Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with .308 | 180gr | Sako Hammerhead bullet and 22 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Norma 200, ADI AR 2207 and ReloadSwiss RS 36.
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% | 45,730 psi | 89% | 1841 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,963 psi | 89% | 1831 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,441 psi | 90% | 1772 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,555 psi | 85% | 1877 fps | 100% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,534 psi | 67% | 1798 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,323 psi | 84% | 1893 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,818 psi | 89% | 1873 fps | 98.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 46,325 psi | 90% | 1854 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,979 psi | 58% | 1135 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,093 psi | 90% | 1883 fps | 99.2% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,818 psi | 89% | 1834 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,137 psi | 90% | 1850 fps | 99% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 46,528 psi | 90% | 1834 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,963 psi | 89% | 1916 fps | 99.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,820 psi | 58% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 44,657 psi | 87% | 1850 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,137 psi | 90% | 1850 fps | 99% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,672 psi | 89% | 1726 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,686 psi | 87% | 1890 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,253 psi | 90% | 1775 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,772 psi | 85% | 1850 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,930 psi | 81% | 1827 fps | 97.5% |
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>> | 80% | 32,953 psi | 64% | 1660 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,627 psi | 85% | 1801 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,468 psi | 84% | 1739 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 17.8 gr | 80% | 28,413 psi | 55% | 1644 fps | 97.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 96% | 30,719 psi | 60% | 1726 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 92% | 33,953 psi | 66% | 1755 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,111 psi | 62% | 1677 fps | 95.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,584 psi | 85% | 1821 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,973 psi | 43% | 1010 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,618 psi | 61% | 1667 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,752 psi | 69% | 1699 fps | 98.5% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,787 psi | 85% | 1818 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,157 psi | 68% | 1690 fps | 99.9% |
| Norma 200 | 19.6 gr | 84% | 29,994 psi | 58% | 1680 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,553 psi | 42% | 1033 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 18.5 gr | 80% | 34,693 psi | 67% | 1713 fps | 98.1% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,787 psi | 85% | 1818 fps | 98.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,025 psi | 64% | 1575 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,424 psi | 82% | 1860 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,292 psi | 80% | 1722 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,674 psi | 56% | 1631 fps | 98.8% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,259 psi | 68% | 1732 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 22 powders for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian loaded with the .308 | 180gr | Sako Hammerhead. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,916 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,135 fps to 1,916 fps. Alliant AR-Comp gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 22 of the 22 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (355 MPa), the top charges use 58–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 180.0 gr projectile in 0.308" calls for a 1:15.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant AR-Comp, Alliant Reloder-10x, 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. Norma 200, ADI AR 2207, ReloadSwiss RS 36 rank at the top here: for 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with the .308 | 180gr | Sako Hammerhead 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.