AR 308 Hunting Loads

[USAFRet]

I am going to be doing break-in on my Ruger SFAR with Hornady 150 grain SSTs. I will do a little testing in there for groups to see if anything magic happens for a deer cartridge, but my go to round right now is a 165 grain Accubond.

Anyone care to share hunting loads you use in an AR-10 chambered in 308? AR brand, barrel length, bullet, brass, primer, powder, COAL, velocity, groups? If you have SD and ES and pics, share that too.

Just interested and a starting point to play around.

Thanks.

 

[bamban]

M118 LRs with meplat opened anchored a few hogs for me.

 

[USAFRet]

M118 LRs with meplat opened anchored a few hogs for me.

View attachment 452249

Thanks Air Force. Off we go...

 

[asd9055]

Following, I have a 20Inch DPMS LR308 I like to figure a load for

 

[USAFRet]

Following, I have a 20Inch DPMS LR308 I like to figure a load for

Here is what I will be testing here in the next week.

 

[Pdyson]

Hey Pal, I'm retired AF too way back in 2003, I just retired again from Border Patrol 2 years ago. My LWRC REPR 20" would shoot pretty much anything I fed it sub MOA, but it really liked the heavier bullets. I didn't hunt with it though as it was way too doggone heavy to lug around. Two years ago I built a Ghost Gun LR308 with a SOTA arms 80% lower and a complete upper to match. I put an 18" fluted Faxon barrel on it. It's not as light as your SFAR but it's not a tank either. My hog load is Lapua brass, Speer 150SSP, CCI 7.62x51 primers, 43.3gr VHT N133, velocity is 2651 shooting suppressed. It's not a long range Load but it shoots 1/2 in at 100 and kills like poison… easily out to 250, and my thermal has a laser range finder if I need to shoot farther than that.

 

[bamban]

Hey Pal, I'm retired AF too way back in 2003, I just retired again from Border Patrol 2 years ago. My LWRC REPR 20" would shoot pretty much anything I fed it sub MOA, but it really liked the heavier bullets. I didn't hunt with it though as it was way too doggone heavy to lug around. Two years ago I built a Ghost Gun LR308 with a SOTA arms 80% lower and a complete upper to match. I put an 18" fluted Faxon barrel on it. It's not as light as your SFAR but it's not a tank either. My hog load is Lapua brass, Speer 150SSP, CCI 7.62x51 primers, 43.3gr VHT N133, velocity is 2651 shooting suppressed. It's not a long range Load but it shoots 1/2 in at 100 and kills like poison… easily out to 250, and my thermal has a laser range finder if I need to shoot farther than that.

Took this at the 300 yard feeder. 16-1/2 AR10 suppressed topped off with FLIR PTS536. Modified M118 LR. The 175s are only coming out at 2500

 

[asd9055]

View attachment 452292
Here is what I will be testing here in the next week.

Thanks you. Keep us posted

 

[wvbearhunter]

I LOVE the 150 grain Barnes TTSX. Out of my 16" Rem 700 it drops deer like a bolt of lightning.

 

[wvbearhunter]

I have also have fantastic results with the 130 grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos

 

[mtwarych]

My son shoots an LR308 DPMS 20" and I shoot a DPMS GII 20". His rifle is chambered 308W and mine is chambered in 7.62X51.

We started our load work ups with 150gn slugs and neither rifle would shoot a decent group with them. We then decided to load 165gn Nosler Ballistic tips and the same weight Accu-bonds.

The load that shot best in my son's rifle is made up of LC 05 brass trimmed to minimum length, primer pocket uniformed and flash hole trimmed. Same brass as my load.

The brass is primed with CCL#34 primers but I'm sure other brands and makes of large rifle primer would work just fine. We use #34 primers because they are basically a large rifle magnum primer but the cup is a little thicker. The "magnum" part of the primer ensures good ignition of the powder if it's a little chilly outside.

We both use H4895 because the powder burn rate and gas produced to ensure good function of a gas rifle. Both of our gas guns are sub moa shooting off a bench. When we go up into the mountains, we SAFELY shoot ridge to ridge using our dope and it's fun to roll or bounce pinecones or other targets of opportunity.

My son's rifle is loaded to 42.7gn H4895 and mine is loaded to 40.5gn. Everybody knows that one never takes advice from the internet. Work up your own special load and take full responsibility for the outcome of your own special load.

Since your rounds need to fit in the magazine, all of our rounds are set to reccommended OAL and no crimp.

My son's rifle is shooting 2650fps and mine is right at 2590fps. Both rifles function both suppressed and un-suppressed. We have adjustable gas blocks and I have a heavy buffer and spring in my gas gun and firing my rifle is like getting into a brawl with 8 or 10 Golden retiever puppies. I would reccomend adj. gas blocks and heavy buffer to anyone shooting AR-10's.

Everyone here knows that gas guns aren't as easy as a bolt action to shoot and it takes a bunch of practice to be able watch your impact on target.

Best of luck out there.

 

[asd9055]

My son shoots an LR308 DPMS 20" and I shoot a DPMS GII 20". His rifle is chambered 308W and mine is chambered in 7.62X51.

We started our load work ups with 150gn slugs and neither rifle would shoot a decent group with them. We then decided to load 165gn Nosler Ballistic tips and the same weight Accu-bonds.

The load that shot best in my son's rifle is made up of LC 05 brass trimmed to minimum length, primer pocket uniformed and flash hole trimmed. Same brass as my load.

The brass is primed with CCL#34 primers but I'm sure other brands and makes of large rifle primer would work just fine. We use #34 primers because they are basically a large rifle magnum primer but the cup is a little thicker. The "magnum" part of the primer ensures good ignition of the powder if it's a little chilly outside.

We both use H4895 because the powder burn rate and gas produced to ensure good function of a gas rifle. Both of our gas guns are sub moa shooting off a bench. When we go up into the mountains, we SAFELY shoot ridge to ridge using our dope and it's fun to roll or bounce pinecones or other targets of opportunity.

My son's rifle is loaded to 42.7gn H4895 and mine is loaded to 40.5gn. Everybody knows that one never takes advice from the internet. Work up your own special load and take full responsibility for the outcome of your own special load.

Since your rounds need to fit in the magazine, all of our rounds are set to reccommended OAL and no crimp.

My son's rifle is shooting 2650fps and mine is right at 2590fps. Both rifles function both suppressed and un-suppressed. We have adjustable gas blocks and I have a heavy buffer and spring in my gas gun and firing my rifle is like getting into a brawl with 8 or 10 Golden retiever puppies. I would reccomend adj. gas blocks and heavy buffer to anyone shooting AR-10's.

Everyone here knows that gas guns aren't as easy as a bolt action to shoot and it takes a bunch of practice to be able watch your impact on target.

Best of luck out there.

That is interesting. I did not realize that they made the distinction on the 308/7.62x51. I knew about the 223/5.56 but not this. I Had to go check, my DPMS says Cal:308, thats all. My FN FAL, as expected says 7.62mm
I could have swore I shot 7.62x51 in my DPMS without problems.
EDIT: according to SAAMI, 308WIN is rated for higher pressure.

 

[Pdyson]

Took this at the 300 yard feeder. 16-1/2 AR10 suppressed topped off with FLIR PTS536. Modified M118 LR. The 175s are only coming out at 2500

View attachment 452311

well done sir!
this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way to the bed of my sons pickup.

 

[USAFRet]

I have also have fantastic results with the 130 grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos

I have some 152 grain CC.