Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Bullets for .308 Winchester

Looking for a bullet for a .308, will be used mainly on deer and elk. I'm not a real long range shooter, simply not good enough yet to go really far. Besides, the area's I'm hunting will usually limit things to maybe 300 yards.

Was reading the penetration testing thread in the Hunting Rifle forum, and the 168gr BT did very well so I wanted to try it. I can't seem to find it anywhere, but the 165 is more readily available. Obviously 3gr won't matter, just wondering about differences in construction? Any others to take a look at?

165 nosler partition or 165 or 168 ballistic tip would do.

I'd skip the Nosler and go 155 Scenar...

150 gr. TTSX for hunting.

A quick check in Ballistic Explorer's database found 28 matches for 0.308", 168 grain, BT bullets. Ignoring match, competition, tactical, and plastic tip bullets here are 5 you might consider.

Barnes 168g TSX BT catalog #30844, G1 BC: 404, length: 1.315"
Berger 168g Hunting VLD catalog # 30510, G1 BC: 0.473, length: 1.265"
Berger 168g Classic Hunter catalog # 30570, G1 BC: 0.496, length: 1.250"
Hornady 168g BTHP catalog 30501, G1 BC: 0.450, length: 1.215"
Hornady 168g A-Max BT catalog # 30502, G1 BC: 0.475, length: 1.265"

Get Partitions and worry about something else.

One of the great virtues of the .308 Winchester (like other moderate-velocity big game cartridges) is that just about any bullet works well, because they're not stressed by too much impact velocity.

I agree with the BT suggestions but for the shots you mention taking in your area I would try the 165 gr Sierra HPGK. It has been extremely accurate in every rifle I've loaded it for and its performance on game has been perfect.

I have to throw in with those recommending Nosler Partitions. They are never a mistake. And, for the .308 I'd go with the 165gr.

Also with a 100 1" high zero with the ranges mentioned would be a point shoot affair. 308 is perfect tool for making deer steaks inside 300 bang pass the gravy.

Ballistic tip would be the value bullet but partitions smack like the hand of God.
TSX, TTSX ETIPS and the like are really at their best running faster than a 308 pushes. Just my observation you certainly have lots of choices.

Can't speak to construction difference w/ 165, but 168s are ready to ship tomorrow here:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/19...308-diameter-168-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

Another partition vote.

For elk I can't speak. For deer just the plain old 165 grain interlock. At 300 you have no need for a boat tail. Deer just are not that hard to kill.

Elk + 165 grn partition = dinner

Sierras get a lot of flack around here, but I've had good luck on deer with them in the .308 and '06. They do make a pretty big hole so keep them away from the eating meat if possible.

I haven't shot anything with the 165 BTs yet, but my son whacked one using them out of my .308 last year during a cull hunt in VA and said it blew a big hole also. Let's face it, anything in the .308/'06/.270 class is a lot of gun for whitetails in the woods.

Can not speak to elk but deer really do not like a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. If you can get partitions to shoot in yours I would say go with them. Neither of my .308s liked them.

Thats why I like the Hollow Point Game King. They are quite a bit tougher than the 165 Sierra Spitzer Game King and they really shoot well.

Have used the Sierra Spitzer Game King in the 308 Federal Premium load for about 20 deer. Opens up nicely, but will occasionally not exit on closer shots. Never had a deer go more than a few steps, most not even that. Most accurate load in my particular rifle.

Probably wouldn't use it on elk, would look to a bit stouter bullet.

Pretty much whatever your gun shoots from 150 to 180 grains will be fine. My .308 was fussy. It liked 165 grain Accubonds, 165 grain partitions, 180 grain speer roundnose, and that's about it. I messed with 150s including X and E-tip, and the 130 grain TTSX ... no go. 5-6 inch groups.

So I mostly shot the Accubonds.

At 308 velocities you can use a 180BT without worrying about 'blow-up". Yes, the old ones had a bad rap, but the new ones are Not a grenade. The BT has been my 1st choice to try in any rifle, because I've found if I can't get it to shoot well, there's probably a problem, and it's not the bullet.

When the reloading components' scare was just starting to abate, I think it was Powder Valley where I found a couple of boxes of 150 SGKs. I grabbed them and just got done loading some over W748 for a retired buddy's 308 BLR. He's not a loony, so I'm sure he'll be unquestionably happy with them for both paper and the muleys roaming the hills behind his house.

Me too.

The Hornady 165 Interlock is a good choice too.

I usually started and ended with the Hornady 150, but if they were not accurate the 165 was substituted. The 165 seemed to always be accurate.

Pretty much any decent 165-ish cup/core is a good choice in a 308win. They seem to knock good-sized holes in things with lots of leaking.

Couldn't agree more!

My son used my .308 Sako on this black bear.

130 grain TTSX through the right side of the neck at an angle and out below the left armpit. Obviously the bear dropped in its tracks and never moved.

Those 130's are wicked at 3000ish fps.






Edit: I like them because they over penetrate.

Nice looking bear, congrats.

I've used a lot of 180gr Horandy SPs in my 308 with no problems.

Here's the vote so far:

General Nosler Partition 4
165 Hornady Interlock 3
155 Lapua Scenar 3
165 Nosler Partition 3
165/168 Nosler Ballistic Tip 2

The following have one vote:
130 Barnes TTSX
150 Barnes TTSX
168 Berger Hunting VLD
168 Hornady BTHP
168 Hornady A-Max
180 Hornady Interlock
General Sierra
165 Sierra HP GameKing

Most votes don't give any reason for the choice except "no problems," though some don't give any at all, especially the three voters for the 155 Scenar. Since no reason is given, some people are curious about why it's the best choice for shooting deer and elk with a .308 out to 300 yards.

One comment for G46: There are also no worries about "bullet blow-up" with the present version of the 180-grain Ballistic Tip in almost any .30 caliber cartridge, since 2/3 of the bullet's weight is jacket.

Sooo.....

Close your eyes, spin around three times and grab what ever your hand touches on the shelf, then?

OK, I'm down for the 150 gr Barnes TTSX. Took all of three load attempts to find the right combination of Varget, Barnes 150 gr TTSX and Hornady brass. One of those that is really too easy.

Anybody used the Federal Trophy - either 165 or 180's?

Really like that international stock.

Mule deer, are you trying to keep this thread on track?

Nah, gave up on that years ago. Just kinda curious. Have seen Scenars in action, both on targets and game, and so far they have worked fine. Just wondered why they would be superior to any of the other bullets suggested, for the specific use outlined by the original post.

My first post outlined my experience with the .308, which is that just about any bullet works pretty well on big game due to the moderate muzzle velocity. In fact have yet to see a bullet from a .308 "fail" on big game, and have seen a bunch of animals of at least dozen species up to 700-800 pounds killed with it in North America and Africa.

Ok I did that, now I have a box of .338 250gr bullets, wtf am I supposed to do with that?

Actually I did manage to acquire a box of 150gr BT's, as that was literally the only thing they had in stock at the local shop. It'll let me see if this gun will shoot decent,as its the one thats been giving me fits for some time. I tried 130gr Hornady's and they shot good so I am hopeful. Provided all goes well, I will try to acquire one or more of the suggested bullets.

I'm intrigued by the 130 and 150 TTSX as well. I have only had one experience with a TSX, and that was a 150 flat hollowpoint in a .307 on a whitetail doe. Results were very disappointing but so many people have had good luck with them that I really want to give it another chance. Either way, sounds like lots of good choices available which is nice. Thanks for all the suggestions.

130 TTSX

Bullets I've used in various .308 rifles for deer- 150 gr Speer hot core, 150 gr ballistic tip (older "soft" ones), Hornady 165 gr btsp, 168 gr ballistic tip.
My least favorite was the Speer, as I had a deer go farther than I thought it should, but shot placement was probably a factor there.
I've had good results with 150 bt. Deer don't go far. The 165 btsp works OK, and is often the easiest to get to shoot accurately. Lately, I'm using the 168 bt, and have only taken one deer with it. That deer did not go very far.
So, lots of good choices. I often find 165-168 bullets are more accurate in more different rifles than 150 gr.
Your mileage may vary.....

No superiority over other options. Would simply be my first choice until on game performance proved otherwise.

Exactly.

I have shot a bunch of deer and elk with the 165 grain Hollow Point Game King using a .308. It is deadly effective and extremely accurate. In fact at shorter range matches (under 700) I was using it as my match projectile.

Not too great out past 6-700 in the wind though.

I've hunted with the 308 for 50 years, and I am in full agreement with Mule Deer. Almost any bullet works well.
My suggestion would be to try a few, starting with some regular cup-and-cores, and choose the one that gives you the best accuracy. If the 168- and 165 BT's seem to float your boat, go ahead and try them. I've tried them but never shot game with them, so I'd have to rely on the experience of others in that regard.
One of the most reliable cup-and-cores in my experience is the Hornady 165-gr. SPBT. Additionally, it has been quite accurate in almost all the 308's I've owned or loaded for.

Sierra does a good job of explaining the expansion characteristics of its bullets so you can make the right choice between bullets of similar weights. A lot of the problems people report might have been avoided with a little research.

+1 Better than the 150 TTSX IMHO as you can get them really honking at 3,100 fps in even a 20" barrel. TTSX bullets need speed to perform at their best. The 130 TTSX penetrates better than most 150gr bullets.

180 core-lokt or hornady rn.