Lower recoil 308 load

[seagate slim]

I have an older Ruger 308 Gunsite Scout that has served me well and is a favorite just because... Would like to find a kinder gentler load for my aging shoulders.
Rifle will be used out to 200 yds for whitetail and hogs. Would like to get 1-1.5 MOA accuracy if possible, but that will depend mostly on load development. Running 150 gr Horn SPs over H4350 and that's better than the 165/168 SP/SSTs I used to shoot.
Any recommendations for a bullet/powder combo?

 

[VinceMule]

Speer manuals have reduced loads in it, and the 4895's work very well.

I have killed a lot of deer with the 125g-135g Sierra's, and a 125g tipped game king is available right now. A Limbsaver recoil pads works wonders for old shoulders.

I killed two ten-pointers with 135g Sierra single-shot pistol bullets out of my 308 with both of the deer being over 200 lbs.

To reduce recoil, go down in bullet weight.

 

[akmtnhnt]

Run a ~130gr at modest pressure. Might consider a mono for the hogs in that lighter weight. Barnes has a 130grTTSX. As do all the more boutique copper guys on here(hammer, badlands and more)
Nosler makes a 125gr Accubond and ballistic tip.
Sierra makes a 125gr TGK.

For powder, you need something that will still fill some of the case and get you enough pressure to get a good burn and keep your ES/SD down.
H322 stands out as one that will get you above 80% volume and 100% burn at that low pressure, running about 2850fps with a 125gr. Accurate 2460 and N133 and RL7 all meet those criteria as well.
You could also just try the 125-130's at full pressure and see how that is for recoil first. In which case you're up at 3150-3300fps with something like Ramshot TAC, H4895, BLC2, RL17, Varget, leverevolution.


Alternatively, I highly recommend getting a suppressor. It will tame the recoil as much if not more than downloading a cartridge will. A suppressed 308 kicks like a 223, no blast in your face like a brake will do.

 

[K.E.C.]

Nosler 125 Accubond.
Hammer Hunter- 124.
Either one will Drop a Whitetail in its tracks. And fill like your shooting a 243.

 

[akmtnhnt]

Badlands just released this today - https://badlandsprecision.com/product/308-bd-2-136gr/
That's high BC for such a light 308. With the velocities you can get from such a weight, low drag, impact velocities are going to be really high. I'd imagine you'd get some great DRT like hits with that out to 300y or so, and would still be able to go through pig bones.

 

[seagate slim]

All very good info. I have some Barnes 120 Gr Tac TX and H322, so that might be a good starting point. XXL has load data. Tried my suppressor earlier today and recoil was down but POI shifted way off the target at 50 yds. Guess I could get a bigger target and shoot for group to see if worth re-zeroing. Would prefer to shoot suppressed if it groups OK.
Thanks guys.

 

[akmtnhnt]

All very good info. I have some Barnes 120 Gr Tac TX and H322, so that might be a good starting point. XXL has load data. Tried my suppressor earlier today and recoil was down but POI shifted way off the target at 50 yds. Guess I could get a bigger target and shoot for group to see if worth re-zeroing. Would prefer to shoot suppressed if it groups OK.
Thanks guys.

You always have to re-zero when putting anything on your barrel. Just run it suppressed only.
I've never had a suppressor open groups. POI shift always. I always re zero at 25yd to make sure it's on paper, then go out to 100y.

 

[K.E.C.]

All very good info. I have some Barnes 120 Gr Tac TX and H322, so that might be a good starting point. XXL has load data. Tried my suppressor earlier today and recoil was down but POI shifted way off the target at 50 yds. Guess I could get a bigger target and shoot for group to see if worth re-zeroing. Would prefer to shoot suppressed if it groups OK.
Thanks guys.

Howdy, if your thinking to be in the 120gr area, I highly recommend the 124 Hammer Hunter. That is a Great Bullet.
Give Steve a call at Hammer Bullets.
They are a sponsor for this site.
Great People to deal with.

 

[VinceMule]

125-135g at 3000 KICK!

I would look at reducing the velocity to 2600, and some mono's need speed to expand.

The answer for me was a Gentry muzzle break, threw most of the sound forward, and reduced the recoil to 243 Win or less. I learned to wear Peltor Electronic Ear muffs and heard a lot more deer grunting, snorting wheezing, and young bucks tingling their antlers together. I learned to grunt and rattle, buck hunting got a lot more interesting. In Kansas on one day, I rattled in 7 different bucks that circled the tree I was in on top of a 15' ladder stand. Got sidetracked....sorry.

 

[akmtnhnt]

125-135g at 3000 KICK!

I would look at reducing the velocity to 2600, and some mono's need speed to expand.

The answer for me was a Gentry muzzle break, threw most of the sound forward, and reduced the recoil to 243 Win or less. I learned to wear Peltor Electronic Ear muffs and heard a lot more deer grunting, snorting wheezing, and young bucks tingling their antlers together. I learned to grunt and rattle, buck hunting got a lot more interesting. In Kansas on one day, I rattled in 7 different bucks that circled the tree I was in on top of a 15' ladder stand. Got sidetracked....sorry.

The only problem going all the way down to 2600fps with a 125-130 is no matter what powder you run, case fill will be very low, pressure will be so low that burn rates become very slow and erratic regardless of the powder. ES/SD will be very high. I guess at 200y it wouldn't really matter.

 

[VinceMule]

H4895 does well with reduced loads in the 308. 125's at 2600 still have some recoil.

My young nephews killed quite a few deer with a Thompson Contender Carbine using Rem Reduced load 30/30 ammo.