I can't comment at all about the magnum options, but, over the past few years, I've experimented quite a bit with lighter .30 options, including 110 gr TSX, initially for my oldest son's '06 and then for one my dad picked up. A couple shot so well, I started shooting them in a couple of my rifles; '06 and .308. My son's is a Higgins Mod 50 FN, passed down from his great grandfather. I got some data on low recoil rounds because he wanted to hunt with it, instead of a .243 I had intended him to begin his career with. Now that's he's 16 and over 6' tall, the recoil is no longer a concern, but the light bullets are still taking deer and hogs. In my dad's case, shoulder surgery drastically changed his recoil tolerance, but he still wanted to use his '06 from time to time. We tried some of my son's light recoiling loads in dad's rifle and they shot near enough well for his hunting ranges. So I got more mileage out of that round of load development, after all. Dad's rifle is an old Revelation/Mossberg, refinished, bedded, and floated. Mine that have seen the light bullets are a bedded/floated custom stocked Vanguard '06, a custom Springfield, and a floated Ruger 77 .308. Point being, the age and type of rifle doesn't seem to matter much for consistency. None of them shot "patterns" and I was able to find a charge that each of them liked without too much work or time. The largest group from all of them I have recorded in my log was 2.73" and it was with the same powder, heavier charge, that shot the smallest group for the same bullet (a 125 Barnes).
Shots on game have been from 30 yds+- out to just shy of 120 yds. I can't comment on longer range accuracy, but out to the 100-120 area, the following numbers are group averages taken from a minimum of five 3-shot 100 yd groups with the best powder option I found for each bullet, all recorded groups shot by me, not my son or dad.
110 Barnes TSX (no game taken):
FN - .82"
Mossberg - 1.31"
Vanguard - .34"
Springfield - not tried
Ruger .308 - .49"
125 Barnes X (1 hog taken):
FN - .63"
Mossberg - not tried
Vanguard - .28"
Springfield - .33"
Ruger .308 - .41"
125 Sierra Flat Base (2 deer, 1 hog taken):
FN - .57"
Mossberg - 1.1"
Vanguard - .68"
Springfield - .59"
Ruger .308 - .78"
130 Hornady SP (1 deer, 3 hogs taken):
FN - .68"
Mossberg - .97"
Vanguard - .24"
Springfield - .39"
Ruger .308 - .30"
All of that leads me to conclude that the smaller bullets are just fine in .30 cal, albeit with the sacrifice in the almighty BC. My dad is shooting the 125 Sierra over 4198. Personally, I ended up settling on the Horn 130 over 4064 as my overall choice for a range bullet and deer bullet, but I like to shoot a lot and at 100/box, it's easier on my family-constrained wallet than the Barnes 110 at 50/box. That is all that made the difference in my decision.
Best -
Andy
Last edited by FLNative; 04/27/15.
