Velocity of 308 / 30-06 Specialty Pistols

I have been wondering what velocity most are getting out of 308/30-06 Specialty Pistols. What powders give the most velocity, etc.

Bob R

Sierra has a reloading app. You can see what they show in velocity for single shot pistols on it, if you dont have specific data in your manuals. Its free and another source of data.

30/06 WW 150 gr Power-Max factory 2623 fps T/C Encore 15" PH

30/06 150 gr Ballistic Tip 59.0 gr. AA-4350 2840 fps

.308 150 gr. Speer Nitrex Factory 2721 fps. Savage Striker 15"
NOTE: Speer Nitrex produced the highest velocity of any factory ammunition that I tested. Unfortunately it was been discontinued.

.308 150 gr. Ballistic Tip 47.0 Varget 2675 fps

I have the Lyman Pistol & Revolver Manual. In 308 Win with 15" Barrel it shows a Maximum velocity of 2618 with a 150 grain bullet using AA-2230. It also has 43.5 grains of IMR 3031 maxing out at 2596 fps.
Lyman lists 47.0 grains of Varget only making 2505 fps.

My Sierra Handgun Manual shows only one load using 49.0 grains of WW748 getting to 2600 Fps. Sierra was using a 14-1/8" Pachmayr Dominator to work up their loads.

The Hodgdon Loading web site has much higher numbers listed with a 15" Barrel.
IMR4064 has the top velocity with 47.7 listed at 2681 fps. Varget is listed at 47.0 grains making 2675 fps, and 43.5 grains of IMR 3031 maxing out at 2659 fps.

DATA DISCREPANCT:
We have Lyman's 43.5 grains of IMR 3031 only doing 2596 fps, while Hodgdon's 43.5 grains of IMR3031 is maxing out at 2659 fps.
Lyman's 47.0 grains of Varget is maxing out at 2505 fps, while Hodgdon's same 47.0 grains of Varget is maxing out at 2675 fps. Hodgdon must be doing something a lot different in their testing methods. I believe Lyman was using a 15" Encore to work up their loads. Hodgdon's web site just says 15" Barrel.

I did a lot of searching on line to try and determine what velocity folks were getting out of a 150 grain 308 reloading. I did not come up with a lot of numbers, but what I found were lower than expected.

WHAT I AM WORKING WITH
I am working with my 15.875" Stainless Steel MGM Encore barrel in 7.62x54R with .308 Bore, and a Four Gill Muzzle Brake. I would think that the 7.62x54R should produce velocities equal to the 308 Winchester, if not a hair higher considering case capacity is pretty close to the 30-06 Springfield.
I have only worked with IMR 4895 so far this round with 150 grain Speer #2023 Flat Base, Hot Core Bullets. My highest velocity load 49.5 grains of IMR 4895 is producing 2583 fps with an SD of 31 fps. Comparing my velocity numbers with the 308 Winchester in my Lyman and Sierra Handgun Manuals my load is not doing bad at all compared to the 308 Winchester.

Compared with Hodgdon's On Line 308 Winchester Handgun Load Data, and Sawfish's numbers I should be able to get higher velocity with a different powder. What powder to work with next? I have AA2015, TAC, WW748, IMR 8208, IMR4064, RL15, RL17 and a few others that should work reasonably well in the 7.62x54R.

Looking at NEW Rifle Date (Speer Manual #15) for the 308 Winchester it looks like Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR would be worth working with, if any could be located to try out. It is doing nice things in 308 Winchester as well as 30-06 Springfield Rifle Loads. If the highest velocity rifle loads are also the highest velocity handgun loads, this powder should bring the 7.62x54R speed up a little more than I am getting with IMR4895. Possibly quite a bit more.

Bob R

Does your barrel length include the brake? Tac and RL-15.

My go to load in a 15" 30-06 is 57.00grs IMR4350 with a 150gr
ballistic tip for 2780fps.
Not the fastest but shoots .30" 5 shot groups. Good enough.

If you want to go fast the Speer 150HC and 58.5grs Reloader 16 will break 2900fps.

Corrected because I left the bullet out.

Sawfish The barrel was 15.875 before adding the Four Gill Muzzle Brake. Talk about a huge improvement reducing recoil. I believe this was the first barrel I put a brake on. Since then all of my centerfire barrels, except my 223 have a brake installed.

Reflex264 you are getting some impressive velocity numbers.

I am not sure exactly what pressure numbers are maximum with this cartridge in an Encore. The back of the case head rounds forward away from the breach face on the edges. The actual Rim Foot Print in contact with the breach face is .443 from my measuring. The 7.62x54R has a lot of case taper also.

I have been neck sizing only through several reloads. So far the Encore snaps shut on every cartridge I put in it. No signs of any case stretching so far. I would think that any action springing at all would show up with the neck sized ONLY Cases.

The last loads I worked with were with RL17. I went past 2600 fps with no problem.
Powder: RL17
Primers: WLR
Bullets: Speer 150 Pointed Soft Point Flat Base
The powder charge that made just a hair over 2600 fps was 55.5 grains. This load shoots very accurately in the Encore. At 200 yards I dialed in 2 MOA UP, at 300 I dialed in 5 MOA UP. It is shooting under MOA to 300 yards with a 10X scope.

Bob R

Your numbers sound about right in a .308. My buddies .308 runs about 150fps slower with every bullet than the 3006 so I would say you are right on top of it. I full length size mine. I was advised to by Mike Bellm. I know it wowrks great.

It kills deer....
200 yards doe

two does

buck at 225 yards

14.5" 308 Winchester XP-100 with Hornady TAP (168 grain) is 2445 fps.

Can I ask what scope you have on your Encore?

I run a 2.5x8 Weaver on mine. It works well with my weird eyes. I like them so much that 5 or 6 of my hunting handguns are wearing them.

I wish Weaver still made them. They were about the best handgun scope for the money.