Lighter bullets in 308

[hpmag308]

I ideally don't give loads out,but I will on this one 48.5 gr 125 nosler 3000 FPS Imes 4320

 

[Mike Matteson]

X-3

I see that Hammer is stating that a 1-13 twist or better is needed in that bullet. Should get some petty good velocity using that bullet in a .308. Other than that you could go to a smaller caliber rifle to use with lighter recoil. I used a 25/06 for a great many years and out too about 500+yds (120gr Nosler ballistic tips not available now. Limited blood shot at close range in the 25 to 50 yard range). 115gr Nosler AccuBond on deer and antelope should work good.
I started my boys out with 25/06, and now going to one of my grandsons.

 

[emp1953]

Hey guys, I and trying to come up with a load for my 308 for my boys to shoot during deer season this year. The oldest is very recoil sensitive so I'm looking at some of the lighter weight stuff. I have 110 and 125's and a assortment of powders, I usually shoot the heavy for caliber stuff so don't really have any load data for the light weight stuff.
My questions:
1. My rifle is a 10 twist, do you think that will spin them too fast to stabilize or possible come apart in flight?
2. The lighter weight bullets are mainly varmint bullets, will they hold together well enough for MS white tail?
3. Any loads you guys have used in the past with good success?
Thanks
Matt

Barrel length contributes to bullet stability as well as twist. I hunted with a friend that insisted on 110gr bullets in is 30-06. For a decade he made good hits but never put one down in its tracks, we always had a tracking job, usually in snow which helped. He finally moved down to a 100gr Hornady in a .243win and started to anchor his deer. Get the recoil sensitive one shooting at something fun like jugs of colored water, He'll spend more time watching the show down range rather than thinking about recoil, which most people don't even notice when there's a buck in their scope.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Just as important as anything already discussed. How does YOUR gun fit your boys? Especially the recoil-sensitive one. Another stock that fits them, and a good pad( Remington R3 )will probably help a lot.

 

[xsn10s]

Yeah and I was wondering how large the deer will be and at what range? My buddy used 125 gr BT in his 30-30 AI back in Arkansas and loved them for deer. "Killer Greens" is what he called them.

 

[diddlyv]

You can always load the .308 down to 30-30 level velocities and significantly reduce recoil. I you do and stay at 150 grain would recommend using a bullet designed for 30-30 to get proper expansion and performance at that velocity range.

 

[Matt Tatum]

All good advice, thanks guys.
The rifle is a heavily modified ruger precision rifle. Stock is adjustable for length. I have a rifle I'm building for them but I don't anticipate it being ready by hunting season. I also just bought a ruger precision in 22lr. My thought process is they can learn to shoot on it and we will move up this fall once I have the load data worked out.
I bought a couple boxes of the hammers to hunt with and I'll load up some 125 Mosley ballistic tip to practice with.
Thanks for all the instruction and advice.

 

[dan belisle]

Many years ago a couple of friends and I needed some cheap fodeer for a local machinegun shoot we were having. So we set up a Dillon and bought cheap components, range brass 308 and 125 gr JSP bullets. Used surplus powder and ended up with quite an accurate load that would handily take deer sized game. We made so many buckets of that load my friend and I were still shooting up some of it at the range last month. - dan

 

[Rich Coyle]

I decided to go back and read the hunting story from when I used the .308. I always write about my hunting. Here's some very fun info about that 101 grain bullet's performance.

At home I skinned the buck. What a discovery! The outside gave no indication what devastation the little Hammer Bullets .308 101 grain bullet wrought. The first bullet impacted at the back of the near shoulder; where I aimed at the almost broadside buck. It appeared as though a small grenade literally went off in the shoulder.

For sure the near side lung was severely damaged. Apparently it was damaged by the explosiveness of the bullet sending bone fragments into it. Surprisingly under the shoulder all the ribs were broken. The second shot hit the spine and made a hole about 2" by 4". All nearby ribs were also broken.

This reminds me Hammer is a new bullet experience.

 

[Sgtwest]

I have use IMR 3031 with 110 gr. Nosler BT. The load runs close to 3000 FPS . It does a nice job.

 

[ducky]

Yeah and I was wondering how large the deer will be and at what range? My buddy used 125 gr BT in his 30-30 AI back in Arkansas and loved them for deer. "Killer Greens" is what he called them.

The 125 NBT is a bonafied killer, my daughter started using them eight years ago in .300 Savage. She now almost exclusively carries a .308 Howa Alpine and uses 125 NBT for almost all her big game hunting. She's killed big bodied mule deer bucks, pronghorn, and whitetail. Her biggest deer was 375 yards, and her longest pronghorn was around 450 yards.

Just for reference my daughter is 15 and 5' 10" tall with her biggest Mule Deer to date.

This is her first solo deer at 17, she drove herself to camp because I couldn't get away from work, and found and took this deer on her own. The other guys in camp only helped her pack it out.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

My go to for WI whitetails is the 150 grain SST at under 100 yard average distance, in my 308 Win. I blew the bottom of the heart off a nice muley with the 130 Scirroco at 300 yards, and he ran down hill for about 100 yards before expiring, 6.5CM . I could never get the 125 grainers to shoot very well in my 308, accuracy wise. I am currently shooting the Hammer in testing, but I really like the TTSX in 30 cal. guns.

 

[johngibbs222]

I tried barnes 130 grn tsx over 51.5 grns of cfe 223 in my 308. Better than moa from prone with a bipod though just 3 shot groups btw, forget the actual velocity but it was around 3100 out of my 26" single shot on my sporter magnetospeed. This was the best accuracy I've had out of this ruger #1. Only downside is they are extremely noisy with muzzle blast.
IIRC the recoil was on a par with my ruger #3 in 223 with maxed out 55 grn psp hornady bullets which isn't much at all.
Subsequently I've loaded the 130s up to 52.5 grns of cfe 223 but haven't used them yet so can't say how they shoot.
Please remember the first loads were ok in my gun but may not be in yours, start at load is 50.5 grains cfe 223 powder, I use match brass and S&B primers and neck size only.

 

[Betarider]

Hey guys, I and trying to come up with a load for my 308 for my boys to shoot during deer season this year. The oldest is very recoil sensitive so I'm looking at some of the lighter weight stuff. I have 110 and 125's and a assortment of powders, I usually shoot the heavy for caliber stuff so don't really have any load data for the light weight stuff.
My questions:
1. My rifle is a 10 twist, do you think that will spin them too fast to stabilize or possible come apart in flight?
2. The lighter weight bullets are mainly varmint bullets, will they hold together well enough for MS white tail?
3. Any loads you guys have used in the past with good success?
Thanks
Matt

Ever think about a brake? Way more taming than going with light bullets and you will like it too with the big bullets.