Tikka varmint in 308 hunting load help

appleshooter

appleshooter

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Hi everyone.

Can anyone out there recommend some good hunting loads? I was thinking 130-165 for deer and 165-180gr for moose. That's all I know. Just getting started with reloading. I hope to have purchased my last $50 box of ammo.

Not just the money though. I'm hoping for something more accurate and consistent.

Everyone tells me I just need to hit a 6-8" target with a cold bore, but I prefer to be a bit more accurate. Fine for others, not judging, it will just make me feel better and a little more sure...

Thanks in advance.
 
308 is a lot of gun for deer. I good bullet in 150gr tends to be destructive. Our gang switched to 180s and found the deer still flopped, with less damage, and the same load was just right for moose.
 
Personally I have a different thought, I like to use 150gr Barnes ttsx for everything, as long as you can keep their speeds up on this type of bullet I would not be hesitant using it on moose or elk. I have not taken a elk with this round but I have taken moose and deer, all pass throughs, holes no bigger than the bullet itself, fall over dead.

Kevin
 
Ganderite said:
308 is a lot of gun for deer. I good bullet in 150gr tends to be destructive. Our gang switched to 180s and found the deer still flopped, with less damage, and the same load was just right for moose.
Click to expand...

A hunter I know, shoots 180's in his 308 for deer and moose. He buys ammunition, not a handloader. Winchester Silvertips for years, and now the replacement.

I shoot -06, and I like the 165. The 308 seems to be somewhat of an anomaly, handloaders that I know recommend 130's for deer, I think the 155 A-Max would be my choice, for deer. For moose, I'd just buy a good box of ammo, 180's. All the hunters I know, 180's for everything. Like a friend told me yesterday, no need to re-invent the wheel.

Barnes, no experience, but I have a relative that shoots them in his 270, and he hunts them all, deer, moose, elk. Barnes, speed more important than weight, 150's would probably be plenty, perhaps a 130 and Varget.
 
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Nosler Accubond 180 gr behind as stiff load of Varget worked great for us! Works great on deer thru moose. My rifle likes 44.8 gr.
 
An echo of sorts for what Ganderite said: Stick with one bullet weight to avoid having to alter your sights from one type to the other.

On the accuracy standards... hmmm. Hypothetically if your rifle shoots 1.5" moa (which isn't exceptionally high standard) and you can only physically achieve 6-8" then the extreme spread potential is already sub-standard (9.5") and unacceptable not even considering a modest 150 -200yards that might on rare occasion arise. You already stated that wasn't acceptable to you anyway so yes you are correct in not settling for mediocre. Obtaining the standard you desire requires practice (technique can mostly be learned with a 22lr) and trial and error with appropriate factory ammunition type and how each performs in your rifle. Anyone who shoots well, and often will observe some factory rounds which shoot tight groups in their friends rifle, look like a shotgun pattern out of their own. Even when you get to reloading: While you can control the variables in the loaded rounds, you don't know how the rifle will group them until they've been tried.
 
i have been reloading for 4 years now in 5 different 308 rifles. all shoot the same load under 1" including an old remington pump action. my load gets me 2700-2750fps in all guns.. my load is 42.5gr Benchmark in a remington case under a 165gr Sierra HPBT Gameking or SPBT(same point of impact) and set off with a CCI BR2 Primer.. this load has accounted for many of deer and 3 moose. bullet performance as been flawless with what bullets have been recovered.. perfact mushroom.. i would not histate to make this a 200 yard moose gun.. and deer.. well.. as far as u feel comfortable shooting.

have fun and play safe
Josh
 
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