 69% | 1519 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,134 psi | 90% | 2513 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,888 psi | 90% | 2369 fps | 100% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,453 psi | 89% | 2425 fps | 96.7% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,379 psi | 86% | 2408 fps | 97.5% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,598 psi | 89% | 2480 fps | 98.5% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,829 psi | 87% | 2431 fps | 96.7% |
| Norma 201 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2411 fps | 96.6% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,365 psi | 86% | 2431 fps | 98.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,185 psi | 69% | 1555 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,438 psi | 89% | 2425 fps | 98.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,119 psi | 88% | 2533 fps | 97.7% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,960 psi | 90% | 2421 fps | 98.8% |
| Rottweil R 902 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,858 psi | 87% | 2408 fps | 96.6% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,598 psi | 89% | 2480 fps | 98.5% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,829 psi | 87% | 2431 fps | 96.7% |
| Shooters World Tactical Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,395 psi | 89% | 2385 fps | 96.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,365 psi | 86% | 2421 fps | 98.6% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,959 psi | 88% | 2395 fps | 99.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,626 psi | 87% | 2346 fps | 98.6% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,989 psi | 90% | 2385 fps | 99.5% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,641 psi | 89% | 2451 fps | 97.1% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 43,047 psi | 90% | 2392 fps | 99.4% |
| Somchem S355ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,843 psi | 87% | 2454 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,916 psi | 88% | 2346 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,220 psi | 86% | 2352 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,105 psi | 88% | 2444 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,582 psi | 87% | 2411 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N150ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,205 psi | 84% | 2402 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,540 psi | 89% | 2421 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,772 psi | 89% | 2448 fps | 98.8% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,712 psi | 85% | 2451 fps | 97.3% |
| Winchester StaBALL Match | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,743 psi | 89% | 2470 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% | 31,691 psi | 66% | 2195 fps | 98.7% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,055 psi | 71% | 2267 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,424 psi | 51% | 2087 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate 2520 | 35 gr | 82% | 31,734 psi | 66% | 2257 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 86% | 27,905 psi | 58% | 2192 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,654 psi | 85% | 2293 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,031 psi | 86% | 2300 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,247 psi | 80% | 2365 fps | 98.9% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 86% | 37,536 psi | 78% | 2333 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,095 psi | 61% | 2215 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Power Pro 1200-R | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,929 psi | 83% | 2454 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,696 psi | 81% | 2408 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,448 psi | 76% | 2300 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,769 psi | 81% | 2283 fps | 99.2% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 96% | 37,652 psi | 79% | 2405 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,708 psi | 75% | 2251 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,490 psi | 72% | 2329 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,969 psi | 73% | 2300 fps | 98.2% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,404 psi | 74% | 2316 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon H4895 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,103 psi | 84% | 2415 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon LEVERevolution | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,392 psi | 80% | 2421 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,482 psi | 51% | 1355 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 31.3 gr | 80% | 27,934 psi | 58% | 2192 fps | 96.8% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,985 psi | 79% | 2287 fps | 100% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 86% | 37,536 psi | 78% | 2333 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,707 psi | 70% | 2260 fps | 95.2% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,313 psi | 63% | 2234 fps | 95% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,941 psi | 77% | 2339 fps | 95.3% |
| Norma 201 | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,651 psi | 77% | 2316 fps | 95.2% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 82% | 30,110 psi | 63% | 2198 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,453 psi | 51% | 1388 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,925 psi | 73% | 2280 fps | 96.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 96% | 37,028 psi | 77% | 2425 fps | 95.9% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,865 psi | 67% | 2198 fps | 96% |
| Rottweil R 902 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,999 psi | 77% | 2316 fps | 95.2% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,313 psi | 63% | 2234 fps | 95% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,941 psi | 77% | 2339 fps | 95.3% |
| Shooters World Tactical Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,494 psi | 83% | 2333 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,841 psi | 81% | 2375 fps | 98.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,101 psi | 78% | 2306 fps | 99.2% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,690 psi | 64% | 2129 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 26,469 psi | 55% | 2047 fps | 95.2% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 84% | 37,420 psi | 78% | 2356 fps | 95.7% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,095 psi | 63% | 2136 fps | 96.6% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,320 psi | 82% | 2408 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,925 psi | 73% | 2221 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,414 psi | 64% | 2142 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,527 psi | 53% | 2096 fps | 97% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 82% | 28,601 psi | 60% | 2142 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 96% | 35,433 psi | 74% | 2306 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 86% | 37,420 psi | 78% | 2326 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 84% | 29,153 psi | 61% | 2172 fps | 95% |
| Winchester 748 | 35.6 gr | 84% | 33,634 psi | 70% | 2306 fps | 95% |
| Winchester StaBALL Match | <<locked>> | 92% | 39,900 psi | 83% | 2418 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 54 powders for .308 Marlin Express loaded with the .308 | 165gr | RWS Doppelkern. ReloadSwiss RS 60 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,533 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,519 fps to 2,533 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 54 of the 54 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 165.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:16.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, ReloadSwiss RS 60 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, Winchester 748, Accurate 2520 rank at the top here: for .308 Marlin Express with the .308 | 165gr | RWS Doppelkern 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.