Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with .308 | 160gr | Peregrine VRG-3 Lever bullet and 20 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 36, ADI AR 2207 and Alliant Reloder-7.
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: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,368 psi | 88% | 1939 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,382 psi | 88% | 1932 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,961 psi | 85% | 1857 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,469 psi | 88% | 2021 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,469 psi | 88% | 1982 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,369 psi | 55% | 1191 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,278 psi | 80% | 1926 fps | 97% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,934 psi | 89% | 1949 fps | 99.1% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 44,295 psi | 86% | 1936 fps | 97.6% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,311 psi | 90% | 1955 fps | 98.1% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,253 psi | 90% | 1952 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,626 psi | 81% | 1978 fps | 97.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,963 psi | 54% | 1220 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,034 psi | 86% | 1959 fps | 98.8% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,311 psi | 90% | 1955 fps | 98.1% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 44,295 psi | 86% | 1936 fps | 97.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 44,353 psi | 86% | 1919 fps | 98.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,020 psi | 87% | 1837 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,151 psi | 90% | 1900 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,730 psi | 89% | 1995 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,132 psi | 78% | 1870 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,351 psi | 82% | 1896 fps | 99.5% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,870 psi | 75% | 1788 fps | 99.8% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 18.5 gr | 84% | 27,340 psi | 53% | 1729 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | 21 gr | 92% | 37,565 psi | 73% | 1870 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,958 psi | 41% | 1070 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 96% | 36,637 psi | 71% | 1854 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,778 psi | 62% | 1736 fps | 95.9% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,247 psi | 76% | 1860 fps | 96.4% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,265 psi | 84% | 1916 fps | 97.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,545 psi | 59% | 1722 fps | 98.6% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,258 psi | 67% | 1867 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,349 psi | 40% | 1089 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 18.4 gr | 80% | 30,400 psi | 59% | 1745 fps | 95.2% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,265 psi | 84% | 1916 fps | 97.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,247 psi | 76% | 1860 fps | 96.4% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,682 psi | 75% | 1841 fps | 97% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,196 psi | 57% | 1627 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,506 psi | 71% | 1781 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,511 psi | 48% | 1644 fps | 95.7% |
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 28 powders for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian loaded with the .308 | 160gr | Peregrine VRG-3 Lever. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,021 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,191 fps to 2,021 fps. Accurate LT-30 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 28 of the 28 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (355 MPa), the top charges use 54–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 160.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:13.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate LT-30, ADI AR 2207, ADI AR 2219 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 36, ADI AR 2207, Alliant Reloder-7 rank at the top here: for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with the .308 | 160gr | Peregrine VRG-3 Lever they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate LT-30, ADI AR 2219, Alliant AR-Comp burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. 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.