still looking for a way to blame group size on something besides me

[Tom Thomson]

Here's a noob reloading for a Savage 110 in 308. I am using Trail Boss powder and generally pretty happy with it but maybe I should try something different. Can anyone suggest another powder for low velocity plinker loads?

[DukeInFlorida]

Savage 110 will shine for you if you shift over to IMR 4198 powder. Do some load development, using the load data books for min-max. Somewhere in between min and max, you will find a place where the group is tight, and the recoil is where you want it.

I just did some load development on a Savage 110 in 22-250, and came up with an amazing load using Hodgdon's BLC (2).

The 308 Win, however, will perform better with the IMR 4198

[Tom Thomson]

To Duke in florida

Duke
I couldn't figure out how to send you a pm, so I'll just post here. Hope I don't offend anyone. The IMR/Hogdon site did not list 4198, or at least I couldn't find it. I am looking for a very light load and currently shooting 12 gr TrailBoss with good results but it's hard to find. No recoil, barrel stays cool and clean, neighbors don't whine and occasional half moa groups. Still scares the snot out of the cat tho. I shoot in my backyard range and although I have a good backstop and the nearest picture window is two miles away, I worry abt ricochets. I'm thinking of going way down with 4198 but I've read just enuf abt detonation to be concerned. What do you think of dacron filler? I always used Cream of Wheat in black powder cartridges but I'm told that it can jam at the shoulder. Any other ideas?
tommyt

[Monroe]

Tom, The lightest data I can find for IMR-4198 in a .308 is 25.0 grains under a 125 grain Speer TNT/HP for about 2000fps.
You didn't mention bullet type or weight...
I personally would not use pistol powder in a .308 (yes, I realize there is some limited data for it) unless I was shooting cast bullets.
If you want to shoot jacketed bullets, you could look at the 100 grain Speer Plinker bullet with 9.2 grains of Unique.
That should be a real bunny fart at 1248fps.
16.0 grains of SR-4759 with the 100 grain Plinker will get a soft shooting (under 1600fps) load.
SR-4759 is very bulky and therefore a common powder for reduced loads.
Keeping the bullet weight down will help with recoil nearly as much as a light powder charge.
Consider dacron as a filler instead of cereal. Be safe.