Can someone tell me whether there is any real benefit in using a 165 grain .30 cal projectile over the 150 grainer? Can you achieve any greater benefit over, longer ranges with the heavier projectile? I don't reload, however I've been lucky enough to have friends develop 2 good loads for my 308 Remington.

THe 165 Hornady SST load, using Australian 2208 powder, shoots 1/4 MOA for a velocity of about 2700fps.

The 150 Nosler Balistic Tip load, using W748, shoots 1/2 MOA at just over 2900fps.

While I'm quite happy to use either load for all my medium sized game in Australia, I'm curious to know which load is the best performer over, say + 300m. Thanks in advance.

Best BC wins, both bullets are quick to expand so in all the one that shoots best at 300+ meters and has the best BC, usualy the heavier bullet.

/C

But shoot them both at longer ranges to test accuracy and drop for yourself.

LWD

quote:

Originally posted by Spartan:
Can someone tell me whether there is any real benefit in using a 165 grain .30 cal projectile over the 150 grainer? Can you achieve any greater benefit over, longer ranges with the heavier projectile? I don't reload, however I've been lucky enough to have friends develop 2 good loads for my 308 Remington.

THe 165 Hornady SST load, using Australian 2208 powder, shoots 1/4 MOA for a velocity of about 2700fps.

The 150 Nosler Balistic Tip load, using W748, shoots 1/2 MOA at just over 2900fps.

While I'm quite happy to use either load for all my medium sized game in Australia, I'm curious to know which load is the best performer over, say + 300m. Thanks in advance.

I would use a good 165 grain on elk, but not a 150-grain. However, that does not mean that a 150-grain would not kill elk satisfactorily. It probably would, if built right. But I always opt for the slight weight advantage for bigger game.....

I have shot a lot of game with the 308. Mist with 165/168 grain bullets, but some with 150 and 180gr.

On deer sezed game I do not see any difference.

On bigger animals a 165 TB and the 180 Barnes MRX has worked great.

Bullet construction is more important than a few grains of weight, but construction being equal on bigger game a heavier bullet is better.


I would shoot both of those loads at 300 yards and see which one shoots best.

I did a test once with a 18" Remington Model 7 in 308.
Out to 300 yards Federal factory loads with the 150 Nosler Ballistic Tip, 165gr Trophy Bonded, and the 180 Nosler Partition, shot equally well.

However as the distance increased the 150 Ballistic Tip load began to shoot better.
At 600 yards the accuracy of the Ballistic Tip was a lot better than the other 2 loads.

I've had several 308's but I've never had one that liked 150gr bullet's.

Not an expert but I do have experience with the two weights in .308.

The lighter weight at faster speed will suffer in terms of penetration in fragile bullet designs. In your case the 165SST is going to give you better penetration and the trajectory will not have enough difference to cost you game.

The last 308 I worked with prefered the 165SSTs over the 150 Noslers. I loaded 80 rounds of the 165s over Varget at 2700 fps for the guy and when I heard back from him after the season he was impressed with the 165s on whitetails.

Good Luck

Reloader

Some marriages are made in heaven, and the 165 grain weights and the .308 is one of them.

When in doubt, go with the heavier bullet. Mass kills, speed impresses non-shooters around the water cooler.

I have always looked at the 165gr 30cal bullet as a very good compromise between the 150 and 180 grainers in either 308 or 30/06. I load both calibres with a variety of bullet weights for specific hunts but whenever in doubt the 165 grain bullets are as I said a good compronise. The BT Spitzers can reach out to the longer ranges with equal energy to a flat base 180 and a lot more than a 150 grain.

[QUOTE]Best BC (Ballistic Coefficient) wins/QUOTE]

Amen to that. The 150 may start at the muzzle faster than the 165 but, by the time it's gone 150-200 yards, the 165 catches up and after that, surpasses the velocity of the 150. Besides, the muzzle velocity difference is pretty insignificant.

I shoot 150 Partitions and 46gr of IMR-4064 with mine. Kills great with ragged dot accuracy.