308 Win - 168 gr (A Max, SMK and ELD-M)

[BoomFlop]

My Remington LTR in 223 shoots so good, I decided to buy the exact rifle in 308 Win. I have zero experience with a 308 Win. I am looking for an accurate bullet for target shooting as well as whitetails inside of 300 yards, with most being 30-125 yards.

What are your thoughts on these 3 bullets as far as accuracy and performance on WI deer at 308 Win velocities? Or if there is a better option(s)?

Thanks all,
Steve

 

[birdiemc]

Im interested to see everybody's thoughts too since I just discovered this morning my 308 seems to prefer a 168 gr bullet.

 

[okie man]

Try the Speer 165 gr btsp. Not a designer bullet but if found them too be very accurate and preform well on deer at 308 velocities. I'm about too give up on hornady, price goes up, quality goes down.

 

[Capt RB]

168 berger vld hunting over 42 grains of varget in 118lr brass #34 primer I shot a sub inch 480yd group dead on the cross of the plate. 2850fps in my rifle less than 1" of vertical@ 700. This is as far as I have shot on paper. I can hit a 12"plate @ 1100 over 80% on my own and even higher with a good spotter calling my wind.
The 178 eldm and the 175tmk not the smk will both kill very well. Lapua brass 41.6 varget 210m 2780+ (I don't have my book handy) Both have single digit es and both have about a bullet's width for vertical @ 500yds. Little better than the berger in the wind but with a good wind call the berger is more accurate. I shoot at the expert level not at high master level nowadays when I compete.
I have a tight bore .298 vs .300 This creates much higher pressures than the book suggests for this powder charge.

 

[dgarrett]

My Remington 5R like the 175 smks better then any of the 168's I tried

 

[Mach 1]

The 168 and 175 sierra match kings have been the mainstay of the 308 win mag for alot of years

 

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

My .308 likes the 168 grains as well. I don't reload yet, and I'm using factorsy Barnes ammunition. I can put the three shot groups of the 168 grain Barnes TTSX through the same hole at 100 yards. I primarily use the rifle to hunt hogs at night with my thermal equipment. I have killed hogs with these bullets reliably from 25 yards out to 200 yards DRT. My longest shot was on a boar hog at 500 yards. He made it about 25 yards before piling up. I know they're expensive, but once I start reloading for my .308, it will be with these bullets.

 

[elk creek]

I have killed elk with 168 SMKs, they are very accurate out of my 308s and with a well placed shot on game they have worked well for me in hunting situations. IMR 4895 is my go to powder for this application.

 

[Canhunter35]

Hands down take the 168 eldm, the performance on deer is exceptional. I use 44gr of varget seated for a coal of 2.805".
A 308 should shoot any weight with ample accuracy, it's a very easy cartridge to load for

 

[Farmerbrown32]

I have shot alot of the 168 amax and eldm, they both perform the same on game, which is exceptional, they pile coyotes up like they were hit buy a truck.

 

[xsn10s]

In a LTR and concentrating on hunting 30-125 yards 150-168gr would probably be a good bet. I think I'd go for a Berger Hunting, Nosler BT, or Hornady hunting bullet of some kind. The reality is even a corelock would be fine on whitetails at that distance. So I'd pick whatever shot the most accurately and gave you the most confidence. Double lung and you'll be fine. If you're going to load then with a 20" barrel I'd try H4895 with a 150gr BT first, just my 2 cents worth.

 

[BoomFlop]

Do not reload. Would need factory ammunition. Would be nice if my target ammunition and hunting ammunition could be the same.

From my research, the A Max/ELD-M are basically the same and perform better on game than the Federal 168 gr GMM?

Thanks

 

[Capt RB]

If you don't reload run a match load for plinking and a hunting load for hunting. What ever your guns wants to shoot is what you use. Several ammo mfg's use the 168 or 175smk in a match load. Berger bullets are found in Berger and some Federal as well as hsm which has alot of varieties of boith match and hunting with premium bullets. Don't overlook the economy loads. My 270 shoots the 130 power points from Winchester about as good as a handload just without the extra velocity. They sell a deer xp load that will deliver the mail as well.
When your shooting factory ammo it is your gun's choice not yours. Try your first choices but keep trying other loads till you get your expected accuracy. There should be plenty of options that work. Once you get a good option buy as much of that lot as you can.

 

[Canhunter35]

Buy a box of superformance match with 168s and a box of regular match with the 168s from hornady and see how they shoot, I'm sure one will be decent. Yeah the eldm is the heat tip version of the amax