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No I am using a 308 Norma Mag in Mauser 98 action, 26" barrel 1-10 twist. Federal 210 primers, 165gr ballistic tip or AccuBond. Winchester brass, 70+ grains of H4350ext. I won't provide the total grains. It's over that by several grains. It's hot and primers are flat. It's not IMR powder either. I never had their bullet come apart on game. What I was driving at was the bullet and the velocity they being sent down the line. That round put down several elk, and mostly with one shot. If it took a second shot, it was because, I didn't quite get it on the money, but they stop, and didn't run off.
Been using 165 Sierra GameKIng HP last 35 yrs, with devastating results in 06, 308 and 300WM. Velocities range 2700-3,200. Always two holes with exit usually 2" or more, unless impact on bone. At Shots how many yrs ago, Sierra rep admitted this was their most accurate hunting bullet. Just for kickes i shot a F class match with 165 in 308 and did almost as well as with match Bergers.
I have also used 165GK in a match 1903 A4 30-06 they are impressive
I've always been a fan of the 308 Norma Mag, more so than the 300WM. Seems like you can push it more and I like the longer neck. But this thread is 308 WIN...
I like the 165gr bullets. They have performed well for me over the years The velocity I get keeps the bullet for easy 500yds shots. A Close late friend of mine with his 300Win Mag. was doing 3400fps with his Ruger No. 1.
I realize that. The reply was make people aware that I was using a magnum and not a 308 win. So people wouldn't trying to get that velocity out of their 308. I do like the how they go down range and they group tight too.
I assume this is a 22" barrel. If it is, you can safely get around 2700 to 2750fps from a 165 to 168 grain bullet. If you can get CFE 223 to shoot accurately within good pressure ranges, maybe a little faster. That will do the job with the Sierra, Speer, Hornaday or Nosler bullets inside the range stated just fine, and you only have to decide what accuracy you want to achieve. Each rifle is different, and one will like one brand/type of bullet more than another. Each bullet is different, and made with different philisophies by the designers. The gameking was originally designed to fragment when an animal was hit within around 75 yards or closer, creating multiple exit woulds and 'failing' by some people's standards(exceptions being the .308 200 grain and any 338 or above gameking, which have heavier jackets). But it does tremendous damage when it does this, creating three to five wound channels and multiple exit wounds. The prohunter(Sierra) was designed with a heavier jacket, giving straight line penetration with the same weight bullets(150, 165 and 180 grain). The Ballistic Tips are designed with a tapered jacket that's heavier at the base, and holds together through heavy boned game like elk, while the Hornaday and Remington bullets in these bullet weights have a mechanical lock pressed into the jacket to ensure core retention from the muzzle out to whatever distance you feel is your max. I once shot a mule deer here in Colorado with an 8mm-06 Ackley Improved using the 8mm 185 grain Corelokt bullet at about 20 yards, and the bullet just about turned inside out but it held together. We found it against the ribs on the off side, caught by the hide. It didn't penetrate and pass through because it went through the left shoulder, lungs, spleen, heart and both sides of the rib cage at very close range, and opened up past the cannilure to about a 1" cross-section. The deer took 6 steps toward me and then slid down the mountain and stopped in the snow about 10 feet from me. He dressed over 250lbs. CorLokts are good bullets for the ranges you're going to shoot, too, if you can get them. The Speer boat tails or HotCors are also very good for what you want. I especially like the Hotcors because the lead is pored into the jacket molten, thus bonding to the jacket and making a really tough bullet. They're accurate and probably the least expensive bullet on the market. I think you can get most or all of these in commercial loads. I get less than 1 inch groups at 100 yards with all these bullets in both my 30-06's and my .308 Winchester. I get 0.6 inch groups in one of my 300 Winmags and 1inch to 1.2 inch groups in my other 300. I test accuracy with 5 inch groups, and generally will shoot 3 to 5 groups. I measure from edge to edge, so you can subtract the diameter of the bullet if you want to. I've never had any of these bullets shed their jackets, even with hits that were at distances of less than 20 yards, and I've had exit wounds with Gamekings, Nosler BTs and Speers at 350 yards or more, and large exit wounds with all of them at distances to 400 yards. They'll all do the job.
I beat you by 20 years exactly. 1984. Lived back there for a few months in 1991 working at a gold mine in Northern Cal (Clear Lake area). It was weirder than my SoCal days. Couldn't wait to leave.
Picked up a box of .150 grain Hornady interlocks. Going to see how they shoot once my gun arrives. Heard good things mostly.
