Hunting with a .308

[Ward Thurman]

150 gr Nosler partition in a Savage 99 and 42 grs of 4895 has killed so many deer (Montana) that if we put a notch in the stock there would be a stock left by now. It is a super light gun so is the reason we went with the 150's and the accuracy is amazing - 1.25" at 100 yards everyday.

 

[Ward Thurman]

150 gr Nosler partition in a Savage 99 and 42 grs of 4895 has killed so many deer (Montana) that if we put a notch in the stock there would be a stock left by now. It is a super light gun so is the reason we went with the 150's and the accuracy is amazing - 1.25" at 100 yards everyday.

Oops Wouldn't be a stock left.

 

[hesse]

Ok both of my kids shoot a 308 I have personally found the 165 grain shoots the best through the guns I use Hornady SST that gives you a nice flat trajectory but again always whatever your gun likes better is what shoot that's the beauty of the 308 mild recoil you can do quite a bit of bench time on it not beat yourself up too bad

 

[Bearjumper]

I just recently started using an old .308, I have 150gr and 180gr ammo for it. I hunt NY where the furthest shot I have is MAYBE 125 yards. What would you guys recommend and how do you like this caliber for deer?

Hunting in N. Minnesota with my 308, used 180 gr because of the thick brush. If you hunting in similar woods suggest 180. Did find that 150 and 165 grouped better on the range.

 

[SMK1000plus]

I've killed lots of deer, hogs and coyotes with many cartridges form 223 Rem (neck shots deer, head shots hogs, coyotes) to 338 Win Mag. I have multiple rifles in most of the common factory offered cartridges from 223 Rem to 375 H&H Mag. 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win and 30-06 are my three favorites with 300 Wing Mag, 7mm Rem Mag and 6.5 Creedmoor, right on their heels. 338 Win Mag and 375 H&H are used in areas where brown bear may be present.

In 7mm-08 I use 160gr to 168gr C&C or 140gr TTSX solids. 308 Win gets feed 165gr to 178gr C&C or 130gr to 150gr TTSX solids. In 30-06 I use 180gr C&C or 165 to 180gr TTSX solids.

I've taken deer with the 308 Wins at over 400 yards with no problem. The only reason I haven't killed them farther with it, is because I use my other, more powerful cartridges in places where longer shots are more likely to prescient opportunity.

 

[Pieter Willem Vorster]

Black Wildebeest at 258 meters. .308, 186 gr Sierra Match King. Head shot.

 

[SMK1000plus]

View attachment 128815
Black Wildebeest at 258 meters. .308, 186 gr Sierra Match King. Head shot.

168gr Sierra Match King (SMK)?

 

[Jack R Tishue Jr]

Black wildebeest, 200 yds (range findered), was standing looking back over it's shoulder, and hit in the right hip, and bullet recovered from the left shoulder. 130gr Ttsx bullet, 88 Winchester rifle, offhand shot. God grandson I took hunting in RSA.

 

[Darktimber]

Very cool stuff. My 1st deer rifle was a lefty 700bdl in 308win. I got it for christmas 2004( i was 13 or 14) and ive hunted with it every year since for PA deer season. The last few years ive been splitting time with other rifles but i always seem to kill at least one with the old 308. I used to reload all different bullets for it but ive found the federal fusion 150gr shoots right around 1" at 100yds. So i shoot that and it allows me to reload more for my higher volume shooters

 

[Ward Thurman]

Here is the old Savage (1957 model) and the "big one".

 

[Mustang72]

Love my old 308 savage99! It's a pig killing machine! - works pretty good on deer and coyote too.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I started hunting with a .308 and mid-weight bullets (150-165) and they worked great. Following the heavy for caliber trend, I moved up to 178-190 bullets and had good accuracy and terminal performance on whitetails.

Eventually I got the yearning to try the 130gr TTSX bullets that everyone seemed to be raving about at the time. The prospect of shooting bullets at 3,150ft/sec was interesting. Load development was not easy and I think is was my very last try that I found success. With a load of Benchmark powder I was getting 1.5" groups at 400yds. I was amazed at how often this group size was repeated. I shot a nice 8 pointer as it walked directly towards me. At the shot, the buck appeared to have been slammed to the ground. Fastest kill I have ever seen.

The .308 has a lot of potential and seems to work well with quite a variety of bullet weights and styles.

 

[Alibiiv]

If you don't reload a good hunting round is the HSM Trophy Gold 168gr bullet. 168 gr Berger, 2740fps & 2800 foot pounds of energy. I like the 165 grain bullets because that weight gives both velocity and weight for hunting at a midway point between the 150gr and the 180gr. My son's .308 likes the Nosler 165gr partition bullets. At the ranges that you have described your shooting at any hunting bullet from 150-180gr will work just fine on thin-skinned game.

 

[xsn10s]

My buddy has the bulk of his elk taken with the 308 Win and 165gr Partition combo. At 300 yards and less that would be my one load does it all.