.308 Best Rounds

[Ward Thurman]

150 grain Partition has killed too many to remember from the Savage 99 308 my son is holding in the photo. 42.0 grains of 4895. We did use some ballistic tips and had some massive damage from them - ruined some meat from a 308 at close range. Seem to work awesome in a 243.

 

[700Sendero]

FWIW, I have a Drahthaar that I track deer with, and roughly 70% of the deer I track and dont find/find and are still alive, are shot with BTs. I know lots of people have great luck with them, and I shot 165s out of my RUM for quite awhile and had good luck. I have since switched to 215 Berger's, but in a 308, I think any 165 cup/core would work, or a bonded 150. I understand it's ALOT to do with shot placement, but if I were to recommend a BT, it would be the heaviest for caliber they make.

 

[Ward Thurman]

A Nosler 165gr BT going 2750 fps should do it on a off shoulder shot. I got a pass though shot on a Texas whitetail shoulder shot. It was about a 75 yard shot.

Judging from the photos of Texas whitetails I have seen, I would think a 308 would be too much gun for one of them little buggers. Now a Montana whitetail is a different story.

 

[Ward Thurman]

Sadly not legal in California...

Is anything legal in Calif? You can't even go out for dinner, let alone shoot an animal. Or am I being silly?

 

[StumpGrinder]

Check out the Federal Terminal Ascent 175 grain. A premium bullet but high BC and weight and it shoots well out of my Tikka T3 308

I reload and use 110 grain hollow points, 125 and 130 grain polymers. This is all you need for deer in the Carolina's. I killed a doe last year with the 110 grain at 260 yards in a 10 mph crosswind. Complete pass through and she went 20 yards.

 

[xsn10s]

Judging from the photos of Texas whitetails I have seen, I would think a 308 would be too much gun for one of them little buggers. Now a Montana whitetail is a different story.

Naw it cleanly harvested my buck down there. Same as the bucks I took in Oregon or the pig in California. One thing I like about the 308 win or the 30-06 is if you pick the right bullet it kills cleanly without a lot of bloodshot meat. Same as the 45-70 that I loaded for.

 

[GuroChris]

For the last 4 years now, I've been using Federal Tactical Bonded Tip in .308 Winchester 168gr. This year was a repeat of previous experiences. Bang flop at 200 yds.

I have been using these for hunting and have taken deer between 75 and 200 yards with them. I have been fortunate in that I've never needed to track any deer using these. The deer whether hit in the shoulder or behind the shoulder have never taken more than 2 or 3 steps and usually they drop in their tracks.

The bullet has a very similar construction to the Terminal Ascent but I believe the ogive shape is different. Either way deer are just as dead.

 

[xsn10s]

Is anything legal in Calif? You can't even go out for dinner, let alone shoot an animal. Or am I being silly?

There's still a lot of hunting down there. It's a PIA to do some times. But that is getting true all over the country nowadays. At one time I believe the second largest living bull elk was there on the Tejon Ranch. Plenty of areas down there and in Oregon that want to separate from it too. So Cal used to be the firearms mecca believe it or not.

 

[Spd522]

I have shot deer with so many different bullets from a 308, I can't count them. Bullet weights varied from 125-180 gr. The one bullet that has the most drop on the spot kills for me is the 178 gr A-Max. Actually, I think only one deer ever ran after being hit. I know it is supposed to be more of a target bullet but it has anchored whitetail from 35-460 yards for me. And very accurate in several rifles, 16"- 22" and semiauto and bolt.

 

[coyotemaster]

Forgive me if someone has already posted this but my brother gets bugholes with Sierra 155s and 47.7 Varget. It is an OCW load and shoots well in many rifles. This is in WW brass a reduction would be advisable in.lower capacity brass ie. Lake City. Lapua.
As always start well under and.approach always scrutinizing pressure signs.

 

[clawman]

Check out the Federal Terminal Ascent 175 grain. A premium bullet but high BC and weight and it shoots well out of my Tikka T3 308

What barrel twist rate?

 

[Calvin45]

Federal Trophy Copper has worked great for me.

While this projectile is needlessly tough for whitetail hunting at .308 velocity, I can vouch for the great accuracy of this line of ammunition by federal. Shot right around an honest 1 moa in an old beat up savage 99 243 of mine.

 

[teamr2]

165 AB's at 2800fps. Bang flop. Bought a metric ton of Nosler Custom ammo in that load when Nosler changed the box graphics and Graff's had it on sale for 50% off. Cheaper than I could load it for and the brass is excellent.

 

[GSP814]

150 grain Sierra Gamekings or 165 grain Nosler BT's.