Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire .308 Win - Short Range Thumper?

Contemplating loading up some 200 grain bullets in a .308 Win.

Even at sedate MV velocity, still would have 2,000 ft/lbs at 200 yards (and 2,100fps). Plenty for hunting the timber. And a .308 200 grain has a tough to beat S.D. of .300+

Anyone have experienced observations on a heavy bullet in .308 Win?

Not a .308, but I developed a 250 grain round nose load for a .35 Remington for short range hog hunting with dogs. Knocked 'em down like bowling pins! The bullet was traveling just shy of 1200 FPS 10 feet from the muzzle. I'd suggest a 220 grain RN for your .308 thumper.

Not 200gr

But I load a few 180s for heavy timber. Most shots are within 100 yards

What would that gain that a stoutly constructed 180 wouldn’t already give you?

Nothing. Won’t kill any better than a 165gr either.

Or a 125 or 150.

Only extra "thump" I can see will be on the back end of the rifle.

Wait here a minute…….


A SupFool post without a news link??


Shut the front door……



But,

For a short range Brush gun.

35 wheeler.

180 TTSX.

I can’t see loading 200 grain bullets in a .308 Win. even 180 grain is pushing it IMO. I wouldn’t go heavier than a 168 gr Barnes TTSX.

I knew a guy who has a Winchester 88 in 308. He shot the Winchester factory loaded 200 grain stuff.. I didn’t know they made one.

Anyway he said his scoped failed on a Muley hunt and he had to use the open sites. He said the buck he shot was the farthest he had ever shot a deer, like 250-300 yards. DRT.

Which 200gr bullet are you considering Pard! 200gr "round nose" and .032" jackets can be ordered from Hawk Precision and Gold Country bullets I believe. The 200 Partition would be great as it has that soft front half. My self I have used enjoyed the older Woodleigh round nose softs in 35 Whelen, shot them in other calibers. I say "go for it", let us know what you learned from the experience? But have a ball!

A 180 gr Remington factory load gets 250FPS out of 20 inch tube. I have yet to recover one from a deer. To date, that load is a death ray from 10 yards out to 212 yards. I see no reason to change anything.

A 200 gr. would be real good for deer and even better for bear . My dad had a 300 Sav. ( that is now mine , thanks dad , RIP. ) He always seemed to like the 180 Gr round nose. A 200 would be just fine. I have some old Win. 180 gr. that I use for the old 300 Sav. They are fine on the bench , I'm sure they are fine in the brush. Say a guy say a guy comes across 500 200gr. 30 cal. , just use them.

mainer in alaska shared his experiences in a thread several several months ago. fyi

Heavy timber? trying to shoot through trees?

Yes 😀

215s in a .303 Brit will do it.

Old man took his on a scout trip to the desert. Set a pie tin on a mesquite. Straight through that one, tumbled, went through and split the next one going sideways.

I've heard some fools try that scheidt when hunting too.

308 is so laid back, cool, unstressed, i can't imagine anything
That would be beyond a 180 Interlock.


We shoot the old 100 count 165gr Ballistic Tips from mine.
A pile of deer have died from them, can't remember finding a bullet,
And they are considered quite soft.

When something really needs to be "thumped" for some reason, my Ruger #1 in .45-70 with 325 grain jacketed softpoints over a good charge of 3031 gets the job done. It's a "cripple and kill" gun, however- - - - -kills what's our front, and cripples the shooter. A friend who fired a few rounds from the bench calls it a "slobber-knocker"!

Krazy kids.

I have inexpensive 200 grain Hot Core for load development, and in this case, they may be fine for meat too.

Also have 200 grain Partitions and A-Frames, that I know work well for meat.

Also have 200 grain Accubonds, but have not shot meat with those.

Also have 200 grain Woodleighs (and 180's). Some for sale since you asked:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...eldcore-308-caliber-bullets#Post17708727

Ya, I have other .30 caliber rifles, just want to focus on heavies in the .308 win for now.