Lightweight (110-130gr) etc 308 non toxic

[Dave_45]

My friend is venturing into non lead homeloads.

Species will be red and sika ,fallow on occasion.

Ranges 2-300m.

No further.

Can anyone recommend some makes or arguments for and against going light as possible with 110gr Barnes or the Hornady cx, is the Barnes 130gr a better choice etc please

Thanks

 

[Heym SR20]

I would look no further than the Fox 130gn 308 load. It has been used been used to shoot large numbers of deer of all species and kills quickly and cleanly.

The bullet is about the same length as the traditional 150gn cup and core so ballistics will be similar, albeit launched a bit faster.

Fox bullets seem to shoot accurately in most rifles.

More information on load data, including the factory loads, and who stocks them is here

Fox Non Lead Bullets – Edinburgh Rifles

Going lighter will equal a faster bullet so a touch flatter shooting to normal hunting ranges and a bit more violent wound channel with a little messier carcass.

 

[Brighty3006]

Barnes 130 grain ttsx I have found them excellent

 

[Utectok]

Yew tree tlr 119gn is very good and easy to obtain.

 

[Brave Echo Niner]

Barnes 130 TTSX, it just works. I would aim for above 3000FPS, N135 is generally good for this.

I’ve shot a good number of red, fallow and roe with these, seldom do they go very far.

They are also generally accurate with load development - this was my 130 TTSX load I tested with a new Mod yesterday out of a relatively lightweight rifle:

 

[wytonpjs]

I'm using 110gr TTSX in my .270 and 130gr in both my 308s and have been for about 8 years now. The 22" .270 has a MV of 3298 fps using N135, the .308s (both 20" D18 Sako/Tikka barrels) 2945 fps using IMR4895. Both calibres are principally used on reds and fallow and if I had to be honest, I would say I get more meat damage from the 130gr TTSX. Both put animals on the deck PDQ and with minimal or no running from HILAR shots.
I have some 110gr .308 TTSX to load but haven't got around to doing that yet nor trying the N140 I have with the 130's.

 

[Jagged77]

I’ve had great results with the Virtus Osprey 125’s. Pushing them fast with N135 and they’ve dropped what I’ve shot on the spot without much meat damage.

The Barnes 130’s have been incredibly accurate but I’ve yet to shoot a deer with them so can’t comment on the terminal performance.

Definitely factor in the Yew Tree too.

 

[63]

I’m waiting for a 308 and have been thinking about exactly this issue - couple of questions if I may thread hijack slightly

- how do the lighter bullets in 308 perform at range (in terms of accuracy and terminal performance)? Do they bleed off velocity and suffer from being lower BC?

- how genuinely available are Barnes in the UK? Looking just at places that list stock online and they seem to be out of stock an awful lot - which pushes me to the UK made alternatives

 

[Selous]

I'm using 110gr TTSX in my .270 and 130gr in both my 308s and have been for about 8 years now. The 22" .270 has a MV of 3298 fps using N135, the .308s (both 20" D18 Sako/Tikka barrels) 2945 fps using IMR4895. Both calibres are principally used on reds and fallow and if I had to be honest, I would say I get more meat damage from the 130gr TTSX. Both put animals on the deck PDQ and with minimal or no running from HILAR shots.
I have some 110gr .308 TTSX to load but haven't got around to doing that yet nor trying the N140 I have with the 130's.

In the 308 with the 130 TTSX, N140 is a bit slow so ends up with a heavily compressed load. N135 is spot on…. I went to N135 as a replacement to H4895.

 

[Dave_45]

I’m waiting for a 308 and have been thinking about exactly this issue - couple of questions if I may thread hijack slightly

- how do the lighter bullets in 308 perform at range (in terms of accuracy and terminal performance)? Do they bleed off velocity and suffer from being lower BC?

- how genuinely available are Barnes in the UK? Looking just at places that list stock online and they seem to be out of stock an awful lot - which pushes me to the UK made alternatives

The British made virtus and yew tree and wapiti are always readily available, some love them, some don’t.
I’m not a fan of the fragmenting bullet for deer but I’m not going to deride anyone’s hard work.

Barnes , normally are easy to get if you shop around , Macleod of Tain is a safe bet usually.

The velocity loss of the 110gr was also a worry for me at distance

 

[63]

The British made virtus and yew tree and wapiti are always readily available, some love them, some don’t.
I’m not a fan of the fragmenting bullet for deer but I’m not going to deride anyone’s hard work.

Barnes , normally are easy to get if you shop around , Macleod of Tain is a safe bet usually.

The velocity loss of the 110gr was also a worry for me at distance

The virtus fragmenting bullets are interesting - I’d generally agree with you, but I can also see they might have a time and a place where ricochets are a particular concern, and for foxing etc. A few folk I know are quite outspoken on the ricochet hazard of copper bullets, but I haven’t worked out whether that’s legitimate or just sour grapes, last time I held an FAC they were a fairly niche activity that I never tried.

 

[Heym SR20]

I’m waiting for a 308 and have been thinking about exactly this issue - couple of questions if I may thread hijack slightly

- how do the lighter bullets in 308 perform at range (in terms of accuracy and terminal performance)? Do they bleed off velocity and suffer from being lower BC?

- how genuinely available are Barnes in the UK? Looking just at places that list stock online and they seem to be out of stock an awful lot - which pushes me to the UK made alternatives

Depends on what you mean by longer range. Inside 250 to 300 it’s really academic. Terminal performance is really a function of the bullet design and terminal impact velocity, but again inside normal stalking ranges they all work.

I would focus more on which shoots well in your rifle. Personally I would go for a design that holds together and doesn’t shed bits. This in my view allows the bullet to retain energy and pass right the way through both shoulders. Given that you are moving to non toxic, why use a bullet designed to leave any form on metal fragments in the carcass.

 

[JockStalk]

Fox and TTSX 130 are both good and I find them interchangeable.
My preference is Hasler 138, a heck of a thump but dies not fragment. Very reliable, good retained energy.

 

[63]

Depends on what you mean by longer range. Inside 250 to 300 it’s really academic. Terminal performance is really a function of the bullet design and terminal impact velocity, but again inside normal stalking ranges they all work.

I would focus more on which shoots well in your rifle. Personally I would go for a design that holds together and doesn’t shed bits. This in my view allows the bullet to retain energy and pass right the way through both shoulders. Given that you are moving to non toxic, why use a bullet designed to leave any form on metal fragments in the carcass.

For terminal performance I was thinking within normal 250/300m ranges. For more general performance I do enjoy plinking targets out to 600m +, and in an ideal world would use the same load for everything.

One hears things about copper bullets not expanding except at quite high velocities - I wasn’t sure how much velocity a light 30 cal would retain and how that manifests real world performance.

I’m with you on fragmenting - I’ve pulled some nasty sharp bits of copper jacket out of things in the past from frangible bullets, but equally there will be a time and a place for very expansive copper bullets once lead is completely gone. (As there is for the lead versions now)

 

[Danny Fireblade]

I use 130gn TTSX in my 20" Tikka T3x, I get 3100fps and I have had fallow out to 350m.

Very accurate and and they certainly do the job. I can't comment about the other makes as this is all I use as it just works.

 

[Dave_45]

I use 130gn TTSX in my 20" Tikka T3x, I get 3100fps and I have had fallow out to 350m.

Very accurate and and they certainly do the job. I can't comment about the other makes as this is all I use as it just works.

May I ask what powder please ?

That’s a very good combo with a short barrel

Are those box or actual chronograph speeds

 

[Heym SR20]

For terminal performance I was thinking within normal 250/300m ranges. For more general performance I do enjoy plinking targets out to 600m +, and in an ideal world would use the same load for everything.

One hears things about copper bullets not expanding except at quite high velocities - I wasn’t sure how much velocity a light 30 cal would retain and how that manifests real world performance.

I’m with you on fragmenting - I’ve pulled some nasty sharp bits of copper jacket out of things in the past from frangible bullets, but equally there will be a time and a place for very expansive copper bullets once lead is completely gone. (As there is for the lead versions now)

For plinking purposes Copper hunting bullets are expensive. However Fox do make a non expanding training / target bullet thats about half the price in 308 calibre.

The Fox hunter bullet is designed to expand at below 2,000 fps.

 

[Danny Fireblade]

May I ask what powder please ?

That’s a very good combo with a short barrel

Are those box or actual chronograph speeds

That’s with N530 which unfortunately has been discontinued by Vhit

Chrono speeds with the Garmin Chrono.

 

[mastertech]

I have recently bought my first .308 and as a deer manager i will give my first impressions. I started with Sellier and Bellot 110gn dont bother with them the alloy is too hard and they go through Roe like a laser. I get good results with Geko and RWS non toxics, i only shoot factory ammo as the estate pay for it.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Short barrels
Run fast and flat