Ruger M77 RSI, 18.5" barrel, bullet the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core at 2550 FPS over a max load of W760. (Long story on that load.) I've taken quite a few deer with that load from 30 feet to 250 yards. Only recovered one bullet and that was from the 250 yard deer. It retained roughly 65% of its original weight. FWIW, that's the only load that very finicky rifle will shoot with any kind of hunting accuracy and it took two years to find that load. Told you it was a long story.
Frankly, I see no need for a premium bullet for deer with the .308, especial with a short barrel. I have taken deer out as far as 426 paces with a different .308 that had a 20" barrel. I found that I like the 165 gr. bullet in the .308 over just about any other weight. It's a good compromise between weight and velocity.
Paul B.
Almost sounds like I wrote this. Used a Rem Mod 660 in 308 for many years and the bullet I used 99% of the time was the 165gr Hornady inter lock/spire point. The only other bullet I used it it was the old 200gr Hornady spire point. Carried it along on fishing trip's up in Alaska. I think when God made the 308 he also made the 165gr bullet to use in it. I have never had a Hornady bullet fail me. The other bullet I'd look at if something didn't sit well with the Hornady is the Speer Hot Core. Used it in a 7mm Rem Mag years ago and that was one super bullet. I shot it into a pile of newspaper years ago, 160gr from the 7mm mag. It retained 85% of it's weight, mushroomed perfectly and the core was still solidly bonded to the jacket. Liked the Hornady in my other rifled for an accuracy advantage that today I know would never benefit a hunter. Between the 154gr Hornady and 160gr Speer the Speer edged out the Hornady by about a quarter inch at 100yds! The Hornady also maintained 85% of it's weight in the pile of news paper but the core turned easily in the jacket, did not separate and mushroom was fine.
I tried Nosler also years ago and no where near as accurate and then they had a habit of shearing the jacket off at the partition, Tried them again when I got my 6.5x06 and they shoot much much better but didn't shoot them into anything to see what the jacket did. Today the only thing that keeps me from trying any premium bullet is price! I can get more than adequate performance from standard cup and core bullet IF, I choose the bullet well. I suspect at this time there are a slew of very god bullet's out there but I just never deserted bullet's that never failed me. A guy could spend a lot of years changing bullet's and looking for the perfect bullet. It doesn't exist except in your mind!
