Is the 150gr bullet the ultimate weight for a hunting bullet out of a 308win

[Potato boy]

The problem is out here elk are often hunted on the bald ass prairie. 300 yard shots are not uncommon

The 308 is a 400 yard cartridge with 200 grain bullets, also Federal has a 174 grain load that will reach out to 500yards. My hand loads push a 308 SGK with a book load of CFE223 to 2530 out of a 20” tube. Lots of power for any NA game out to 400

 

[WhelanLad]

For sure go 180gr in the .308 except my 1:12 twist .308's won't properly stabilize the 180gr AB's.

your number must of came up today. good barrage

 

[PEKS]

My Hunting 308's are fed Hornady Interbonds, 165gr, great accuracy & results, cheers

 

[sherlockbonez]

I just sized all my 308 brass. Going to load 180gr sierra rn in mine this year.

 

[hoytcanon]

For sure go 180gr in the .308 except my 1:12 twist .308's won't properly stabilize the 180gr AB's.

Then go RN, son...

 

[MRP]

While I do not own a 308, I have a Model 700 "Classic" in 300 Savage, which is very similar in performance to the 308 in that type of rifle.
I use 150 grain bullets almost exclusively in it, and have had no trouble with quick kills on deer, Black Bear, Moose and bigger varmints with
it. I hunt deer with the old style Winchester Silvertips, or Remington cor-lokts, while for bear and moose I move to the 150 Partition.
A 150 grain bullet at 2900 is quite decisive when placed correctly and is constructed well enough to get in to the vitals. Eagleye.

WHAT! I'm ashamed of you. No 308 Winchester?

 

[Slamfire]

Core-bond bullets should work the best to maximize .308 performance I think. Wouldn't necessarily be hunting in timber for Moose if I were to take one of my .308's hunting (for some incomprehensible reason ). If I were to specifically do that then a 180gr core-bond bullet like a Woodleigh or Swift that my 1:12 twist .308's can stabilize properly would be better for breaking heavy bone than a 165gr AB.

More likely would be in the mountains so would be at a disadvantage with a lower b.c 180gr bullet for longer shots on game. The 165gr AB 0.475 b.c. would be handy for maximizing downrange energy. So to simplify things I would just stick with the 165gr AB for general use in timber or up in the mountains.

 

[rifleman762]

I like using relatively heavy-for-calibre bullets in all my guns for good penetration on 1000+ lb animals. I'm lazy and I don't want to develop and sight in different loads for different game. Right now I'm tossing 210gr Berger VLD's from my 308 (it's 1:10 twist) just because I had a box of 100 and discovered that my 300WM doesn't shoot them accurately. With the excellent BC, they don't drop much more at long distance than a 165gr My go-to weight for 308 is 180gr, though. A 180gr bonded or mono-metal will penetrate deeper than a 210 cup-and-core like the VLD. Velocity fades, ballistic coefficient is forever.

 

[Gatehouse]

130gr TTSX, good for deer or moose.

 

[savagelh]

There's nothing around here I wouldn't be confident hunting with a quality 150gr bullet out of a 308. By quality I mean any of the monos, bonded bullets, a frames or partitions. If you ever go on 24hrcampfire there's a guy on there that literally piles up big game up to large elk with a 155gr lapua scenar out of his 308. That's a target bullet. Not saying it's right but his results don't lie.

 

[Purple shoulder]

For sure go 180gr in the .308 except my 1:12 twist .308's won't properly stabilize the 180gr AB's.

A 12 should stabilize a 180 AB just fine. I thought you only shot monos. Change of heart lately?

 

[Slamfire]

I like the mono's in heavier calibers. However I thought I would give the 300gr AB a try in my .375 H&H Magnum. It worked pretty good on the Bull Moose I downed, didn't over-expand and penetrated adequately. So I think a 30 caliber AB should work pretty good also.

The 180gr AB is a long bullet as shown, almost as long as the 240gr Woodleigh. Wouldn't group better than about 3 to 4" at 100 meters off the bench from my .308 CZ550. I think the 165gr AB should stabilize properly with a 1:12 twist.

The 180gr TSX is also a long bullet and might not properly stabilize with a 1:12 twist but a 165gr TSX likely would.

 

[Eagleye]

WHAT! I'm ashamed of you. No 308 Winchester?

No....no 308 Winchester. Would 308 Norma Magnums be OK? [I have 5 of those]

I have owned a number of 308 Winchesters over the years. I have shot a number of
animals with the chambering, including moose and a huge black bear. But, deep down,
I am a 30-06 guy, and you know what that means.

I would never berate the 308, it is a great round, but I could never quite get to like
it as much as the venerable 30-06. Must be a flaw in my personality, lol. Eagleye.

 

[hoytcanon]

I would never berate the 308, it is a great round, but I could never quite get to like
it as much as the venerable 30-06. Must be a flaw in my personality, lol. Eagleye.

I would not classify that as a "flaw," rather the longer case is likely compensation for other "shorter" attributes...

 

[remington jim]

130gr TTSX, good for deer or moose.

130 Barnes TTSX is a GREAT 308 Bullet for Deer -Sheep-Goats etc THEN Kick it up to a 150 TTSX for Elk and Moose and Bigger Bears ! jmo RJ

 

[Longwalker]

I have more than 40 years experience with the .308, and have used it for varmints, whitetail and mule deer, elk, black bear, moose, antelope, and sheep. I long ago settled on 165-168 grain bullets for everything. Excellent accuracy and terminal performance, unlikely to stop in a humerus/scapula joint like I have seen several cup and core 150's do, and a touch better trajectory than 180's. I load match grade bullets for targets, and bonded or partition bullets with the same powder/primer/case and the same ballistics and sight setting for hunting.
There was a very good reason why for the first 30 years of the .308's existence that the two standard loadings were 150 and 180 grains. In conventional loadings and bullet designs, each weight is best suited to a group of North American game - 150's for deer/antelope/sheep and 180's for bear/elk/moose. Put caribou and feral hogs somewhere in the middle I suppose. I agree that the more modern monometal and bonded bullets improve the capabilities of the light 150's, but they still aren't as good at extended range or on bigger critters as 165's. I may be wrong, but I think 150's drift more in the wind too. 180's are now somewhat superfluous if premium bonded or monometal bullets are chosen instead of cup and core standards.
It is interesting to note that most African outfitters and PH's have a good opinion of the .308, but almost invariably recommend heavy for caliber bullets, more than 150 grain, for best reliability on a variety of game. I agree.

 

[DILLIGAF]

130gr TTSX, good for deer or moose.

Yup I hunt with 130's in my 270 and its killed everything from Bears to Deers. Pick a round that groups well and go hunting.

for LR hunting I use Sierra 165gr. BTHP Game King in my .308

 

[mbogo3]

My Browning Safari FN .308 Norma Mag has a 1-12 twist that shoots 180's just fine, but admittedly faster than the .308 win so that may be why they print nice groups nose first.

 

[Slamfire]

Interesting. The higher muzzle speed imparts a higher rotational speed that's fast enough for proper stability. I once tried sub-sonic 400gr loads in my 1:14 twist .416 Rem. Mag. but the low muzzle speed wouldn't put a fast enough spin on the bullet to stabilize it. Shots were all over the place with some key-holing.

Good accuracy with the 180gr AB's in my 1:11 twist Sako 85 Grey Wolf .300 Win. Mag. at around 3100 fps MV as well as the 180gr TTSX which requires a 1:11 or faster twist according to Barnes.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

IMO the 165 grain bullet weight is optimum for the 308, and the 30-06 as well. It gives excellent performance on everything from deer through black bear and elk to moose, and is a decent long range performer.