Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with .308 | 165gr | Barnes X FN bullet and 19 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2207, Norma 200 and Vihtavuori N120.
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>> | 90% | 45,223 psi | 88% | 1890 fps | 97.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,006 psi | 89% | 1831 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,832 psi | 89% | 1969 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,815 psi | 83% | 1946 fps | 96.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,093 psi | 90% | 1936 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,879 psi | 60% | 1184 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,919 psi | 89% | 1942 fps | 98.2% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,078 psi | 88% | 1886 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,035 psi | 89% | 1909 fps | 98.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,816 psi | 85% | 1867 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 46,035 psi | 89% | 1975 fps | 98.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,313 psi | 59% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 44,048 psi | 86% | 1906 fps | 99% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,035 psi | 89% | 1909 fps | 98.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,919 psi | 89% | 1890 fps | 98.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,179 psi | 88% | 1785 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 82% | 44,150 psi | 86% | 1818 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,934 psi | 89% | 1942 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,539 psi | 81% | 1877 fps | 96.1% |
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>> | 84% | 37,565 psi | 73% | 1781 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,685 psi | 85% | 1801 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 17.7 gr | 80% | 29,254 psi | 57% | 1706 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,247 psi | 74% | 1880 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,722 psi | 67% | 1768 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,945 psi | 45% | 1060 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,476 psi | 69% | 1781 fps | 95.5% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,129 psi | 70% | 1759 fps | 97.6% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,729 psi | 85% | 1877 fps | 97.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,375 psi | 69% | 1745 fps | 99.6% |
| Norma 200 | 20.3 gr | 88% | 34,722 psi | 67% | 1808 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,597 psi | 44% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,230 psi | 68% | 1775 fps | 97.1% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,729 psi | 85% | 1877 fps | 97.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,091 psi | 84% | 1854 fps | 98.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,663 psi | 65% | 1640 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,829 psi | 81% | 1791 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 17.7 gr | 80% | 29,486 psi | 57% | 1690 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,552 psi | 77% | 1847 fps | 95.5% |
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 19 powders for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian loaded with the .308 | 165gr | Barnes X FN. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,975 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,184 fps to 1,975 fps. Alliant Reloder-10x gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 19 of the 19 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (355 MPa), the top charges use 59–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 165.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:14.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant Reloder-10x, Hodgdon TrailBoss, IMR 4198 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. ADI AR 2207, Norma 200, Vihtavuori N120 rank at the top here: for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with the .308 | 165gr | Barnes X FN they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. 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.