Load Advise For 308 Win

[Bang4theBuck]

I'm getting 2850 with Varget and 168 Berger classic hunters in Hornady brass with 20" 11.25 twist. Not a huge hornady brass fan except when I want to push hunting loads hard (more case capacity and dont care if I only get 3 or 4 reloads out of them before the primer pockets give up.the ghost). Shouldnt have any trouble getting over 2550 in your situation.

 

[MuleyhunterNM]

Sierra Game King, 165 grn. BTSP, excelllent bullet, accurate and deadly, I load my 308 with 43.5 IMR-4064, 2675 fps, nice chioce!
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[Zymurgist]

Gentlemen…
I am searching for a recipe for a 18" pencil bbl in 1:12 twist Kimber Adirondack. Mainly hunting deer sizes animals. I'm old school…leaning on the heavier side for knock down purposes. I favor Nosler Partions(165 or 180).

My concern is the short bbl! It's the shortest one I own. I obviously I want a weight that stays stabile up to 500yds.


Thanks in advance!

I like 43.5 grs. of IMR 4064 under a 165 or 168 grain bullet. If you use a 168 gr. A-Max you will duplicate the load the military issues to their designated marksmen.

 

[MuleyhunterNM]

I like 43.5 grs. of IMR 4064 under a 165 or 168 grain bullet. If you use a 168 gr. A-Max you will duplicate the load the military issues to their designated marksmen.

Interesting! At 100 yrs, 43.5 grn of IMR-4064 will place Sierra 165 BTSP and 165 HPBT at the same average spread .75" and the Hornandy 165 grn interlock at just under MOA.

 

[bkelectricinc]

I get a smile on my face when I hear the words "knock down power". If a bullet had the power to knock an animal etc. down it would do the same to the one shooting it.

I have killed a good number, 100+, of deer with the 308 Win over the years as well as other 30 cal. weapons doing crop damage control as well as just hunting. If you want to shoot those heavy 180s unless you hit the CNS be ready to do some trailing. On the norm they are too heavily constructed and the 308 does not drive them fast enough to expand fully and impart shock as well as permanent wound track in the average size deer in my experience and they run off a good ways. If long range, over 300 yards, is in the mix then one of the 165/168's comes into play because of the retained velocity and better ballistics. But if under 300ish yards is normal then 150 or lighter seems to work best. I have killed a bunch with the 150 Sierra Pro Hunter and Game King and Nosler BT pushed by IMR 4895. The BEST deer bullet I have ever used for 300ish and under yards is the Nosler 125 gr Ballistic Tip pushed by 46 grs IMR 4895. This is a thin skin HUNTING bullet not a VARMINT bullet. This does right at 3000 fps from my 21 1/2" Heart barreled Rem 700 and is bug hole accurate and has been in a number of others rifles. Just like any of the Ballistic Tip bullets impact velocity needs to be under 3000 fps or you will have blow up problems. In my experience best impact velocity for deer is under 2800 fps with Ballistic Tips and it will exit from a deer shot through both shoulders. With the 125 BT out of my 308 at 3000 fps and 30x47 2850 fps rifles and 14" Contender Pistol in 30-30AI at 2670 fps I have shot at least 100 deer mostly inside 300 yards and I can count on one hand those that have not been dropped in their tracks and those did not go over 3 or 4 jumps before going down for the count. I have not tried any but the 125 Nosler Accubond just might be a good one also.

RT…

Thank you for your detailed information! I have never really thought about the "heavier bullets" failing to open/expand! I always viewed the analogy…if you had to get hit…better to take it from Sugar Ray Leonard than Mike Tyson!

Again…Thanks!

 

[baldhunter]

Some say there isn't such a thing as knock down power,I think there is.I've guided on quite a few deer hunts,mostly kids using small cartridges like 243.Sometimes it's really hard to tell if a deer is hit when it runs off.On the other hand,shooting a 270 or larger,I can tell right away if the animal was hit by the initial reaction even if it runs off.I personally have killed two deer that the impact when hit broke the leg on a deer that was hit in the ribs,not hitting the front leg at all.One was with a 7mag.Deer was hit right behind the shoulder,complete pass through,legs were untouched,but the onside leg was broke below the scapula and not in the joint either.The other was shot with a 30-06.Bullet entered behind the onside shoulder and exited in front of the offside shoulder.Neither legs were hit,but it broke the offside leg,once again below the scapula,and not in the joint either.So saying there is no such thing as knock down power,you are going to have a hard time convincing me there isn't.

 

[Possum Cop]

The 130 grain Barnes TTSX is a hard bullet, penetrates good and you can push it around 2900-3000 FPS out of a short barrel.