Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .308 cal. 125gr. deer bullets ?

I ran the gamut with my daughters and 260/ 7mm-08 youth rifles. Intro was varmint bullets over Blue Dot or Trail Boss for 2000fps or so. We moved up to 140gr stuff at 2100-2200 for deer season with limited shooting of that load (7yrs old). Killed deer great at ranges inside 100yds. We then moved to a 120 at 2400 or so, and that was fine too, and shot a bit flatter. After that, we went to H4198 and 120’s, followed by H4895 loads that were slightly reduced. Now we’re at full house 120 loads. Working them up through the recoil levels was helpful. Start low, make it fun. Shooting jugs of colored water takes their mind off the kick, unlike shooting paper.

125 NBT is like a bolt of lightning on deer size game. Varget can make the move and touch holes.

I have successfully killed a number of deer and hogs with both the Sierra and Nosler 125s from a 300 BLK. Max velocity would have been ~2100fps. H4895 is a great powder to work up lower velocity loads. I recommend targeting 2100-2200fps with a chrono and limiting shots to 125yds and less.

I don't know about the Nosler 125s, but several years ago I asked the Sierra tech about the 125 gr. bullet. In their manual, Sierra says the 125 gr makes a good hunting bullet "at medium velocity". I asked what medium velocity was. This was their answer.

That bullet gets used in the 308 Win on small to medium-sized deer with shot placement being best in the rib/lung area. I would suggest muzzle velocity stay in the range of 2500-3000 fps or so. This bullet is pretty "hard" and should work well with good shot placement.

Edited to add: I don't know if this helps much, but a 125 gr bullet leaving the barrel at 2800 fps from a 7.5 lb rifle has about 12 ft/lb of recoil. 10.5 to 11 ft/lb around 2500 fps. This bullet worked well for me, accounting for two whitetails. Both were pass throughs.

Give consideration to the Barnes 110 grain TTSX as well. Would the reduced weight make up for the increased speed? Run them fast and they should be really deadly.

A forum member sent me pictures of Barnes 110 and 120gr. Tac-TX along with Hornady 110gr. GMX bullets fired from 300 AAC Blackout and 30-30 single shots recovered from hogs. Those bullets were perfectly expanded and obviously worked fine.

I've got right at 1,000 of the Sierra and Nosler 125gr. to practice with. As long as I can work my grandson up to the 2500 fps range I will use them on deer as well. Should it be necessary to keep him at lower velocities then the Barnes or Hornady will get the job.

I'm pretty sure he's going to do fine. The kid is bull strong, plays football and baseball and is working out in the gym. We've already moved from just .22 LR and now include the .223. He's hitting 4 inch steel plates at 50 yards and clay pigeons at the 100 yard line. I've got two months till his birthday before I buy him his rifle.

My first “big” rifle was a BAR 30/06 when I was 11… it kicked the hell out of me but I still shot it ok. If the boy can handle the 308 then let him shoot it. But if he doesn’t like it and he’s already shooting a 223 and has no issues with it then I’d think about letting him hunt with that this year and tell him next year when he’s even bigger and stronger he can “graduate” to the “big” rifle. It’d give him something to look forward to! There are 55 and 60 hornady soft points available several places right now. They’re affordable and very effective on deer sized game. Good luck with your grandson. These are memories he will never forget.

I've killed a boatload of whitetails (mostly does) with the 125 Sierra out of a heavy barrelled 308. They were not reduced loads, but pretty stout loads with 748. They kill deer like lightning. I have not tried the Noslers. The 130 gr Speer HP is another light bullet that works well in a 308

I started loading the 125gr Noslers in my 300 BO Encore barrel, it has been a stone cold killer. One night 4 different shooters used my Encore with that bullet all 4 deer shot were DRT.