Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7.62 x 39 (.308) Russian with .308 | 180gr | Sako SuperHammerhead 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% | 43,729 psi | 85% | 1798 fps | 97.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,092 psi | 88% | 1742 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,715 psi | 87% | 1877 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,133 psi | 80% | 1850 fps | 97.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,063 psi | 86% | 1837 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,675 psi | 58% | 1119 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,121 psi | 88% | 1854 fps | 98.8% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 44,425 psi | 86% | 1801 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,368 psi | 88% | 1824 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 45,136 psi | 88% | 1804 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 44,266 psi | 86% | 1880 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,486 psi | 57% | 1148 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 45,832 psi | 89% | 1850 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,368 psi | 88% | 1824 fps | 98.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 44,904 psi | 87% | 1801 fps | 99.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,063 psi | 86% | 1696 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 45,020 psi | 87% | 1752 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,904 psi | 87% | 1850 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,466 psi | 79% | 1791 fps | 96.8% |
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% | 36,143 psi | 70% | 1696 fps | 95.7% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,090 psi | 82% | 1709 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 17.1 gr | 80% | 27,137 psi | 53% | 1608 fps | 97% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,272 psi | 67% | 1749 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,706 psi | 64% | 1673 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,915 psi | 43% | 1001 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,256 psi | 63% | 1663 fps | 95.5% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,867 psi | 68% | 1670 fps | 98% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,351 psi | 82% | 1785 fps | 98.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,721 psi | 65% | 1654 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 200 | 19.3 gr | 86% | 30,501 psi | 59% | 1677 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,466 psi | 42% | 1024 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,446 psi | 65% | 1680 fps | 97.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,351 psi | 82% | 1785 fps | 98.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,945 psi | 81% | 1765 fps | 98.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,358 psi | 63% | 1555 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,030 psi | 78% | 1696 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 17.1 gr | 80% | 27,514 psi | 53% | 1594 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 96% | 35,795 psi | 70% | 1726 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 | 180gr | Sako SuperHammerhead. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,880 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,119 fps to 1,880 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 57–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 180.0 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 | 180gr | Sako SuperHammerhead 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.