Favorite 308 ammo or loads for hunting.

[bacardisteve]

45gr of varget behind a 168amax/eldm. I've lost count of how many deer have fallen to that combo. Keep it off heavy bone up close or you will ruin a lot of meat.

 

[Captains1911]

I really like Hornady Precision Hunter 178gr ELD-X. It’s really accurate in all my 308 hunting rifles, and has always performed as needed. I don’t reload.

 

[burrhead]

A fat load of Varget, 150gr Sierra Pro Hunter or Hornady Interlock, Win primer in Lapua brass. Sub-minute out of my X-Bolt. Where I hunt the shots are 100-200 yds and that load drops WTs like a bolt of lightning.

 

[jrothWA]

I'm using the Sierra 165 gr SBT & the HPBT, using 748 powder.
You'll need to figure your favorite powder charge.

Good Luck.

 

[44 AMP]

Favorite 308 ammo or loads for hunting.

My favorite .308 Win load for deer hunting is the Sierra 165gr BTHP on top of a case full of W 748 powder.

Created this load back in the 70s, wound up a grain over book max at the time, suitable ONLY in the rifle I worked it up in.

With a powder charge adjusted to be suitable to today's standards, it should still be a fine deer load.

 

[pbcaster45]

Here's a good load I use in my 22-inch Tikka T3 Lite. The OP did say semi-autos so I'll look up my AR10 load and add it later.

Bullet: Sierra Pro-Hunter 150 Grain Spitzer
Powder: IMR-3031 43.0 grs.
Primer: CCI-BR2
Case: Winchester
LOAL: 2.750 (2.205 with Stoney Point)
Average Velocity: 2799.94
Extreme Spread: 43.25
Standard Deviation: 16.34

M1A National Match

Bullet: Nosler 150 gr. AccuBond
Powder: Hodgdon H4895 43.0 grs.
Primer: Winchester Large Rifle
Case: Lake City 68 National Match
LOAL: 2.800 (2.180 with Stoney Point Gage)
Average Velocity: 2755.28 fps
Extreme Spread: 27.01
Standard Deviation: 9.84

S&W MP10

Bullet: Nosler 168 gr. Ballistic Tip
Powder: IMR-4064 43.0 grs.
Primer: Winchester Large Rifle
Case: Lake City 67
LOAL: 2.815 (2.185 Base to Ogive with Stoney Point)
Comments: Worked up in MP10 but probably too much for an M1A!

 

[blackhawk45]

165gr. Hornady interloc, Win. brass CCI LR primer, Varget. Deer and Hogs, DRT.

 

[JasoninSD]

I've gotten good accuracy out of several rifles with the 150 grain Nosler BT and a dose of Varget. I've never had a deer go far with a hit in the chest but I don't always get an exit. The bullet might be a little bit too light of a construction but it does kill deer.

 

[GeauxTide]

My favorite, in 3 rifles, is a 165 Grand Slam over 42gr of H4895 for 2588. ES is 30, SD is 9 and all shoot 1/2". Full penetration from any angle.

 

[thallub]

My .308 hunting load was developed long ago. That load took many deer for me.

Winchester case.
Winchester LR primer.
44 grains of IMR 3031 powder.
Sierra 150 grain BTSP bullet.

Since 2000 my hunting has been almost exclusively with a muzzleloader. If i were to hunt deer with a .308 today the Barnes 130 grain TSX BT would be used.

My favorite bench rest accuracy load is:

Winchester case.
Winchester LR primer.
42 grains of IMR 3031 powder.
150 grain Hornady round nose bullet.

That bullet makes 3/4-one inch five shot groups at 125 yards when i'm up to it, which is becoming increasingly infrequent.

 

[GeauxTide]

Ok, you ask for HUNTING loads and you say you're buying some AMAX? AMAX is not for hunting.

 

[Twohawks11]

My hunting load last season for my .308 Win was 150 grain, Nosler Accubond, on top of 46 grains of Varget. COAL = 2.782, Starline brass and CCI #200 primers
This was for my walkabout gun, a Tikka T3x lite, 20” barrel
This season I’m working on a load still using Varget with the Barnes 130 grain ttsx also with Varget.
I’ll stop back and let you know how they work out