Which .308 bullet weight?

[adamsinfield]

Before I ask my question, I am relatively new to stalking but not to reloading. But I have been thinking quite a bit about this and wonder what (or more likely if) there is any consensus from you folks much more knowledgeable than me!

What weight bullet do people recommend as an ‘all round’ .308 hunting bullet? The quarry on my ground are generally fallow and boar, with the occasional roe. Appreciate the boar will likely need more knockdown power than the deer, but is there a happy medium?

I don’t really want to be ladder testing and developing different loads for different quarry, and have found my Sako S20 to not be fussy about weight (testing factory from 110gn to 185gn). My targets are almost always sub 300m as well, so wind deflection and drop aren’t that crucial.

Cheers all!

 

[SamHuntVic]

180gr
Grant.

 

[Koenig]

I’ve always found 150 grains a good all rounder, but that said it depends what your rifle likes in terms of accuracy and consistency. The best results I’ve had were with cheap Sellier and Belliot 180’s. If you aren’t going to reload you just need to buy and try.

 

[Skietindiekop]

150gn will cover everything from roe to red

 

[Jon P]

150 g federal powershok has stopped plenty of game for me.

 

[308tikka]

150 lead based
130 copper based

Dont load for target velocities, nice and gentle for target re-acquisition.....

 

[jimmer.13]

150 grn Sierra game king vhit n140

 

[HandB]

I find 180 grain bullets with a mild powder load (40.3grains of RS52) work brilliantly in both my .308s.

 

[adamsinfield]

Thanks all! Is along the lines of my thinking, that a ‘mild’ but accurate load around the 155gn marker should be within the sweet spot. Do you think worth going a little higher though to account for the boar?

As mentioned, I will be reloading (and kudos to HandB as also had great results with RS52) but have tested a few factory rounds and it genuinely doesn’t seem to care that much - all (except Fox copper, which shot like sh*t and gave me extraction issues) being sub MOA.

 

[Donkey Basher]

150gn (lead cored) - dropped more fallow than I can remember with them & was more than up to knocking over a Moose on a hunting trip in Norway a few years back.

 

[antsa]

150 grn Sierra game king vhit n140

Good combo. If you prefer a heavier setup then the Sierra GK 165gr HPBT with N140. No need to go to 180gr IMHO.

cheers

 

[HandB]

Go heavier - 180gr bullets deal with wind better and hit with authority even when pottering along at about 2500fps

 

[tusker]

Go heavier - 180gr bullets deal with wind better and hit with authority even when pottering along at about 2500fps

Personally if you go up to 180 grain get a 30-06 , this is only my thoughts but I think 150 grain in 308 is the optimum and will cope with anything in Europe and up to Eland in Africa.
Tusker

 

[adamsinfield]

Thanks all, it’s much appreciated!

 

[JH83]

130gn copper pushed to 3000fps seem to be really doing the business for myself and several other deer managers that I know, mainly culling reds and roe. Good terminal performance, bang flops are regular, uniform exits and good blood trail (more so than 6.5 equivalent) , pretty happy really.

 

[JTO]

I’ve always found 150 grains a good all rounder, but that said it depends what your rifle likes in terms of accuracy and consistency.

This ^^!
You have to have confidence in knowing that the shot goes where you want it to go.
I doubt you will be shooting at Boar 300 yards away!

 

[GIMLET61]

165gr S & B cu do the job for me.

 

[RM100]

Geco 180 grain works for me

 

[Leroux]

Hard to look beyond 150g such as federal powershok or similar

 

[Foxyboy43]

Sierra Prohunters at 125gns over a moderate load of Viht 140 and a good crimp are an excellent combination and shoot very flat. Good enough for all UK deer but might be a bit light for boar from what I read - though if placement is right I cannot see much surviving a hit!