Bullet selection - advise please

I ordered a Savage Axis XP in 308 and it should be arriving on Monday. I'm putting a 4-16X Viridian scope on it and I'm planning on using it for whitetail and black bear out to 300-400 yards. Having several Axis rifles I know that it should be more than capable accuracy wise.
First thing I'm doing is installing a Mcarbo Pro Trigger Kit which give the Savage an excellent 2# trigger.
My question is what bullet should I be using to meet my goal. I have some Berger 175 VLDs and Sierra 180 BTSP loaded up (waiting to get the rifle to determine the correct seating depth) to try. I also have a few hundred Hornady 150 gr Interlock BTs loaded that I shoot in my M1A. I'd prefer the 175-180 weight because of the better BC.
What do you think?

I would load up a few of each and see what it likes best. At 400 yards, BC doesn't matter much. I had issues with the 175 Bergers in mine, just couldn't get them to shoot consistent. In, barely out, and jumping long from the lands.

180 Sierra is about as forgiving as you can get. Descent BC, and easy to get to shoot well.

Good luck...it's all voodoo

Shane what is the twist rate on your rifle. Mine is 1:10

Hammer bullets!

My experience with the VLDs is they don't like to jump much. I would soft jam it and back off .025" which would be ~ .010" off the lands move closer .005" then away same distance to locate best accuracy.
The Berger twist rate calculator indicates very high stability (SG=1.97) for the .308 175 gr. VLD 1:10 twist at sea level so no problem there.
Good luck & tight groups!

tomcat818 said:

My experience with the VLDs is they don't like to jump much. I would soft jam it and back off .025" which would be ~ .010" off the lands move closer .005" then away same distance to locate best accuracy.
The Berger twist rate calculator indicates very high stability (SG=1.97) for the .308 175 gr. VLD 1:10 twist at sea level so no problem there.
Good luck & tight groups!

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TC, my COAL might be limited to my magazine length so I'll have to take that into consideration. But thanks for your advice.

TennJed said:

Hammer bullets!

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Jed.. will the hammer hunters in 172 and 181 gr fit in the mag?

Clem Bronkoski said:

I ordered a Savage Axis XP in 308 and it should be arriving on Monday. I'm putting a 4-16X Viridian scope on it and I'm planning on using it for whitetail and black bear out to 300-400 yards. Having several Axis rifles I know that it should be more than capable accuracy wise.
First thing I'm doing is installing a Mcarbo Pro Trigger Kit which give the Savage an excellent 2# trigger.
My question is what bullet should I be using to meet my goal. I have some Berger 175 VLDs and Sierra 180 BTSP loaded up (waiting to get the rifle to determine the correct seating depth) to try. I also have a few hundred Hornady 150 gr Interlock BTs loaded that I shoot in my M1A. I'd prefer the 175-180 weight because of the better BC.
What do you think?

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Whichever shoots best of all. They're all capable in .308 at 300-400 yds. I'd go heavier than 150 beyond 400.

I shoot 150 Accubond in 30-06 at 2950 fps with very mild recoil. Generally 0.3 to 0.5 moa rifle load combo but the group opens up 400 yd downrange.

Clem Bronkoski said:

Jed.. will the hammer hunters in 172 and 181 gr fit in the mag?

Click to expand...

Hammers are actually not affected by distance from lands so they probably will fit. There is a wonderful forum on the hammer bullets website where I'm sure you will get a definitive answer

Nosler Accubonds in 165gr or 180gr.

For deer and bear at those distances, 150-180 grain class bullets will all do fine. Been happy with Nosler Ballistic Tips, Accubonds, and Sierra Game Kings (old school soft point boat tails).

Berger 185 Juggernaut.

Only time will tell...but if what you have doesn't tickle your fancy....168 grs in just about any flavor

I definitely want at least 165 gr. I'm skeptical about the 308 for hunting even though I know its a darn good cartridge. I had a big black bear get away on me years ago when using a Rem 760 with 150 gr bullets and I know the shots were good, well 3 of 5. It had rained hard the night before and as I crested the hill he burst out of the cover running right to left. My firs shot hit him a bit far back as I watched the water splash off him. I pumped in another round and swung ahead but he didn't show. I looked over the scope and he was coming straight at me his enormus head almost filling the 4x scope. When his head cam up I sent one into his chest at about 35 yds, pumped in another and did the same thing at 25 yds. I don't believe he was charging me but that he didn't know where the shots were coming from. Now inside of 20 yds he turned to the right and I was swinging on him as if I was hunting rabbits. My 4th shot smacked a small maple sapling and I saw the wood fly out the back side. My 5th and final shot him him right behind the shoulder as he dove into the laurel.
After gathering my wits and calming down a bit I put another mag in the 760 and started following the scant blood trail at times crawling through the laurel on hands and knees! I heard a couple shots ahead of me about 200-300 yards away, maybe more. I continued following the blood but after about 3 painfully slow hours of searching, crawling and creeping through the laurel I finally got out of the laurel and into open woods and followed the blood trail right to a gut pile and a drag trail!
I was really frustrated and disgusted. Ever since that day I never hunted with the 308 again. Now with better designed bullets I'm going to give it another go around.