I took my old .308 out of the safe today. The old girl has not seen any action in quite awhile.
Its a pre 64 featherweight not in colectable condition at all, but a fine hunting rifle. I has a 3x9 Burris FF2 in leupold standard 2 pc base and rings.
I had 3 loads on hand and I would be happy to hunt any of them tommorow.
The croos hairs on the scope are a little big for really good target shooting but will be great for hunting. I would bet with finer cross hairs I could cut .25 or more off the groups
I started with 47.5 grains of IMR-4064 over a 150 grain speer hot core. I got groups of .95 and 1.20 at 100. Not spectacular ,but a fine deer load. I tried 2 over the chrony and got no reading somehow.
Another load was a 150 grain coated bullet I think its a fail safe, I got in repacked boxes from midway. the chrony showed 2811 and 2847, and groups of .95 and 1.10. With the same load of IMR-4064
That should be deadly on mule deer ,don't you think. I might Try 48 grains and see if the groups change much. 2900 FPS would be nice but the 2800 will drop a mulie just fine I am sure.
the best load of the day was with an outstanding bullet in my mind, the 168 grain barnes tripple shock.
I loaded them over 46 grains of W-748, and got a velocity spread of only 10 feet for 3 rounds. witch avaraged 2768. I could probably squeez a little more speed out of that load too, but my groups were .68 and .92. That would be a great load for any animal in my state(Oregon).
The .308 does not get as much credit as its offspring. but I think it is probably the best all around cartridge of the lot.
So many people seem to prefer the 7mm08,and its a good round too, but I can't see any real advantage over the .308, and for whatever reason the .308 seems to shoot 180s a lot better than the 7mm08 shoots 175s.
I just might have to take the old girl out for a mule deer hunt come october.
I turn 48 next saturday, and this rifle is about 5 or 6 years older than I am.
And we are both still going strong.
...tj3006



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Sounds like a nice relationship there and if I had bought a 308 a long time ago it would be my favorite but I bought a7mm08 and it is and always will be my favorite rifle. I have built another one for practice and an occassional match which is almost a twin except the length. The hunter is a 20 inch varmint barrel and the match one is a24.
Have fun with your 308. It is a great caliber.

TJ, You might try 44gns of Varget and a 165SST @ 2650fps. My Mark X Whitworth loves that load. It'll consistantly shoot 3/4-1/2" groups with that load. I keep thinking I'll sell that gun, because it duplicates my FN 7x57 and I'd rather hunt with it. But it's hard to sell one that shoots that well. BTW, the pigs are waiting. capt david

Hi Tom.
My 308's the one I always take hunting too. It's a blue steel/walnut MRC 1999 left hand with a CZ3 stock and 24" barrel. It's a little on the heavy side but extremely accurate and reliable. I've setteled on 47.9g of VN150 and 165g Hornady SP's for a little over 2800fps and 1 MOA accuracy. The .308 does it all...accurate, efficient, powerful, available, and more.

I have two 'basic' loads for my .308s, that work well with almost any healthy .308, and often work even better with minor tinkering to satisfy the individual rifle.

Those are: 44 gr. of IMR4064 with most 180 gr. bullets
and 47 gr. of RL15 with most 150 gr. bullets.
Both have always been used with CCI 200 primers.

I'm very interested in the Barnes TSX load mentioned above, as I think that particular bullet might be the ultimate 'one-load-does-it-all' compromise for the .308.

I think you are right on there tumbleweed, about the barnes bullet.
I have not shot 180s in this .308 , I have other rifles for bigger game, but I have used RL-15 in some other .308s, and I was really suprised that it was not worth a hoot in this rifle.
the same goes with varget. In was ready to give up on this rifle till i bought som imr 4064, Glad I did it too its a prety cool to shoot a relitvly modern rifle thats older than me...tj3006