Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire .308 Win & 125gr Sierra bullitts on Whitetails

Is this enough bullet to humanely drop EASTERN whitetail deer?

I have killed 5 Kentucky WT's with that bullet out of a 308. None of them have traveled over 20 yards. Not my bullet of choice in a 308 but if you stay away from bone and double lung them they go down like they should. All but one of the bullets have exited. The only one that didn't was shot at 20 yards with an impact velocity of about 3100 fps. He didn't take a step..DRT. To the bullets credit it didn't show a splash wound on entry, just a 30 caliber hole. Once it got inside it detonated. All I found was fragments and mush for lungs and heart.

It is a very accurate bullet in every 308 I have shot it in. And I has a very flat trajectory. I have since went to the 150/165 gr. bullet class for deer in a 308.

PaPa260

+1 on the 150/165. Against all warnings I've been known to take a few with a 168 Sierra Matchking. Generally these are head shots but the few that have been shoulder shots were quick clean kills. My choice & in no way am I recommending something that the manufacturer recommends AGAINST. I'd move up to the 150 or 165 in a ballistic tip or 180 soft point. They'll do a fine job.

Eastern white tails range in size pretty widely. While I would not sweat the small ones, I would really hate to have a fairly long shot at a really nice buck and have a 125gr bullet up the spout. Not that it would not work, I just rather have a little more weight like a 150gr or 165gr just in case the angle wasn't perfect.

Deer are easy to kill. You have more than enough bullet. It's all about shot placement.

I'll throw my vote in for the 150/165 weight bullets, and in the 150 grain, I can't say too much good about the Hornady SST. The plain ol' interlock, FB or BT, is a superb performer, but my experience with the SST is not so good.

If I went with something in the 125 grain size, it would be a 130 TSX.

I have been the MatchKing route in a 308 (155 and 175 gr.) and have had great results. But like you I wouldn't recommend something that the manufacturer does not recommend. That said, I had the largest exit wounds on a deer with the MatchKings than any other 30 cal. bullet I have used on deer. I use the 165 SBT GameKing for deer now.

PaPa260

I would think a 125gr would be fine if you couldn't find 150gr's. I have taken 8points the last two years with factory 150gr in a .308. Both were bang/flop. One was 313yds. The 125gr seems to be a varmint load to me, but I have 100gr loads for my .270WBY that I would not hesitate to use for whitetails. Good luck.