Hard hitting 308 bullet

pyscodog

Active member
I'm working with a T/C Venture in 308, with a 12 twist. Most all of my 308 bullets are 168 grain Match bullets. It shoots a 168 SMK very good but just not sure about using it as a hunting bullet for deer and hogs. Will it be OK to use or do you folks have better suggestions?

P.S. I reload all my bullets. So just looking for bullet and powder options.

Thanks-Bill
 
Never tried 380 in the 308. May have to give it a try. I like the Accubond bullet. I'll get some of them to. Which powder do you prefer with the Accubonds?
 
165gr SST or 165gr GK in my 700 with 1:12

Reloader 15 with Fed 210 primer and Laupa brass produce .280-.350” five shot groups at 100 yds with either bullet. Even though it’s consistent from lot to lot, it is temp sensitive so I mainly run in the summer.

Varget with Fed 210 primer and Laupa brass produce .400-.530” five shot groups at 100 yds with either bullet. Very temp stable but I have to adjust my charge (node and velocity) because it’s not as consistent lot to lot.

Accuracy nodes are somewhere between 43-44.5 grains.

I have taken many Axis, Whitetails, and Hogs......I feel very confident with a good stable rest shooting out to 500yds.

 
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Hunting large northern Whitetails I found the 180gr RN's to be an outstanding bullet. That said I never took a shot over 200 yards
 
165 gr NP or Accubond w/BallC or H4895 for larger game. 125 gr NBT w/H4895 hammers coyotes.

Regards,
hm
 
Been to the store twice this week, guess I'll go again Sunday. Nice having a reloading store open 7 days a week. They sell guns to. Usually end up with more than I went for.LOL!
 
We are pretty happy w our results in a small running sample of 2 buck killed so far using the hornady 150 gr gmx on deer. Full penetration without massive meat damage and impressive blood trails so far.....both went maybe 30-50 yds - pretty typical for our 06's....blood trail w like ya painted the woods w a bucket....ymmv....fwiw...
 
I used Reloader 15 for years but during the great component drought I bought a bunch of H380. Now it is my go to powder for 308 and 7-08 use it some in a 243. Burns a little dirty but meters like water and accuracy is fine.
 
Made it to the local reloading store today. Picked up a box of 165 grain SST's for the 308...........and a Remington 700BDL in 270 Win. I knew I should have stayed home. Just to good a deal to pass on. LOL, but aren't they all!!
 
Originally Posted By: AWSHunting large northern Whitetails I found the 180gr RN's to be an outstanding bullet. That said I never took a shot over 200 yards
AWS, how were your results on whitetails? My dad gave me a old box of Hornady 180gr round nose a while back. I finally loaded some up with Reloder 15 over the weekend and had some nice groups, the best was a .31" at 100yds, pretty light load though....39 Grains if I remember correctly. I'm shooting a T/C Compass in .308.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogMade it to the local reloading store today. Picked up a box of 165 grain SST's for the 308...........and a Remington 700BDL in 270 Win. I knew I should have stayed home. Just to good a deal to pass on. LOL, but aren't they all!!

those 165 SST's are a great bullet. my 16" 308 loves them (~½ moa), my 7600 30-06 they're amazing in, likewise in my bro's 700 bdl 30-06. both of the '06's they're a dirty cloverleaf sized groupings with their respective pet loads. his BDL when we did the ladder... the worst group shot was barely over an inch.

those are all 10 twist barrels, loaded over varget.

i still need to test them on my 20" 308 upper but i suspect i'm gonna have similar results... they just seem to be a well designed bullet.
 
I've switched all my big game hunting bullets to TTSX regardless of caliber/cartridge. Used SST and ELD-X, (WT deer in the north) and all deer ended up dead quite quickly, except there was NEVER an exit. Shoulder, ribs, chest, neck, AND head shots...30-100yds....NEVER an exit with bullets mentioned. Again, all dead deer, but switching to something that will exit and leave a better blood trail if I have a poor shot.

EDIT: SSTs (140gr) and ELD-X(143gr) were used in 260 rem and never exited. 165gr SST in a 300wm exited....way too much meat damage. Would not advise...but left on [beeep] of a blood trail
 
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I'm pretty old-school, and have a lot of faith in the Nosler partition. I shoot both 150s and 165s in my (several) .308s. Reloder 15 shoots well for me, as does H-4895 and Varget. I have some H-380 but haven't shot it in .308, yet. May try it. Used to shoot Ball C (2) but in my shorter barrels it would throw a fireball even in daylight.
 
Only deer ive shot with a 168 gr SMK from a .308 Win was dead when it hit the dirt. entrance just on the crease of the left shoulder, quartering away, so the bullet exited just in front of the opposite shoulder, leaving a golf ball sized hole. Factory remington premier match ammo. Now, this was at around 60 yards so i cant say how it would perform further way but hogs i would probably go with something meant a little more for hunting but theres only one way to find out. I've also found the 168 gr Nosler BT to work and shoot very well. My pet load for .308 Win with the 168 SMK was with CCI 200's and IMR4064 however 4895 works very very well also, expecially if you're running a semi.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760165 gr HPBT GameKing is a great, stout bullet. I have found amazing accuracy with them too.

I really like that bullet but it is the only Sierra .308 bullet that I've ever (that I'm aware of) had a jacket core separation. Shot a medium size whitetail doe broadside with a .308 Winchester handload that trundled along at 2,640 fps from a 20" barrel. The shot was about 60 yards. She did the usual 30-40 yard sprint and piled up. There was an exit and I didn't think much about it until later when I skinned her and found the jacket stuck in the ribcage. Not a big deal but thought it odd.
 
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