Hunting bullet for 16inch 308 bolt gun?

I'm having a custom .308 made on a Bighorn Action, Rock 1 in 11.25 cut to 16.5 and a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10, by John Beanland.

I'm guessing that with a 165gr bullet handloaded I'm going to be getting in the neighborhood of 2450 fps.

What hunting bullet, that is close to match type accurate, would you choose in this weight range? Or should I go down in weight to gain speed? What size game would you call the upper limit?

I know most won't agree with the barrel length but I want a nice little truck gun, that I can move around real easy with.

Thanks for the input.

I would probably use either a 150 Partition or 150 Accubond. I would think anything up to and including elk.

Originally Posted by 18Echo

I'm having a custom .308 made on a Bighorn Action, Rock 1 in 11.25 cut to 16.5 and a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10, by John Beanland.

I'm guessing that with a 165gr bullet handloaded I'm going to be getting in the neighborhood of 2450 fps.

What hunting bullet, that is close to match type accurate, would you choose in this weight range? Or should I go down in weight to gain speed? What size game would you call the upper limit?

I know most won't agree with the barrel length but I want a nice little truck gun, that I can move around real easy with.

Thanks for the input.

According to Hodgdon's online data they beat that by 100 fps with several powders in a 15" barrel.

Quickload predicts 2632 fps for a 155 Scenar seated at 2.800" over 45.7 gr's of Varget fired from a 16.5" barrel.

I get 2520 from my 16" using a 175 gr SMK at well under max charge of Varget. You should get 75 or so fps more with a 165/168gr.

I'd use either a 150 TTSX or a 130 TTSX. 150 Accubond would be my 3rd choice.

I like the 150 accu bomb idea or the old faithful bt. Just my 2 cents

I'd run a 130gr Barnes TTSX. They are doing 3100 from a 20"

I get 2675 out of my 18.5" Ruger 77 RSI in .308 with 165 NBT's. You should be able to get around 2600.

don't be afraid to think outside the box.

In my Marlin 308 carbine, I get MOA groups and over 2500fps with a less than max charge of Rel-15 under a 170gr Speer FN. That bullet works very well on deer and should be a good job on bears and eating sized elk too. A few years ago, I put one from the abdomen angling forward thru an 8 point buck and the bullet exited thru the base of the neck. 30+ inches of deer didn't stand a chance.

Originally Posted by Steelhead

I'd run a 130gr Barnes TTSX. They are doing 3100 from a 20"

there you go!

I would also consider the round-nose 170 gr Partition if I thought all the action would be within 200 yards or so. I think that would be a great choice for a big boar hog, or a black bear.

I wouldn't use any different bullet than I would from a 22" barrel. You're not going to lose nearly as much velocity as you think.

Guy I bought my XP-100 (15") .308 from, used 120g Ballistic Tips with good success on deer/antelope.

Only experience I have with that pistol/rifle is "DAMN THAT'S LOUD".

I'd be looking at the 168NBT. They are great at 2,600. The 150 should work also. Basic 300sav speeds, which have been killers for years.

Took my elk with a 150g AB in 2010, but that was from a .30-06. Can't see any reason not to use them in a .308 Win, with BTs for practice loads.

46.0 grains of Winchester 748 will run a 165 Petition or 165 SST at 2730 fps. The 168 Sierra Match at 2710. The SST and 168 Match shoot well under .5 MOA....

I have a 16.5" Ruger Frontier and 18.5" Remington 600 and use the same loads in them also...deer is not going to know the difference...

Bob

Originally Posted by RJM

46.0 grains of Winchester 748 will run a 165 Petition or 165 SST at 2730 fps. The 168 Sierra Match at 2710. The SST and 168 Match shoot well under .5 MOA....

I have a 16.5" Ruger Frontier and 18.5" Remington 600 and use the same loads in them also...deer is not going to know the difference...

Bob

I just started playing with a 308 and I have also had good luck with the 165SST.

I'd suggest the Nosler 125g BT for deer and below. Please read the reviews at Midway:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/74...308-diameter-125-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

QuickLoad:

Code

Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 125, Nosler BalTip 30125
Useable Case Capaci: 51.141 grain H2O = 3.321 cm�
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length      : 16.0 inch = 406.4 mm
60K psi max

Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant AR-Comp                    104.2     47.5     3.08    2950   100.0    60000   11960   0.773  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 748                     100.3     50.9     3.30    2942    96.5    60000   13017   0.772  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon CFE223                     102.2     53.7     3.48    2941    94.2    60000   13277   0.771  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon BL-C2                      102.8     52.9     3.43    2930    95.3    60000   13166   0.780  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2520                      103.4     51.4     3.33    2924    97.3    60000   12826   0.788  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2495                      105.0     48.4     3.14    2915    99.6    58509   12741   0.816  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4895                      104.6     49.3     3.20    2913    94.7    60000   12939   0.782  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H335                        95.2     49.0     3.17    2905    98.0    60000   12455   0.779  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Wild Boar                  102.7     51.7     3.35    2904    93.7    60000   12831   0.777  ! Near Maximum !

Originally Posted by Bend

I'd suggest the Nosler 125g BT for deer and below. Please read the reviews at Midway:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/74...308-diameter-125-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

QuickLoad:

Code

Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 125, Nosler BalTip 30125
Useable Case Capaci: 51.141 grain H2O = 3.321 cm�
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length      : 16.0 inch = 406.4 mm
60K psi max

Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant AR-Comp                    104.2     47.5     3.08    2950   100.0    60000   11960   0.773  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 748                     100.3     50.9     3.30    2942    96.5    60000   13017   0.772  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon CFE223                     102.2     53.7     3.48    2941    94.2    60000   13277   0.771  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon BL-C2                      102.8     52.9     3.43    2930    95.3    60000   13166   0.780  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2520                      103.4     51.4     3.33    2924    97.3    60000   12826   0.788  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2495                      105.0     48.4     3.14    2915    99.6    58509   12741   0.816  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4895                      104.6     49.3     3.20    2913    94.7    60000   12939   0.782  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H335                        95.2     49.0     3.17    2905    98.0    60000   12455   0.779  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Wild Boar                  102.7     51.7     3.35    2904    93.7    60000   12831   0.777  ! Near Maximum !

More then likely, you will get the same thing out of a 130g tipped barnes triple shock, I shot a max load of win 748, hotter the charge, the smaller the groups in my rifle, fed 210 primers, Rem brass, 0.050 jump with tiny groups.