What bullet for .308 Win

[bowhunthard88]

I am buying a 308 win, what bullets should i shoot out of it?
Match grade of course, lol.

was thinking a-max or sierra 168gr mk, or speer 168gr hpbt match.
What bullets, weights etc.

and what powder should i use, i was thinking about Varget.

Any suggestions, tips, opinions?

Thanks.

 

[Guy M]

Have you read this long-running thread?
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/looking-good-all-around-bullet-308-win-10605/

Also a good article on the .308 Win over at 6mmBR.com:
.308 Winchester Cartridge Guide

I tend to favor the 165 gr Sierra SPBT Gameking, or the 165 Nosler Ballistic Tip, however this year I used a Berger VLD from my .25-06 on mule deer, with impressive results. Just might have to give the Bergers a try in my .308 Win too. They sure shoot well from it, I just haven't taken any game with the .308 Win/Berger VLD combo. Those bullets are what I'd look at first for hunting, or possibly the 168 gr Barnes TSX or 165 Nosler Partition if ranges were shorter and penetration was a concern. A friend of mine uses the A-Max for all of his target shooting and hunting with the .308 and gets excellent results.

For target shooting it's hard to knock the Sierra Matchkings in 155, 168 or 175. Nosler's competition bullets in 155 & 168 do very well too, as do the Bergers.

There are some lightweight 110, 125 & 130 grain varmint bullets that work very, very well for varmint shooting. Accurate and explosive!

Varget is an excellent powder for the .308 and has served many long-range competitors well. Typically I'll use Winchester brass and Federal 210 match primers.

Regards, Guy

 

[Derek M.]

I have some 150 btips loaded up over Varget...pretty much a kickass load. I will be trying the 168 and/or 155 Berger VLD.

With 150 class bullets: use Re15 or Varget. 165 class either of those or 4064. Heavier...4064.

 

[RT2506]

It all depends on what you are going to be doing with your 308. If you are going to be shooting 100 to 200 pound White Tail Deer try the 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips at around 3000 fps muzzle velocity. I shoot 46 grs IMR 4895 out of my Heart 21 1/2" barrel Rem. 700 and get 3050 fps. This load drops deer dead in their tracks from point blank to 300 yards which is as far as I have had the oppertunity to shoot one so far.

 

[Michael Eichele]

It depends on what you want to do with it.

For 100-1000 yard paper the 155 SCENAR, 155 AMAX, 175 SMK, 178 AMAX or 190 SMK.

For up to 600 yard deer size critters, 150, 165, 180 Ballitic tip, 150, 165, 180 ACCUBOND or 178 AMAX.

For bigger critters at less range, 150-180 ACCUBONDS.

VARGET is a great choice. Start there. Some rifles wont excell with it. If it doesnt then try RL15, or H4895. For 125-168 grain bullets Hodgdon BENCHMARK is phenominal. You dont get super velocities but the accuracy is astounding and is in the extreeme line of H powders. It is also too fast for heavier bullets. As a last resort try IMR 4064. It is extreemly forgiving in a 308. It just isnt quite as temp stable as RL15 or the "H" powders.

 

[bowhunthard88]

Thanks guys,

I did check out the posts previously to this, but no one mentioned the 178gr AMAX. Thanks for the help. Going to order the 168gr Sierra MKs and the 178gr AMAXs. Going to try to get target accuracy out of my "deer rifle", Rem 700 VTR. Ranges for deer, realistically for me, are going to be 25yds to 500yds, probably in the closer bracket tho lol.

Is IMR4895 OK?

And is benchmark ok in a 22-250, or should I stick with Varget in that caliber? And how temp stable is benchmark?

Thanks a lot.
______________________________
Red mist. It's an addiction. gun)

 

[RT2506]

IMR 4895 works great in the 308. It was THE powder before Varget came around. Try you some Berger VLD bullets for a target and deer bullet. The 155's work good on deer. I keep telling people about the killing ability of the 125 Nosler ballistic tips on deer and they keep ignoring this bullet as too light. It is not too lightly constricted. It has the same construction as the 150's except the jacket has been shortened as to make 125 grs. It shoots flat and hits hard. In my rifle at 3050 fps with a 3 inch high zero at 100 yards it is only 3 3/4 inch low at 300 yards. Now that is flat shooting for a 308. It will shoot well under MOA also.

 

[rdsii64]

The standard Issue Round for Marine Corps scout snipers was at one time 42.5 grains of powder ( not sure of the brand) federal 210 Match primers topped with a 168 Grain SMK. I have a co-worker who hand loads and loaded a few of those for me and 1 in 12 twist 24" barrel likes them very well. Then again. plain old winchester superX 180 grain powerpoints group well in my gun to. If you go with good brass and federal 210 match primers any bullet weight that will stableize with the twist rate of your gun will do you very well.

 

[4ked Horn]

I have been very happy with the Nosler 168 gr custom competition bullets. The last 4 deer taken have been medium to large mule deer does at 380, 420, 490 and 530 yards (not in that order) All heart lung entries and exits except for 1 that was quartering toward and was a kidney exit. All took only 1 shot and 3 of them rolled down hill toward us. One bounded 10 yards up hill and made it 20 yards over the back side of the ridge but ended up in the freezer just the same.

This evening I bought a box of 175 gr Berger VLD bullets to start working up a load. It is a long story but I am pushing for more accuracy out of my hunting bullet than what I have been getting with the Noslers. Currently I am getting about 1.5 inch groups at 300 yards and 4 inch at 500. Good enough for the hunt within my own limits and energy of the humble .308 but I want better accuracy (rockchucks at 1200+ yards.) As far as performance I am satisfied with the Noslers. Both are using J4 jackets.