You have to live within the limitations of the gas system. Your velocities will be limited by your gas system, don't load hot. Genltefolks, Lately, I have been playing around with trying to find a new load for my .308 Savage, 24 inch barrel. I am having trouble getting powders like Varget. That's a pretty big difference from starting to max. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. I have some of each. I figure I will start with three loads 43.5 gr. Try 40.0 to 41.0 grains maximum of IMR-4064 when loading the Lake City brass. I want to put together a load using a 168gr A-max bullet and IMR 4064. … NOTE: While the below listed loading tables clearly show a wide range of powders for M1A / M14 load date due to the operation and speed of the rifle action some powders work much better than others. 45.6 sounds pretty hot! I would start at 40.5 grains and work up to 41.5. Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! Coincidentally, the last group I fired, comprising 43.5 grains of IMR 4064 behind 168-grain Sierra HPBT bullets loaded in Lapua brass, functioned perfectly and put four of five shots into one hole. 168 grain SMK BTHP 46.7 gr. A load used in NM competition for decades in M1a's is a 168 SMK 41.5 grains IMR 4895 LC cases, CCI #34, OAL LT 2.800". You can probably use the same powder charges with RE-15 and possibly go another .5 … Just got a can of IMR 4064 to try out w/ my .308 (Savage 10FP LE2, 1 in 10" twist) The IMR website lists: Starting at 41.5 gr. 25 Posts . I have been using 168 SMK's, 45.5 Varget, Winny brass and CCI 200 LR primers, seated at COAL 2.870 and have been happy. Discussion Starter • #1 • Jun 29, 2010. A good rule of thumb is Varget is as slow a powder as you want to use and even Varget is questionable. After firing nearly 1,000 rounds of factory ammo and handloads, I’ve learned a lot. and max out at 45.6 gr . My other problem is the primers-in the last 4-5 months I have only found CCI 200, CCI 250, and Win LR primers. I also want to try an M118LR clone, that stuff is pretty nasty supposedly, its been changed up a few times, mostly the powder, first it was 4064, then 4895, then RE15, now its 4064 again i believe because it is less sensitive to temp change than RE15. 4064 HXP brass CCI 200 primer 3.31" COAL I have hopped this up to 47.5 grains for a long (800 yards) range match I participated in this summer which also worked well. 175g SMK seated to 2.831 Im going to try this with Varget also since i have some. I've done some more load testing with the 168gr TMK, 42.7gr IMR 4064. That's ok, the starting load data I quoted was from the 2015 Hodgdon Annual Manual, I found my 2016 Annual Manual and it lists the same data. The all around best powders are IMR 4895, Hodgdon H4895 and Accurate 2495. At the range this morning I shot a 3 shot group at 300yards that was 1-3/4 inches (outside to outside). Truth be known 48.0 IMR-4064 +/- has been the long held NM accuracy loading for 168/173 bullets at 3.30 COAL for almost a eon, so your recommendation of 47.5 under a 168 isn't out of line not knowing your COAL. I then played with seating depth and found the right combo for my gun (OAL 2.870"). Bullet: Sierra 175gr BTHP MatchKing (SMK) Brass: Lapua, new, full length sized Powder: IMR 4064 Primers: CCI 200 COAL: 2.235 (at the ogive, with comparator) I loaded sighters at 39.7, 40.5, and 41.3 grains. I did manage to get some IMR 4064,4320, and I already had some H-335. My testing did confirm that 42.7gr was indeed an OCW charge. Try 41.5 to 42.5 grains maximum of IMR-4064 when loading the Winchester commercial brass.