Hey All, I'm just wondering if I should bet a bolt action .308, but I would really want to have reduced loads for my "back yard" deer hunting. 100 yards would be a long shot for my acreage.

SR4759 doesn't seem to do much over 1900fps with a 150 gr. bullet. I'm concerned these are not going to open up at velocities much lower than this, even if this is fast enough.

It seems very difficult to find consistent, accurate loads for the 308 in the 2000 to 2400 fps range. I know a lot of you are going to suggest just getting a 30-30, but I really don't want a lever action for various reasons.

The answer to your dilemma is only as far as the Hodgdon website...
The slowest load listed in the main data is 37.0 grains of H322 for 2508 fps with a 150-grain bullet. If that is too fast for you, then try Hodgdon's H4895 reduced load data. Take the maximum listed charge for H4895 and the 150-grain bullet and multiply it by 0.60. In the case of the .308 this is 27.3 grains of H4895 as minimum charge for that bullet weight. Choose any charge between that one and the maximum, it will be safe. I'd say around 37 grains should give ~2250 fps or so.



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I have loaded several different cartridges with 4759 and it works great for reduced loads. Your 30-30 bullet is thin jacketed and works fine at 1900 fps. I use 30-30 bullets in most of the light kid 308 loads. Expand and kill fine. Had a young boy hunting yesterday with his grand dads model 70 300 H&H with some light 180 grain loads at about 1800 fps. He killed two deer one at about 75 yards and the other at about 150 yards. The close shot was quartering too him and the deer flipped over backwards and dropped. Bullet entered the shoulder and exited in front of hams. The longer shot was broadside and bullet went through both shoulders. Deer dropped in its tracks. Bullet placement is more important than velocity. In a 308 I use 18 to 20 grains of IMR 4759 with most bullets. Very acurate and usually hit same POI as full loads within 100 yards.

There is a world of help for questions like this at castboolits.com.

27 grains of SR 4759 will safely push that bullet at 2300 fps.25 grains will give you close to 2150 fps. Sounds like a winner to me! You could always ask Sea Fire. roger

I have used the Remington 30-30 150 and 170gr RN in several reduced loads with H-4895 for hog hunting up close and personal. I needed the reduced loads to keep form over penetrating when we had dogs on them, I didn't want to chance hitting the dogs.

I got plenty of expansion and they killed them just fine even out to 150yds. Use the heavier ones for the further shots, but the lighter ones should work just fine for deer.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
27 grains of SR 4759 will safely push that bullet at 2300 fps.25 grains will give you close to 2150 fps. Sounds like a winner to me! You could always ask Sea Fire. roger

+1 for seafire