Forums › Forums › General Discussion › Ammo Suggestions for .308
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1 Bullseye
I looked at the CDI stuff. It's nice. Will have to save some pennies but seems worth it.
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1 Bullseye
Thanks guys. So I shot 4 loads today and the most consistent was Hornady white tail 150gr. Seems to be grouping best with 150's. However I was trying to improve my shooting technique over the last 200 rounds but today I went back to what comes natural and how about that I'm shooting tight again. I managed a less than 1/2 inch 5 shot group with that load. Probably could try some other loads and get better results but the nice thing about the whitetail load is I can find them everywhere as opposed to others that are only found in gun shops.
I have a friend that uses the whitetail round for deer and the performance of the round as a hunting round wasn't there. His deer all ran over a 100 yards and the bullet didn't expand at all. Both of the shots were well placed at 75 yards and 85 yards.
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1 Bullseye
That is very concerning. I'm used to everything I shoot dropping immediately. That round from the ballistics seems to loose energy fast. I'm going to try some Federal Premium 165gr Trophy Bonded today. Any body have any experience with them?
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105 Bullseyes
Don't rule out the Hornady Whitetail load without trying it yourself…
I've seen deer run 50-100yrds with a perfectly placed lung shot with small to big caliber rifles with a range of bullets…it not uncommon with a straight through lung shot. If you clip the heart and bone I've seen them take a step or 2 and drop in their tracks.
I shot a white tail this past fall with my 300wsm running a 180 Accubond @ just under 3000fps.
Perfect broad side lung shot, clipped the top of the heart, through and through….distance was about 100yrds. The deer jumped and covered about 25yrds in 3 strides but was dead on its feet taking the 3rd stride….then it dropped in its tracks stone cold. I was hoping for the the shot and pile up that I've seen so many times but not the case with this deer.The same bullet took a Black Bear 3 days later…difference being, the bear was standing staring at me about 125yrds away… I launched a bullet right under is chin for a perfect neck shot. It fell backwards dead on its feet before it hit the ground.
Sometimes a perfect shot to save meat is not a perfect shot to anchor it where it stands. If you want a Deer or any animal to drop in a pile where it stands, then you better be aiming for direct heart, neck or head shot.
Some animals put up a bigger fight for life then others, if you hunt long enough you will see this from time to time…a perfect shot and it won't or does not want to go down.Its our job to be humane and responsible as hunters, and make good decisions in the field.
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1 Bullseye
IMO, it doesn't matter what you hit them with, if it's not in the CNS there's a chance they're going to run. Few years ago my dad was cussed out for hitting his buck between the antlers and cracked the skull plate. The guy mounting that one was not amused.
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1 Bullseye
My 308 CTR likes the 165gr SST Superformance a little better than the 150's…give those a try if haven't already. I've never had a group larger than 1″ measured from outside to outside (without shooter error) @ 100yrds.
The Sierra Match King 168 actually shot the worst in my rifle out of the 2 boxes I've fired if you averaged the group size…Some groups would be 1 hole, and then another group would make you think you had put different ammo in the gun. Though it produced some of the tightest groups, it was not consistent enough to continue buying it.
The Nosler 165 Accubond is my go to “factory” hunting ammo…its given me the best results at the range and in the field. Its worth a try of you are looking go for something to switch it up.
The best 100yrd factory ammo I have tried to date is the Nosler 150gr Match, but it did not do as well at 200+ yrds…. The Hornady 150gr match was a close second.There is no substitute for hand loading in these rifles…
I just worked up and tested some 178gr amax loads for my CTR this past weekend.
It likes 45.1gr of Varget, .03 off the lands = COAL of 2.87″
Groups @ 100 where 1 hole or small clovers all touching.
Groups @ 200 where a consistent .5-.75″
Going to play around with the powder charge a little more at extended ranges to see what happens, but primers are starting to flatten a bit so its pretty much a max load already.Do you crimp your bullets?
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1 Bullseye
I hear what you are saying about shot placement. My old Browning A-bolt 270 WSM put everything straight down as long as it was a vital shot but know about the physiology of deer specifically, they cover a lot of ground fast even dying.
I did shoot a bunch of Hornady 165 gr BTSP's and they shoot as well as anything I've shot so far. Looking at the ballistics, I'm gonna run with this for now (until I collect enough funding for reloading). The whitetail load drops a lot of energy fast in my opinion out past about 400yrds.
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105 Bullseyes
Do you crimp your bullets?
No crimp…I only load for bolt action rifles and have not found the need to do so.
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1 Bullseye
Any opinion on the Borka wrenches Yukonal?
No experience with them.
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