Posted: 8/23/2009 8:09:00 PM EDT
| Whats a good deer load for a .308? I take it that 168gr BTHP Match are not good..... |
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Quoted:
Whats a good deer load for a .308? I take it that 168gr BTHP Match are not good..... Match bullets in general are not designed for hunting, and should be avoided. Some might do the job, but they're not made with controlled expansion and weight retention in mind. |
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Are you looking to roll your own or go with a factory load?
Here is my current .308 hunting load. 180 grain Barnes TSX 45 grains of Varget CCI BR-2 primer The trajectory on that load is within .25 MOA of my 175 gn SMK "precision" load all the way out to 600 yards in my Rem 700 VS "precision" rifle. Generally speaking in .308 factory loads, 150 gn - 180 gn projectiles are well suited for deer sized animals. I prefer to hunt with monolithic copper or bonded core projectiles, but I do practice with cheaper projectiles. |
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Quoted: Are you looking to roll your own or go with a factory load? Here is my current .308 hunting load. 180 grain Barnes TSX 45 grains of Varget CCI BR-2 primer The trajectory on that load is within .25 MOA of my 175 gn SMK "precision" load all the way out to 600 yards in my Rem 700 VS "precision" rifle. Generally speaking in .308 factory loads, 150 gn - 180 gn projectiles are well suited for deer sized animals. I prefer to hunt with monolithic copper or bonded core projectiles, but I do practice with cheaper projectiles. Sounds like a good mix, I'm adding it to my cookbook  |
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last season I used American Eagle ?150gr crap rounds. At the range I could get 3 shots in a quarter-sized bullseye (I don't know MOA stuff). Seemed good enough for me. Did the job taking down a 230# buck at 120 yds. Its definitely the rifle, not me. I haven't found a round it doesn't like, so I don't bother buying the real expensive stuff. YMMV
As most people would tell you, shot placement is what matters. An extra 16gr in your bullet and increased expansion don't matter if your shot isn't in the right spot. Just my 2 cents |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Whats a good deer load for a .308? I take it that 168gr BTHP Match are not good..... Match bullets in general are not designed for hunting, and should be avoided. Some might do the job, but they're not made with controlled expansion and weight retention in mind. This. I took a doe last year using Black Hill's 77 grain Sierra MatchKing out of my AR15 DCM rifle. Approx. 140 yards frontal shot. Doe ran for 40-50 yards and dropped dead. No exit wound. The bullet simply fragmented and caused too much tissue damage. I lost 1/4 of the deer due to this. Not sure how the 308 Matchking will behave tho ... |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Whats a good deer load for a .308? I take it that 168gr BTHP Match are not good..... Match bullets in general are not designed for hunting, and should be avoided. Some might do the job, but they're not made with controlled expansion and weight retention in mind. This. I took a doe last year using Black Hill's 77 grain Sierra MatchKing out of my AR15 DCM rifle. Approx. 140 yards frontal shot. Doe ran for 40-50 yards and dropped dead. No exit wound. The bullet simply fragmented and caused too much tissue damage. I lost 1/4 of the deer due to this. Not sure how the 308 Matchking will behave tho ... shoting matchkings at game........hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 
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| I use 2 different .308 rifles. A Howa 1500HB that likes 165gr SP's and a Browning BLR that likes 150gr SP's. Reload w/ IMR4064. H335, Varget, BLC2, 3031 are way to fast! Great for slinging lead but that is all. Go w/ a stick powder. Standard Hornady SP do just fine. |
| 150 gr. Hornady Interlock or 150 gr. Hornady SST over 43 gr. of IMR 4064 in LC Match cases and Federal LR primers. I have used the above loads for white tails, mule deer and prong horns. Nothing fancy just a good accurate load out of all of my .308 rifles which are all sighted in 1 1/2 inch high @ 100 yds. I have found that the SST's do better out past 100 yds. as I always get complete penertration. Within 100 yds. they usually don't completly penetrate BUT, the game is DRT, no looking for a blood trail as he drops in his tracks. The SST is my long green field, prong horn load and the Interbond is used for everything else. Hornady makes great bullets and the price is right so you can prictice with what you hunt with. |
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