Has anyone used the 125 grain .308 bullet for deer?

yep

Dober

yes i use 125gr sierra pro hunter with a max chare of varget in a 308 and also use it in a 30-30 340 savage with a max charge of imr 4198 did ok on deer but thought the 130gr hornady worked for me alittle better hope this helps

I started on a .308 loaded with 47 gr. 4831 and a 125 gr. Nosler BT. Did what I asked of it on deer, killed well and held together. I shoot a 165 gr. BT out of my .308 these days for deer.

Ran into an old hunting buddy this weekend and he stated that he was using the 125 grain in his 30-06. That started me to thinking about using it in my .308 for white tail and smaller animals for the flatter trajectory.

Is he a handloader, or is he using a factory reduced recoil round?

Handloader

He could be really smoking them out of that 30-06, maybe 3300 fps.

I'm not sure I'd want to fling a 125 gr. Ballistic tip, Hornady, or Sierra at a deer moving at 3300 fps. I've done it at 3000 and a ribcage shot looks like a varmint bullet hit. As long as you don't have to penetrate more than a few inches you're fine, but I wouldn't try the "thru-shoulder" shot on a deer with one at that velocity. 130 gr. Barnes, sure, why not?

Nosler's data indicates a max velocity of the 125 gr. BT with Varget of 3418 fps in .30-06 - that's smoking!

Yup!!!!

I built some 125 grain ballistic tips for a buddy in .30-06 to use on antelope and deer. A little too destructive for his tastes. They were going 3250 at the muzzle with 56 gr of IMR 4064. But they certainly kill things

A fellow I see at the range loads the 125 Bal Tip for his 308 Win. handgun. IIRC he's pretty happy with his results on deer, I'll try to get details next time I see him.

I do remember he's using stiff charges of 748 in his top load, and the groups he shoots would be the envy of a good percentage of the rifle shooters at the range. He's probably hitting the deer right where he wants to.

If I were shooting a .308 in a handgun the 125 gr. BT is THE bullet I'd go for. It worked great for us with reduced loads when we were just starting, it was running about 2700 fps and performed perfectly, I'm just saying another 500 fps would be a different story.

I wouldn't crank it up all the way in a 30-06 either.

The only thing to consider is that those short bullets can be tougher to get to shoot. I was just at the range at lunch trying to work up some loads and the initial efforts with the 125 balistic tip, as well as the 110 hornady and speer were disapointing.

My wife uses the 125 gr Sierra @ 2900 fps and it works just fine on whitetail deer.
whelennut

I have killed 5 deer with the 125 gr. Nosler B.T. I was running it out of a 308 at 3125 fps using 51.3 gr. of Win. 748. The closest shot was 27 yards the longest 250 yards. Is the 125 gr. the ideal deer bullet out of a 308, no, but it does work. On the 27 yard shot the bullet hung together to get in side of the rib cage, the other side of the rib cage on the inside looked like bird shot had hit it. All others at least a part of the bullet exited. I never did find any piece of the bullet in a deer even the 27 yard one.

PaPa 260

I love Barnes 130s over Varget in 30-06 and .308. I get the best accuracy at ~3150 (53 grains Varget in 30-06) and ~2950 (44-46 grains Varget in .308).

I have seen guns that didn't care for TSXs but shot TTSXs extremely well. I have not seen a gun that would not shoot TTSXs well.

I like the Barnes 130s so well, and the performance is so uniformly excellent that I see no reason to ever load anything heavier. Out of about twenty deer over the last few years with the Barnes bullets we have yet to stop one in a deer, and we just this year recovered one. Oddly, it was the only deer the first shot did not stop. The guy shot it in the knee and I got the bullet out of the dirt behind the deer. It took another 14 hours to get the deer (had to stop over night).

I loaded some reduced recoil loads for my brother in law and nephew (courtesy Seafire's data for red dot).

both made 1 shot kills on does with 130 grain Hornady SP (#3020)

"upped" the velocity for my nephew, and he killed a nice 9 pointer with a head on shot thru the neck; got to the lungs and tore stuff up.

130 Hornady's seem to work!

130 TSX or TTSX can be pushed as fast as you can (3250 in 300 WBM) and they still go right thru both sides leaving everything wrecked they encounter.
Also work well slower. 300 Savage at 2800 fps, 80 yards, broke shouder goin in, rib goin out, still flyin.

I'd run a 125 gr. bullet. I shot a deer this year with a 110 V-max and it went all the way through the rib cage and broke the off side elbow joint. I have never seen a blood trail like it. Blood drops on the ground literally the size of dinner plates. The deer only made it about 10 yards.

I have used the 125 grain Sierra quite a bit when using the .308 for rock-chucks and coyotes and have found it very accurate and effective for this purpose. I never did use use it on big game, but would imagine it would be fine for smaller deer and pronghorns.

When my sons began hunting, I loaded 130 grain Hornadys ahead of 50 grains of H4895 for their 30-06, and we got really good performance with fairly mild recoil. They killed several head of deer and pronghorns with this combination, and I don't remember any needing more than one shot. Bullet performance was really excellent!

M Bell

We use 125 Rem CoreLokts loaded down to about 2400 for messing around at close range. They give excellent performance on deer--nice expansion but yet will break shoulders easily and penetrate.

Thanks for the information, I was considering some 125-130gr bullets in front of a reduced load for my daughter in the near future. I will start experimenting.

Resurrection time... I am a new reloaded and wanted to try a reduced .308 load with H4895 for deer. Would the 125 grain SST be to fragile ? I wonder how performance of the previous loads discussed years ago.

If you're using reduced loads and 125gr bullets - look at the velocities the 300 Blackout produces, and it's results on deer with 125gr bullets. I don't have first hand experience with the 125 SST, but the 125 Nosler BT works great for deer at 300 Blk speed (~2200-2400 fps) and would make a great reduced load for your 308. There are several other good choices too.

Some say the SST is tougher and others not... I wish they made a 125 partition. But with the BT do you get complete pass through? I really like two holes than one I hunt in really thick and blood trail needed. My partner catahoula cur is on the injured list due to heart worms even though I give heartguard every month. My dad shot one with .35 R.E.M. Leverevolution and deer acted like not even hit no blood for hundred yards and then finally bled bullet exploded on rib on quartering shot and fragments all the way to opposite shoulder. I was hoping for about 2600fps from muzzle with these reloads

Ballistic Tip. Bet you never need a blood trail as the deer will be DRT, yes it will leave 2 holes just in case. If you worry about the Ballistic Tip maybe try the Sierra 125. It works from the '06 at full speed, 2 holes.

Check out the reviews on midwayusa there are 65 for the 125SST

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

FWIW I'm starting to play with the 130TTSX. Don't have a load worked up yet and certainly haven't killed anything with it yet but it should work well for deer. I'm shooting (pun intended) for around 2700-2800fps (min loads) and the recoil with the wife's Kimber is negligible.

The 130g Hornady is surprisingly tough. For pigs and deer up to 150 kilograms or so I can recommend them.

Handloaded to 3100fps in the 308 Win has been my m.o.

They're not the Interlock design but they behave much the same.

a while back I got some Nosler 125 accubond and sectioned one of them.... the jacket gets really thick just above the midsection of the bullet and there's a lot of base there too.

Go to Midway and check the reviews on THIS bullet it is showing up as being really tough and getting the job done... just as I had suspected from what I saw.

Same for the newer BT. The Accubond is just a bonded BT, per Nosler.

If you're looking at cutaways of the BT, pay attention to when they were made; the design changed a few years ago, and it does vary by caliber.

130 Barnes

Balistic tips or the 125gr Accubonds will serve you nicely

I ordered some 125BT's to load up for my 300saum for deer duty. SPS had seconds in stock.

While I've loaded up some 125g BTs for my .300 Blackout, I use 130g TTSX in my .308 Win.

Using CFE223 I get 2868fps in my 16.5" barreled Ruger Scout, Daughter #1 gets 3045fps with her 22" Ruger Hawkeye .308.

He did say "reduced loads".

Well I guess I may not reduce the load much some say keep it around blackout range and it does well others seem to say put some speed behind it. I'm thinking about 2700-2800fps range now.

Same can be said for antelope, they just fold. This is what I load for my son in his .308 as well NAB for tougher stuff.

Well I know my Remington model 7 in .308 does not like federal premium ballistic tip or BTSP with horrendous grouping. But with 150 core lock it did well but the tightest group was from monarch 150gr soft point ammo clover leafing it may be dirty have more muzzle blast but accurate just don't want to try performance on a deer afraid of it exploding or just not expanding. The 125 SST looks like a flat base.

I mainly want to work this load for a Ruger Hawkeye Compact for a small hunter so they do not develop bad habits but have faith in ammo as well. If works well I would shot as well in my model 7 or BLR. I'm done with Remington corelockt due to FTF, poor QC, and core separation and bullet just blowing up on a deer shoulder.

Agree.

Good entrance and exit bleeding, messed up chest. This was the '06, not .308, but not that much difference.

This group (closer to 100 meters than yards) with Ralph Council 130's. Ralph says they're good on WT's; the 130's I've used are the 130 gr. Horn SP's.

DF

I got a bunch as well from there and plan to try them this year on deer with my 300 blk. From what I've read the 125 BT seems like a tough little bullet.

For WT's etc., if a bullet (125/130 gr.) will blow thru a chest shot deer, why would one need heavier bullets for that application. WT's aren't that tough. I'd want heavier bullets for bigger game.

And they'll travel at 3K fps. B.C.'s may not be the best for real LR shooting, but WT's where I hunt are mostly shot at less than 200 yds.

If I'm gonna be shooting at 400-500 yds, I have some very interesting options in the safe.

DF

I made a mistake I guess I got some 130 grain Speer hot core which have a slight flat point instead of getting the sierra . Unfortunately I can't find the COL for using that bullet in 308 if any one does please share. I have a lee book but with that bullet weight it would be seating the bullet before the canulure.. Does anyone know which bullet tougher Sierra Pro hunter or Speer hot core? The SST's 125 have flat base with 42.5 grains of H4895 I tested it on a crude medium of water jugs it went through two at 50yds and left a dimple at back of third and retained weight of 61.1 grains. I just loaded 10 up using 38.5 grains of H4895 and will see how accurate they are and do same test. I must say the first two jugs was vaporized but I would have preferred confirmed expansion and 3 gallon jugs of penetration. My searched for FOS would be 2600ish-2700 at the muzzle

Here is some data that I found doing a search on line. I am pretty sure this is the same bullet that you are talking about. Link to page at bottom. miles

speer130

I used the Speer 130grHP in my Colt AR15, 7.62x39. Easy one inch groups. Barnes 110gr was also very accurate.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

Ok I’m having issues with the 130 grain Speer JFP can’t find any particular data for it in .308 only .307 Win.. I’m stuck on the COL.

Would it be wrong I put the crimp at the canulure I only put .308” of the bullet seated but I am short on the COL I am a 2.569” is that dangerous to shoot I’m going to pull the bullets in the am if I don’t hear any guidance. But if they flat point bullet had a tip it would be over the Lee published COL but the min in the book is 2.610”.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciate it I’m thinking about just giving up on reloading now for the 308

Why are you crimping?

And you don't have to put one full caliber of the bullet shank in the neck. Look at the 300 Savage and the 300 Win Mag. They get by just fine.

The 307 & 308 are the same round, the 307 just has a rim.

The 130 Speer HCFN will work swell in the 308 at reduced speeds. I base that on how many good reports I've read of those who used it in their 30-30s and 30-30 Ackley Improveds. I got great accuracy with it in a M336 30-30 AI myself, but killed no game with it. I've shot a lot of 125BT and loaded them for a friend for his 30-06. Keep your speeds under 3K and it should do very well in the .308.

I asked this regarding the 125 grain Hornady GMX on a thread earlier this week. I had heard such good things about the Barnes 130. Figured the 125 GMX would do well.
I have a very accurate load worked up. Going to chronograph them within the next few days. Very accurate. If I can get decent velocity out of it, will try them on deer and hogs.

Gladesman- That should be a fine bullet...shoot both deer and hogs through the shoulders/ or get some bone until you determine you are pushing them fast enough. I have shot a lot of game with Barnes, from .22 to .375 and they all loved speed so I'm thinking the GMX will too! have a ball man (and some boudain!)

Thanks, Jim. Going to the camp Monday. I hoped to load up enough to chronograph and try at some distance. I am shooting the 125s out of my Ruger Scout Rifle with the 18.7' barrel. 50 yard 3 shot groups were triangular shaped holes. My range at the house is limited to 50 yards. I can go to 300 plus at the camp range. However, most shots at game at the camp are 100 yards or less.

Tough to beat good Boudin. Many years ago when I was rough-necking in the south Louisiana oil patch I fell in love with that stuff. Back then it was hard to get above Alexandria. Now it is pretty much all over the state.