308 hunting bullet recommendations

150gr interlocks for me too, chrono’d at 2750 FPS. Great stopping power and internal damage, meat damage is minimal for a big round. The boat tails are nice to seat too.

Are the interlocks boat tails? I've only ever used factory ammo. Also, what length barrel and gun are you using?
 
Nosler ballistic tip 168gr over Varget 1:13 twist. 2641 fps. Extremely accurate. Great round from Norfolk Munties , Perthshire reds or Argyll Sika`s.
 
Are the interlocks boat tails? I've only ever used factory ammo. Also, what length barrel and gun are you using?

I believe the 150gr interlocks are available in flat base and boat tails.
Boat tails are 3033
Flat base are 3031

I shoot them in a Howa 1500 sporter, 22” inch barrel I think.
 
I believe the 150gr interlocks are available in flat base and boat tails.
Boat tails are 3033
Flat base are 3031

I shoot them in a Howa 1500 sporter, 22” inch barrel I think.

Ah okay, are you home loading? I was asking because I've a 20in 1in11 (or so the manual says) twist tikka and was trying to figure out the rough velocity as I don't have a chrony. I recon its around 2720 based on average fps lost per inch of barrel. Hornady use a 24in test rifle
 
Ah okay, are you home loading? I was asking because I've a 20in 1in11 (or so the manual says) twist tikka and was trying to figure out the rough velocity as I don't have a chrony. I recon its around 2720 based on average fps lost per inch of barrel. Hornady use a 24in test rifle
Yeah, I’m loading my own.
 
Shot placement should be chest area, range no more than 150 yards, all deer species
I used to use nosler 165gr ballistic tips for chest shooting, they were doing around 2550fps at the muzzle and were absolutely brilliant, nothing ran more than about 20-25 yards if it ran at all, always left a good sized exit would so bloody trails were strong. Meat damage from these was minimal and usually got most of the meat from the shoulders. I used them for fallow roe and muntjac. I have since changed my rifle and I now use the nosler 125gr BTs but I am now neck shooting most of my animals under 100ish yards. Hope this helps.
Dave
 
I see mostly 150 g are there any users of 125g and any meat damage ????
Yeah I am using the nosler 125gr BTs, they are great in my rifle, MV is averaging 2800fps. Meat damage wise I will admit if its around 100ish yards I will neck shooting it if I can which is why I dropped to this weight, I have used 165 BTs and tried the 150s too and both are great but I wanted slightly faster expansion for neck shooting. I have chest shot roe and fallow with the 125s and the meat damage below 100 is yards isn't unacceptable, defiantly less than I got from 150gr honrady SST factory ammo (I didn't like that as ever ting I shot with it was mashed on the front end). I have shot fallow out to 230 yards with the 125s in the chest and they put them down really fast but didn't blow the shoulders up, past 100 yards for chest shooting the damage is very acceptable but still has great performance in putting them down.
Dve
 
Sierra Pro hunters - I use them in all my rifles except the .45-70 which doesnt like 300gn bullets and they work great, plus they are cheap!

I did also use the 165gn Hornady Interbond in .308 for a time as well and that was another great bullet.

The pro hunters are a good all round bullet , and my 45/70 doesn't like the 300 gr either . I use the 165 Interbond in my Browning BLR , shoots very accurately and doesn't blow up on White-Tails , but holds together on Moose , Elk and Bear . It's right up there with the same weight Nosler Partition for reliability , a very useful bullet . Others mileage may vary .

AB
 
I see mostly 150 g are there any users of 125g and any meat damage ????

I loaded some 125gr SGK and Nosler BT over N140 for smaller deer because I was losing a lot of shoulders. I found that the increased velocity just turned them inside out. Meat damage was less with small exit holes but green soup inside, even if shot well forward. I went back to 150gr SGK and bought a .223 for small deer!
 
Your original choice of 165gr SST ticks a lot of boxes. It's a bullet that expands well to have a good effect (esp if you don't have a dog) but is unlikely to be running so fast as to cause too much damage and has enough weight to be a more reliable penetrator. I must admit to not having used them in 165gr in 308 but I liked the 150s except for a feeling that they were slightly lacking in penetration on a very large fallow buck or reds at last light and so a mistake on angle (as can happen in poor light) might mean no exit and less blood for easier tracking.

To kill things and find them requires some damage. Lack of expansion on lung shots is bad news (personal experience). Good expansion with some weight is a good place to be from my experience
 
Nowt wrong with SSTs but you need to understand that are designed to dump max energy into a deer sized animal at a longer range to ensure a quick clean kill. Put it through a shoulder you will cause big damage to the front of the animal.

i tend to use either a flat base softpoint bullet as gives plenty of penetration but also expansion and damage.

But in my 7x57 I have been using the the Fox ammo and very impressed. Accurate, quick killing with a good wound channel, but minimal damage beyond that. Even when putting a bullet through the shoulder.

i have with most lead and jacket bullets that you often get an element of bullet break up - they are designed to do so, whereas the monolithic design of the Fox keeps it all together, but it opens into a flower shape causing lots of damage down the path of the bullet, but not much beyond. Have used on Roe, Red and Wild boar and similar result everytime.
 
Sierra Pro hunters - I use them in all my rifles except the .45-70 which doesnt like 300gn bullets and they work great, plus they are cheap!

I did also use the 165gn Hornady Interbond in .308 for a time as well and that was another great bullet.
I like the Pro Hunters as well. In 6.5 Grendel and 7mm-08 I use the 120's. In 308 I use the 165's. These are, by the way, some of the most accurate bullets I've used in these three chamberings. To the OP, I would say that the SST from a 308 (and 30-06) has given erratic performance on mule deer and whitetails. I fell into a large supply of 30 caliber SST's up to 180 grains and loaded them for my kids rifles. That the deer died wasn't and issue but the bullet would turn. A chest shot from 80 yards would blow out the off shoulder instead of passing through. I have seen a 165 SST fired from a 30-06 simply blow up behind the scapula of a vary large mule deer causing him to limp away until the 120 Pro Hunter from my 7-08 put him down. These SST's are about 10 years old and quite accurate, but I use them for target shooting now. Newer SST's purchased for my 6.5 Grendel (123 grain, several LOTS) exhibited a flier or two in every group. I eventually shelved them and bought 1000 of the 120 Pro Hunters which, in that rifle, proved to be THE most accurate bullet at 2700 fps.~Muir
 
Speer #2022 SPBT over 43.1gr of N140 gives me amazing accuracy, minimal damage (albeit that 99% of my shots are now neck so makes no real difference), bullet expands at all ranges I shoot and is nice and soft on the shoulder with no big bark. Use this load through my Sako 75 for all UK deer species and on PG in SA with no problems whatsoever.
 
Used 150g power shok for several years & the job is a good’un.
Although recently been trying some copper (needs must) on certain areas
I stalk. All 150g I might add......
Federal copper crap group.
Sako TTSX ...Not bad but a bit slow.
Sako TSX “Same as above”
Federal Premium Trophy Copper
fantastic almost rag hole so I’m sorted.
100yd target all factory as l don’t
reload.Tikka T3 lite stainless 20”
Trial and error l would say.

Best of luck. Buck.
 
I have used 180 pro hunter, 150 pro hunters and both are very good with solid results. N150 & N140 powders.

I have just moved over to Barnes 110gr TTSX lead free over N133 and they are epic. Solid controlled expansion for chest and brutal on a head shot. They are also seriously flat trajectory so I am very pleased.
 

These are excellent projectiles and Ive used them with N140 or similar speed powder for several years.

Alternate is Amax 150s for neck shooting.
 
Hi All,

I am currently reloading Hornady 165 gr., SST for my .308 rifle. The barrel length is 22" with a 1:12 twist. I have read somewhere that this bullet can cause unacceptable meat damage. Any comments will be much appreciated.

Hi
I’ve tried a few different types in my T3 .308 and settled on Nosler Accubond 165gn.
I’ve found them to be accurate and work well from Muntjac to Fallow.
They stay together well if you need to use a pinning shot.
Best regards,
Jeff.
 
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