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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 51
Campfire Greenhorn
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OP
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 51 |
Getting my Savage 99 308 ready for dear season. 35 years ago we shot 180/200s at Elk in Washington State. I am not clear on what is appropriate for white tails in Texas. I have heard 100 - 150 grain.
Q1. what is the recommended grain Q2. what are your personal favorite rounds/makes Q3. why not use army surplus 7.64mm?
thanks! terry
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,882 Likes: 10
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,882 Likes: 10 |
1. 150
2. I roll my own.
3. FMJ ammo isn't hunting ammo.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 992
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 992 |
Since it's pretty close to .300 Savage, I think you're pretty well off with a soft-point, 150gr offering. If you don't reload, I'd advise to go with Remington Factory. They've done us very well in .300 Savage over the years.
As for military surplus 7.62 NATO ammo, you need expansion and the NATO Full Metal Jackets won't do it.
Aqualung
"Bambi's Good Eatin'!" - Me
"...Somewhere, there are Brownings in a two-hand hold, Cocked and locked, one up the spout..." - Jethro Tull
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,901
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,901 |
Agree with both of the above...
Remington factory ammo is ok, handloaded Nosler bonded cores are better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
It's smart to hang around old guys 'cause they know lotsa stuff...
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 22,139 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 22,139 Likes: 1 |
150gr Hornady SP...45gr.Ramshot TAC will get you almost 2800fps. Texas whitetail love to be murdered with a .308Win... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
---------------------------------------- I'm a big fan of the courtesy flush.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 9,611
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 9,611 |
Bart is most assuredly right! powdr
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 327
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 327 |
-Everyone has a dream hunt, mine just happens to be for a Moose-
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 51
Campfire Greenhorn
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OP
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 51 |
Are there on-line tests for various 308 rounds?
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190 |
Look at Federal's new Fusion loads in 150gr, they are bonded but touted as a deer bullet, supposed to be real accurate and thats the most important thing, putting that bullet where it counts!
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190 |
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,032
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,032 |
One more voice in support of the 150 in 308 for Texas deer. Maybe the 165 Nosler bt if it shoot better. Factory ammo worlds of them fall to plain old Rem core lock.
Texas whitetails are not stud mastadons.
BCR
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,235 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,235 Likes: 1 |
One of the great things about the .308 is you can close your eyes, grab a box of ammo, and it will work. Don't over analyze it. Have confidence and go forth with thy .308 and whack a deer! It will hold up it's end of the deal. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 61,130
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 61,130 |
Any of the factory 150 grain loads will work JUST fine.
Ditto, same same for the 165s.
As for using mil-surp... why?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,235 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,235 Likes: 1 |
Happy Birthday VA!
I want to amend something I said above. When I said grab a box of ammo, that didn't include mil-surp! Keep that for practice.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 181
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 181 |
I'm in the same boat as you... I have a new-to-me savage 99 in .308... I thought 150's would be the ticket... So far I've only shot it once... with winchester powerpoints, tried both 150gr and 180gr. The 150's shot about an 8" pattern... the 180's shot about 1 1/2 " group.... So, if I was going hunting today, I'd be using the 180's... (and wouldn't fret about it)
I intend to reload for it anyway, and will try to get 150 gr interlocks to work... Point is, if you want 150's in factory fodder, you might wanna try a couple brands to see what your rifle likes best.
Ditto on the FMJ not being hunting ammo.... Here it is illegal to hunt with.... I'd think it'd not expand and pencil right through.
I've heard of some people pulling the bullets off mil-surp and seating a proper hunting bullet on it... but I think you'd get much better accuracy out of your own reloads or factory hunting ammo.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,882 Likes: 10
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,882 Likes: 10 |
You'll probably do fine with those Hornady 150's. It's a rare 308 that won't shoot them well after a little load development.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 181
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 181 |
You have a favourite recipe you care to share? I'm thinkin' of Reloder 15...
thx
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,882 Likes: 10
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,882 Likes: 10 |
Brent,
I see you're in Manitoba. How big do the deer get where you hunt? Down here in Louisiana the 192 pound buck I killed last year was the heaviest taken from the lease in a while, and a Hornady 150 grain Interlock flat base did fine. I was using 45 grains of IMR-4064 in new Lapua brass under that bullet. I've also loaded 46 grains in Remington brass with much success. With Reloder 15 or Varget and 150's you'll probably find happiness at about 46 grains. I don't run the 150's too hot.
mathman
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,163
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 181
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 181 |
Thanks for the load info mathman....
Where I hunt (more bush than agricultural), the deer tend to be big bodied. Racks tend to be stocky and look small in proportion to the body, "decent" eating bucks (not trophies) are pushing 200 lbs dressed.... My shots are usually <100 (most under 60), so there's no need for a whiz-bang magnum or to try and push anything too fast. So yes, I figure a reasonable 150gr .308 load would be just peachy. I've been using either .30-30 or a .303 British with 180's up until now... so the .308 will be a flat shooter in comparison anyway.
Thanks again.
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