Use a 165 bullet an don't look back. 180 to me are to heavy for the 308 I think
I usually use a 165 gr. bullets in the .308 but have had good results with the 180 gr. bullets as well. I am one of those individuals who take what most gun rag writers say with a grain of salt. The Late W.D.M. Bell whose claim (?) to fame was killing all those elephants once said that he thought the .308 Win. shooting a 220 gr. FMJ bullet just might be the perfect elephant gun. (I'll add for him.) That did get my curiosity up so after a long hard search, I found that one could push a 220 gr. bullet from a .308 Win. to 2310 FPS. Rifle was a Winchester M70 Youth Ranger sitting in a Ramline stock. Twist rate was 1 in 12". Now that rate is not supposed to stabilize bullets that heavy. Guess what, they stabilized just fine. Group ran from .375" to .50" at 100 yards. Bullet was the 220 gr. Sierra round nose. Oh but that's too slsow say the naysayers. Funny, but the advertised velocity for the 220 gr. bullet in the 30-06 is 2400 FPS, only 90 FPS faster yet the 06 is OK for the great bears. How many times have people said that 100 FPS doesn't mean squat yet 90 FPS difference won't cut it.
Now I don't cae whether anyone agrees with me ot not. It was nothing more than an experiment more for my own edification than anything else so if you want to flame. don't bother, I've already heard it all.
As I said when I started out, I usually use a 165 gr. bullet, most likely the Speer Hot-Core but have used various 150 and 180 gr. bullets as well.
I think a 165 gr. bullet works great on deer and I do belive I might use it on elk but would prefer something heavier just in cast I don't get a perfect broadside shot. I've never even seen a moose up close and personal, only on a few hunting videos but I do understand they're big. For me the .308 would not be a first choice so if it had to be taken with a .308, I do believe I would at least use a 180 gr. bullet, probably the Nosler Accubond or Partition. If I knew for sure that my shots would come at 100 yards or less, I might even use that 220 gr. load I worked up.
Paul B.