New to 308 Win, time is short, season on the way

[gohring3006]

Find a load with 178s and and he will pretty much cover all the bases that a 308 will offer performance wise.
Deer and other large game.
Long range steel fun out to 1k.
All that is achieved fairly well with 175-178 class bullets.

 

[Wyo37]

The easy button is hornady match eldm. 178, 168, whatever shoots better.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

130 or 150 grn. Barnes TTSX do the trick. I also like the 165 grn. Sierra GK HPBT. And yet another option is the 168 grn. Accubond Long range. These all have worked well for me.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I'd stick in the 165-178 class projectiles. You will get the best bang for you buck in that range for both hunting and plinking. As someone mentioned a couple times the Hornady eldms are a solid choice.

 

[Panhandlin Pat]

The 168 Amax is an excellent bullet for killing deer in a 308 and they are also relatively inexpensive. Varget is the best powder I have used with them. This is my standard hunting and long range shooting load for my 308. My load is stout for sure, 2840 out of a 26" barrel. Primer pockets are getting loose in 5-6 loadings with Winchester brass. It is very accurate out to 700-750 and shoots very well out past 900 but in my opinion a 308 with a 168 class bullet is not a good choice for shooting deer much past 600 for very capable shooters. The wind moves it too much. I have shot this combination a LOT. My 28 Noslers feel like a chip shot at 600 compared to the 308, with a 162 it is 550 fps faster and a much higher BC bullet. 6.5 manbun with a good 140 is substantially easier to shoot at 600 as well, similar velocity but a very slick bullet makes a huge difference. For a less skilled shooter I would probably move that max 308 distance back to 400-450 in relatively calm conditions with plenty of time to get it done. Don't get me wrong, I love my 308, it's what I typically grab to go hunt deer or shoot because it's a great rifle and cartridge, but there are LOTS better choices if you want to really stretch the distance. What that 308 IS, without a doubt, it is a great rifle for learning long range shooting and wind reading, and that is 100% because it is a lot more difficult to do with a less efficient bullet and lower velocity. Learn to shoot a 308 well at 700-800 and then get rifle that will shoot a more efficient bullet to hunt long range with.

Couldn't agree with this more. I'm running the 168 AMax at around 2680 out of my 20 inch savage. The 168 holds up great at 308 velocities. I was hog hunting close to Palo Duro some years back, heard something big coming down the trail in front of me. I slipped around a cedar bush and was face to face with a big old aoudad. Shot him in the throat from about 5 paces, found the bullet lodged under the hide in his right rear quarter. Had 50ish% weight retention (lost the bullet when I moved). Also shot a deer at 505 yards and one at 380 last year, performed perfectly in those scenarios as well.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Couldn't agree with this more. I'm running the 168 AMax at around 2680 out of my 20 inch savage. The 168 holds up great at 308 velocities. I was hog hunting close to Palo Duro some years back, heard something big coming down the trail in front of me. I slipped around a cedar bush and was face to face with a big old aoudad. Shot him in the throat from about 5 paces, found the bullet lodged under the hide in his right rear quarter. Had 50ish% weight retention (lost the bullet when I moved). Also shot a deer at 505 yards and one at 380 last year, performed perfectly in those scenarios as well.

I'd love to hunt up near Palo Duro! That's a dang good Aoudad. Wish they wouldn't have stopped producing the Amaxs

 

[Panhandlin Pat]

I'd love to hunt up near Palo Duro! That's a dang good Aoudad. Wish they wouldn't have stopped producing the Amaxs

They still produce the 168 and the .50 cal amax! I just bought some more a couple weeks ago

 

[YZ-80]

Lots of good advice. I've run a flat 42.0 grain Varget charge with a 168 ELD-X (.020 off) in both my Savage FCP-SR and my Daniel Defense Delta 5 with boringly accurate results. I always joked the the rifles literally shot themselves. Forget the speed but somewhere in the high 2600's. Used to use a lot of IMR 4895 with similar results but I found it a bit dirty.

 

[bluedog69]

I'd stick in the 165-178 class projectiles. You will get the best bang for you buck in that range for both hunting and plinking. As someone mentioned a couple times the Hornady eldms are a solid choice.

Where do you get load data for the eldm's? Do you need to buy the Hornady 11th edition App to get reload data?
Is this the same App that does the ballistics calculations too?

 

[Lee7588]

He has been running 110's for yotes. Just think it would be really smart to go 150 or more on deer.
We get some big body weights with tough winter hair.

110's will kill deer just as dead as a 150+. If he is familiar with the dope of the 110's in his gun then shoot what he has knowledge of. I know people that shoot deer with 70 gr 5.56 and are very successful

 

[sierracharlie338]

They still produce the 168 and the .50 cal amax! I just bought some more a couple weeks ago

Yeah I have a stock pile for my 308 but I meant the other calibers mostly 6mm, 6.5 etc

 

[sierracharlie338]

Where do you get load data for the eldm's? Do you need to buy the Hornady 11th edition App to get reload data?
Is this the same App that does the ballistics calculations too?

If you already have a Hornady manual it's the same data for any projectile in the same weight class. If not, having a current manual would benefit you as it will have the newer powders and updated info. The app that does ballistic calculation does not provide reloading data to my knowledge.

 

[YZ-80]

FWIW, I used that 42 grain Varget charge interchangeably with the 163/168 ELDM and ELDX with very similar results. I have heard of guys using the ELDM for hunting with good results but I shied away from it based on how they are advertised. I'm not sure but I think I just referred to the old 10th edition Hornady manual for load data.

 

[bluedog69]

110's will kill deer just as dead as a 150+. If he is familiar with the dope of the 110's in his gun then shoot what he has knowledge of. I know people that shoot deer with 70 gr 5.56 and are very successful

Yes, and we have shot a lot of deer with 60 gr Nosler Partitions out of a .223. They work great for the average 125-150lb dressed deer.
But when a buck shows up that field dresses in the low 260's with a heavy winter coat on I would rather have some more punch. Deer this size are tough.