Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 400yd 308 whitetail load

Every January I get the opportunity to thin out several does for a local farmer on his wheat fields. That late in the season 3-400yd shots are sometimes what you have. My Remington 5R is shooting good out to 400 with 168gr matchings and 4064. I'm thinking the 168gr long range accubond might be my best bet for hunting at that distance. Anybody have a better idea?

I’ve had great results from the 185gr Berger Classic Hunter pushed by Varget.

John

That sounds like an easy answer to your question - same load, just switch bullets. However, I don't think you need Long Range Accubonds for whitetail deer. Plain old Ballistic Tips would be fine, as would about any cup and core 165-168 grain hunting bullet.

The 168 ABLR is the first bullet that came to mind, although I also agree with the post above, that a standard Ballistic Tip should be fine at that range. The tipped match bullets like the TMK or ELD would probably work too, as impact speeds would be moderate.

My Remington 700 5R shoots the 168 MK very well, but that bullet usually shoots very well in many rifles. I tried the 168 ABLR but never got consistent accuracy with it. It's no MK, but I saw much better results with the 168 Ballistic Tip.

Yep. I like that bullet

I'd probably just use the Matchking you shoot now since it's shooting to your satisfaction. Or maybe try the tipped version of the same if you just want to tinker.

Lots of good bullets available. Berger VLD Hunting, Hornady ELD-X, Sierra Game King, etc. way to many to list. I would try a few and see what it shoots best, I would choose the most accurate over bullet construction.Whitetail Doe's are not difficult to kill. I'm sure some will disagree, but I have killed many whitetail deer with matchkings. They drop em just like any other bullet. Just don't shoot em on the point of the shoulder. If you want the most meat return, don't shoot them in the meat. put it just behind the shoulder.

I have legally culled a large number of deer over the years, using every caliber from 222 up through 300 RUM. A good number of them I culled were taken with my M1A in 308. My preferred load was 42 grains of 4064 with a 168 SMK. So long as you didn’t hit the shoulder blade, it worked fine. My longest kill with that combo was a 633 yard heart shot.

I’d go with the 130 TTSX or 150 ballistic tip in a heartbeat. As you can see based on the responses there are lots of good answers and a dedicated long range bullet isn’t necessarily required at 400 yards

I use both the 130grTTSX and the 150gr AccuBond in my 308s. Both bullets have performed perfectly for me.

155 Lapua Scenar over 45.5 Varget, CCI 200 primer for the win.

^^^^^^^^^^
This is another good choice. Lapua Scenars are very accurate in my Sako. They will drop em in their tracks.

That's what I was going to say, except 46 grains and a federal primer. At 400 accuracy is more important than a super high BC. The 155's is high enough and it's one of the most accurate bullets I've used in a .308.

I’d go with the 150 Ballistic tip.

The 165 SGK has the exact same POI as the 168 SMK (with the same IMR4064 load) in my rifle. The 165 SGK is a great bullet on game - BC isn't stellar, but at that distance...

The Berger 168 VLD Hunting and IMR 4064.

My 5R Milspec does very well with the Berger 168 VLD. Maybe try them and see.

100grNP, the 130 TTSX or the 150 will serve you well....little over 3100 fps in the 130's handloads is screaming out of a 308 and at your ranges will drop them if placed right. Most accurate bullet out of a Model 70 I have tried....little pricy but you get what you pay for. Never recovered a bullet complete pass throughs and less meat damage than heavier bullets I have found.
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Can't see them or safely shoot at whitetails from 400 yards where I hunt in Misery. 20 yards is more fun for me. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

I bought a Vanguard in .308 Win a couple of years ago, mainly for inexpensive range practice at the 200, 300, and 430 yard gongs. Most of our gongs are 15" diameter, 2" thick steel. I almost get bored ringing the 430 yard gong, and my load of 150 grain Sierra Pro Hunter bullets in front of 45.0 grains of Varget rings the gongs with authority. Over the years I've had good results with Sierra GameKing and Pro Hunter bullets on a variety of animals from deer and antelope to bighorn rams and elk

Have you tried more than 45 grains under those 150s?

Depending on brass I use as much as 46 under 168s.

I’ve also used 46gr of Varget with 168gr stuff and W-W cases.

In WW cases I used to shoot 45 grains under the 178 AMax.

Haven't found many .308 loads that wouldn't consistently kill whitetails at 400, pretty damn quickly, even factory. But whatever.

These days I don't usually load my 308s full throttle. I shoot several combinations that mimic the old Lake City match 168s at 2550 to 2600 depending on barrel length

I went out and shot my 20" 308 Milspec today. Only 100yds with factory Federal Gold Metal 168SMK, but still I cannot imagine the bullet being at fault if something gets away.


Can't post a pic but the average for 4 groups was .42"

168 ballistic tip

125 Ballistic Tip or 130 Accubond is where I would be for those ranges.

Shoots flatter than one might think and w minimal recoil you can probably spot your hits.

My .308 go-to is a Hornady Interlock, 150-grain, loaded to 2940 fps, using CFE223, from my Ruger American. It is very accurate and I have not had a white-tailed doe walk away with one yet.

46 grains Varget with Nosler 150 gr AccuBond!

Any decent c&c between 150-165 grain. Hornady IL, Speer H-C, Sierra P-H or GK, Nosler B-T come to mind. Which ever shoots the best in your rifle.
We’re talking deer out to 400 yds. Not Cape buffalo, grizzly or even elk. Bonded cores, partitions or monos need not apply. (Unless, of course, one of these happens to shoot the best in your rifle.)

Yes, but 45 grains were the most accurate in my rifle.

155 or 167 scenar and a lot of varget or 4064

I use a Speer 165 grn. BTSP with 748. Works good. Like someone said, you`re not shooting Buff`s..

Burger VLD's work great in my 308 beyond that on deer and antelope, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on elk either at those ranges. personally I would start there, but out to 400 you should be able to fine many bullets that perform just fine.

That light bullet at 308 speed should put quite the exit hole on one for sure.

Not as bad as you would think.

At least not on antelope.

155 Lapua Scenar gets the job done for me, every time.

The 125s work really good at x39 slower speeds. Caliber entry and dime or less exit. I'd just imagine that above that much more its going to get ugly. Maybe not. You never know. I try not to shoot stuff that leaves bit exit holes. Dime size is plenty big for an exit.

As stated previously there are so many factory loads that are inexpensive that flat out perform way beyond 300-400 yards. I’ve used Hornady’s 165 SST load listed at 2,840 fps. You will not be able to match those speeds in a 308 Win with your hand loads. It flat out kills with severe wounding. I’ve shot mule deer and whitetail from 110 yards in small timber openings to 375 yards in the Nebraska Sandhills, and Wyoming pronghorns at 225 - 350 yards with that load. That load is stellar on lean bodied animals like deer and antelope. If you have a good set up and can shoot, that load will work well out to 600 yards and beyond. I’ve used the 168 A-Max for long range work on pronghorn as well at 2,700 fps, that bullet with its light jacket at long distance impact at 1,600 - 1,800 fps is a real killer similar to Nosler BT but more explosive on the internals. Hand loading the 308 Win is fine but there’s about 50 company loads going for next to nothing in cost with premium game bullets for 50lbs game to 1,000lbs game. Good luck in the field.

Unless you’re standing on your head in a rolling boxcar with boxing gloves on.....400 yards is a ‘chip shot’!

If a 155 Scenar will kill an elk at 615 out of a .20" .308, it will certainly kill a whitetail at 400.

Mackay,

We Looney's know you can't do that with a 308 carbine and cup/core........it's that loud thing on the end of that short barrel, you scared it to death!

Nice pic - good work!

On those 125 BTs - I did a test with a 10" 30-30 once, the bullet blew up in a phone book after passing thru milk jugs..I'd just not trust it.

The 130 TTSX, that will do whatever needed provided impact speed allows decent expansion. Not much in 150 cup core hunting bullets that would have a problem on deer, but the Accubond is a fave of mine, and I might go to the 165. 150s will do fine, but should you shoot past 300 yds, I would personally want the added energy and SD of a 165. The 165 BT would also do great, as the 150s. If one was using a 30/30 class round, in a handgun or single shot - including the 300 Whisper / Blackout, the 125 would be alright to shorter distances, but I would avoid bone. IIRC, Hal Swiggett used the 150 BT on Many deer in his 10" TC.

No doubt the above Scenar posts...those bullets have taken much game, the 155 is a fave of many 308 users.

168 Amax at that distance works like magic.

Just roll with this and be done with it.

Kind of funny you think you need a "long range" type bullet to shoot a deer at 400 yards. Id probably just run a plain ol 165gr hornady interlock.

We're in the Long Range Hunting forum, long range bullets welcome...

Excellent post

400 yards isnt "long range", unless you are using a 22lr.

Well where I do my deer hunting you would never be able to see more than 200yards. But I like the 308 and have used it in Wyoming. The truth is for me anyway if I made every shot good I got out to 350 yards the truck would be full. Personally I consider the 150 grain Winchester Power Point factory load a 400 yard deer round if it shoots good in your rifle. I usually keep my hunting 308 ammo loaded with 150 gr. Nosler Partitions getting in the high 2800's pushed by BLC-2. Figuring trajectory out to 400 yards is easy and figuring wind deflection is something you need to do. I know this sounds like sacrilege but the 308 is one of my favorite cartridges. In fact it takes the place of everything I need between .224 and 308. It did interfere with some of my 7x57 usage my actual favorite. I have no real need of a 243, any 6.5 or 7-08 yet I have been experimenting with both lately.a 7-08 and a 243. Damned virus!

Bergers should be the ticket.

Your current 168gr SMK load should kill great but I would probably open/flatten the met plat a bit. I've had football sized exit wounds out of those bullets (on whitetail) but I also once had one pencil through at 50 yards. They are nice and soft but once in a while the tip is too small to open or it doesn't quite meet the right resistance or something. But easier to make your current bullet a little more reliable by enlarging the met plat than to work up a new load.