Taking a 308 Winchester to Namibia for plains game. I really like the weight retention and penetration of the Barnes triple shocks, and this rifle shoots the 165 tipped TSX with very acceptable accuracy. It's been my experience that with the weight retention at virtually 100%, these bullets punch above their weight class. Could go a little heavier, I guess, but not sure I need to. Except maybe for Zebra and Eland, I'm thinking the 165 is adequate.

Anybody have opinions (!)or experience with this combo?

If your rifle shoots well with the 165 grains, stay with them.

I have shot hundreds of plains game with various 270 rifles, and bullets 130-140 grains.

Never felt I needed anything else.

And as usual, make sure your first bullet goes to the right place.

quote:

Originally posted by H T:
Except maybe for Zebra and Eland, I'm thinking the 165 is adequate.

Anybody have opinions (!)or experience with this combo?

On my first trip to Namibia I made a bunch of one-shot kills on plains game using a 30-06 loaded with 180gr core-locts. This included Zebra.

I have no doubt that the 308 with 165gr triple shocks will do just as well.

quote:

Originally posted by H T:
Taking a 308 Winchester to Namibia for plains game. I really like the weight retention and penetration of the Barnes triple shocks, and this rifle shoots the 165 tipped TSX with very acceptable accuracy. It's been my experience that with the weight retention at virtually 100%, these bullets punch above their weight class. Could go a little heavier, I guess, but not sure I need to. Except maybe for Zebra and Eland, I'm thinking the 165 is adequate.

Anybody have opinions (!)or experience with this combo?

In 2013 my older son killed an Eland with 165gr North Forks in his .308 with the first shot at 190 yards. Follow up shots were made to put the bull down that much quicker, but the first shot was a kill shot, it was just a matter of time.

Just got back from RSA last Sunday. My younger son killed a Zebra with one shot from his 7x57 shooting 140gr North Forks. Quartering to shot, bullet enter front of left shoulder penetrated through lungs, over the top of the heart and came to rest at rear of right shoulder just under the skin. Shot was taken at 125 yars. Zebra went down to the shot, got up and went 30 yards before dropping for good.

I wouldn't normally recommend a .308 for Eland, but it certainly can be done with the proper bullet and placement. I can't imagine it not working on Zebra.

i have hunted for 30 years in zim , been a local hunter i only used a 308 for impala to eland , 180grn barnes and south african PMP , i have alot of respect for this little cartridge and works well, the first shot always counts!!!

I have killed everything from duiker upto eland with a 7mm-08 using 140 grn power points and ballistic silver tips

308 is good for everything except Eland.

On our plains game hunt in Namibia, my dad used 165 grn Barnes TTSX and had the bullet completely pass-through both shoulders on broadside shots on animals up to Oryx. He also took a quartering shot on the Oryx as it was going away. The bullet hit in front of the rear hip, passed through the stomach, went through the lungs and was poking out of the off-side shoulder.

You will be very happy with this cartridge and bullet selection.

308 with 165TSX. No problem.

Mrs Blacktailer also let me borrow it for the lighter stuff like warthog, impala and bushbuck.

VERY popular in SA for most plains game. Many guys I know only hunt with a .308 Win and they hunt from Duiker, to Springbuck to Eland. 150gr - 180gr is most popular.

I used South African PMP ammo in 308 for 24 animals in 2005.

It works.

308 will be more than adequate. We tend to lose sight of the fact that bullet placement and a quality bullet are still the number 1 criteria for a quick clean kill.

The .308 is slowly becoming one of my favorite calibers as I get older. Use it with confidence.

We've killed loads of plains game with a 165gr GMX in the 30-06 and the 139 grain GMX in the 7MM. Penetration has never been an issue. TTSX should perform very similar.

Accurate shooting and premium bullets and all goes well. Punch out lungs case closed.

Mike

Standard 30-06 (or for that matter original 300 H&H loads) give little to no advantage over a modern 308 factory load-
particularly with modern projectile construction
(ie, monolithics, bonded cores etc)

Thanks to all for the encouragement. My light rifle for Africa has been the 338 Win Mag for quite a while, but it has (sadly) belonged to my wife for a few years now. It will be the rifle she uses on this leopard hunt, and I don't believe I will be allowed to use it. Look at it, maybe, but that's about it. I'm just the companion who shoots bait. Maybe a 56" kudu kind of bait !!

And I couldn't be prouder of her!

I have shoot all my african animals with a 308. I think everyone with a 130 grains bullet. My kudu was shoot through both lungs, went 20 yards, down. I only have a 308 rifle actually. Will use it on everything until I will try buff/ele, if i ever get the chance

Red Hartebeest with .243.

Go and use the .308. With the bullets we have now, such as what you plan to use, not sure why we spend so much time talking about and validating the obvious.

The .30-06, .308, and a host of other cartridges just above and below in caliber will do the job.

Just go and do it.

Look forward to the pictures.

All the animals in this post was shot with 308
except the BWB. 150 gr Nosler Acubond

http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6381097112

You will enjoy your 308 plains game rifle.

I use my 3006 with Barnes TTSX 150gr and have taken waterbuck and numerouse zebra.

Accurate shot placement is key.

Good hunting.

Good points made by all - much appreciated.

I shot a Black Wildebeeste with a 270, 140 grain Barnes. Worked, though the petals were peeled all the way back. Might be a clue there somewhere....

Also my wife shot a zebra with the same load, at well over 200 yards. Worked, though took a few hundred yards of tracking. Then I shot a zebra with that same bullet and while bleeding heavily enough that even I could follow it, that thing ran for close to a mile. Slow though I am at connecting the dots, after that we went to our 338 for a light rifle.

I'm sure the 165 TTSX in a 308 will kill plains game. I was just inviting a conversation along the lines of is it really adequate, or is more like a stunt to prove something about a light rifle. I'm comfortable from the comments that it's certainly not a stunt, but will require shot placement and patience to be sure the right shot presents itself.

Kind of like with ANY rifle and load.

A friend went to RSA to hunt plains game several years ago. He took two BLRs in 308 and 358, and never felt undergunned.

You will do well...

A mate of mine took all his PG with a 308 and 170gr Lapua Naturalis. Most dropped to the shot.

And most of the locals use one or have one in their gun safe.

Oh this is terrible news. 170 grains works well. See, I knew the 165 grains would be too light. Now I have to find a heavier bullet !

I hunted the Eastern Cape last June taking eleven different species of game

I carried a 30-06 running a 150 grain Accubonds at .308 Win speeds

2850ish fps

kudu
black wildebeest
blue wildebeest
gemsbock
waterbuck

These were the large animals of the 11

Impala x2
blesbok
bushbuck
warthog
vervet and hyrax

Round out the eleven different species my wife and I took with said round


None had a chance to complain about my bullet of choice very long

I never felt underguned one second

On day 5 I had a large bull eland at about 50 yards....not in my budget or I have no doubt he would have been in bad trouble