Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with .308 | 165gr | Speer Grand Slam 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, Vihtavuori N120 and Norma 200.
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% | 44,759 psi | 87% | 1926 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,629 psi | 89% | 1867 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,194 psi | 88% | 2001 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,192 psi | 82% | 1978 fps | 97.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,991 psi | 87% | 1965 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,110 psi | 58% | 1207 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,498 psi | 88% | 1978 fps | 98.7% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 44,701 psi | 87% | 1923 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,455 psi | 88% | 1946 fps | 98.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 46,006 psi | 89% | 1932 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,194 psi | 88% | 2011 fps | 98.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,341 psi | 57% | 1230 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 46,485 psi | 90% | 1978 fps | 99.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,455 psi | 88% | 1946 fps | 98.5% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,774 psi | 89% | 1929 fps | 99% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,396 psi | 86% | 1814 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 45,774 psi | 89% | 1877 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,382 psi | 88% | 1975 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,872 psi | 79% | 1909 fps | 96.6% |
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% | 36,666 psi | 71% | 1811 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,830 psi | 83% | 1831 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 18.8 gr | 80% | 27,804 psi | 54% | 1722 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,244 psi | 68% | 1873 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,286 psi | 65% | 1788 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,017 psi | 43% | 1076 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,576 psi | 63% | 1775 fps | 95.2% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,331 psi | 69% | 1788 fps | 97.8% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,221 psi | 84% | 1913 fps | 98.1% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,360 psi | 67% | 1772 fps | 99.7% |
| Norma 200 | 21.6 gr | 88% | 32,938 psi | 64% | 1827 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,553 psi | 42% | 1099 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,939 psi | 66% | 1795 fps | 97.3% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,221 psi | 84% | 1913 fps | 98.1% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,424 psi | 82% | 1886 fps | 98.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,561 psi | 63% | 1663 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,538 psi | 79% | 1814 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 18.8 gr | 80% | 28,152 psi | 55% | 1709 fps | 98.1% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 96% | 36,506 psi | 71% | 1844 fps | 95.3% |
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 | Speer Grand Slam. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,011 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,207 fps to 2,011 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 57–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 165.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:15.5 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, Vihtavuori N120, Norma 200 rank at the top here: for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with the .308 | 165gr | Speer Grand Slam 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.