Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Q for MD: 308 with 18.5" bbl & elk

Just picked up a model 7 with 18.5" barrel in 308 winchester. It's currently in transit. I'm planning on taking elk with this rifle this year and was wondering what would you use if you expected shots to be within 400 yards? Or is 400 pushing it with 18.5"?

I like the 150-grain as a general-purpose bullet big game bullet in the .308. I'd expect muzzle velocity to be around 2700 or so from the 18.5" barrel, whether from factory or handloads, which is plenty for 400-yard shooting.

And for elk - mono or partition or?

I haven't been all that impressed with the way monometal bullets kill from moderate-velocity cartridges. They're much more effective when given some real zip.

The 150 Partition would work fine, but so would the 150 AccuBond, and it would retain a little more velocity, helping expansion at longer ranges--as would the plastic tip.

In fact the 150 AB is probably my favorite all-around bullet in the .308.

Perfect. Thanks.

MD, how does the 155 gr scenar compare to the 150 gr Accubond in the .308 Win?

I have no idea.

One of the local bussiness men that I know in Montana has that rifle. His son used it to kill a medium sized bull some 300 yds. out. Said he shot the bull 4 times as it stood there with Federal 150 gr. Nosler Partition factory loads. Three of them exited the other side. One would have been enough, of course, but he wanted to be sure.
So, have fun elk hunting and don't worry about it doing the job. E

I first hunted in Africa with a .308 Win, in this case a Steyr Scout with 19" barrel, and I used several 180 gr loads. Both the Win FailSafe and the Norma Oryx killed everything with one shot. Later on I hunted big whitetails in Canada with the 165 gr Trophy Bonded, the deer died just as well. I never got around to using 150s, maybe next time (but it is hard to stop using working stuff to try a new thing)...jim

Great reports. Thanks all!

It's getting to be a moot point (though I have a fair number) but would the 150 grain MRX do better than other monometal bullets from a short barreled .308 (Steyr Scout) as the range lengthens?

I'll certainly stock up on the 150 Accubond for general use - any specific load advice?

47-48 grains of Varget.

Just came across this classic overpressure beauty of an article... I just snipped the 308 portion but the whole article is available as a sample. For the record, I think varget is cool stuff! here.

In a 308 if you like exit holes on elk and reasonable expansion I would try the 150 nosler partition and 150-168 TTSX barnes. Next would be the 150-165 accubonds. The only experience I have directly with elk in 30 cal. is 30-06 168 TSX 200 yards full penetration on both shots.

You do know that the MRX is not strictly speaking a monometal bullet, right?

I have a long time friend that hunts with a Sako L579 Carbine in 308 WCF (not sure what the Bbl. length is? 18-20"?).
He has used that rifle since 1976 and has taken plenty of elk and moose with it, I wouldn't even fathom to guess the number of whitetails, blacktails, mulies, speed goats and caribou that little 308 has put on the meat pole over the years.
He usually uses 165 partitions and 180 partitions for moose and elk in timber.
Scope is an old 4X Zeiss.

You do know that the MRX is not strictly speaking a monometal bullet, right? [/quote}

Yup, it's got the proprietary alloy in back and the plastic in front. I'd expect some chance the heavy back would rivet at the partition so to speak and for all I know the whole bullet could tumble and lose the heavy metal with some question which part if any would keep going in what direction. Just the same any cloverleaf will be all one metal - no lead in the mix and only one metal to expand. Don't think it would peel back and lose any of the teeth but one never knows do one?

Just making up for the fact that I never bought any Bitterroot when Red at Lolo's in Lewiston (sadly now long gone) always had a few in stock though I never saw a box of Bitteroots either and don't know how they were packed in quantities of more than a handful.

Truth is I could have killed as big an elk as I've ever wanted to with the High Standard derringer we used for casual slaughter with rimfire magnum solids (I have the sheds in the room here but it was nicer to have the animals in the window than on the wall - like Vince Bourjailly I don't get out much anymore on our own property). At my age I seem to spend more time at the bench than in the field and I need some extra motivation in my toys is all.

My pet load for the 18.5" barreled Ruger M77 RSI in .308 is 49.0 gr. of W-760 under the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core. CAUTION: That's one very hot load in my rifle. I suggest starting at least 3.0 gr. below that and working up. It's fine in my Remington 660 and Winchester M70 but will lock up the bolt on a custom Mauser I have.
A little history. if I may. When I bought that rifle, I asked the guy selling it why the price was so low. He said he couldn't get that rifle to give a decent groups with any weight bullet and would not feel bad if i didn't buy it. I appeciated he honesty and said I'd gamble that I could find something that worked. being realistic about the whole thing, I decided if I could get 1.5" consistantly I'd be happy as I just loved the way the gun felt and pointed for me. Well, it took quite a while before I found something that met what I would accept.
The load delivered 2550 FPS and 1.5" on a regular basis so I went with that. Nothing else would shoot even close. The 165 gr. Nosler Partition and the 165 gr. Sierra Game King wouldn't even come close. FWIW, that load did 2610 from my Winchester M70.
Results on game are very good although most deer were shot at 100 yards or less. The only long shot with that rifle was a Mule Deer at 250 yards, laser measured. The bullet hit the der head on as it was facing me and stopped against a back leg bone breaking the bone. That's a fair amount of penetration and the bullet had a Madison Avenue mushroom.
The question is, would I use that rifle and load on elk? I don't see why not but I definitely would want to get as close as I can. That rifle along with my synthetic lightweight stock on the Remington 660 are joys to carry in the field, especially at higher elevations. Personally, I don't think I'd shoot at an elk much past 250 yards with either rig. I am thinking of trying to get the 165 gr. Nosler Accubonds or PT's to shoot in that gun. A while back, I relieved the metal muzzle cap and now that "one trick pony" shoots it's favoroite load into 1.25".
I guess the best answer I could give is, "It's whatever your new rifle likes best.
Paul B.

Not if you know your rifle......

This was taken with a 45-70 at 275 yards with a muzzle velocity of 1650 fps...Do the math,your just fine if you choose the right bullet!!!



Jayco

There is a lot of wisdom behind your eExcellent reply, John, as normally people would just make up an answer from what they have heard or read on the internet.

Alvaro