quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I like 165s in the 308 also. I've used the 165 grain Hornady BTSP Interlocks exclusively in NA and haven't had a failure in 35 years.

I agree. 165 is the optimum weight for the 308, and an interlock is enough bullet for anything the 308 will kill..

For shots under 200 yds there is no need for a boat tail though.

My wife had excellent results with her 308 on 2 kudu with the Barnes 180gr MRX, and excellent results on wildebest, zebra, and impala with the 165gr Tropehy Bonded Bearclaw.

She took another kudu, and a monster warthog with a 180gr Nosler Partition with the rifle barrrel in her 30/36 drilling.

All were in Federal factory loads.

I got in two sample packs from Superior Ammunition today:

308 Winchester:
150 & 165 grain in Barnes TSX and Swift Scirocco
165 gr in Swift A-frame

8x57mm (My rifle):
200 grain in Accubond, A-Frame, Partition, TSX, and Woodleigh SP

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
Here's a 150 TTSX I recovered from a cow elk. Shot was 225-ish yards, rifle was 308 Win.

Just curious, How far did the Elk travel after impact of the non expanding ttsx?

I have been using the 168gr Barns TSX for some time now and with 44grs of varget and a magnum primer I have take 1 deer at 425 yards .. never found the bullet it did exit and the insides were tore up good the hart was in 4 pecies and the lung on the entrace side had one heck of a tear thru it. I do not know the speed of this round but it sure dose the job..

Also have taken 5 deer at closer range and most deer dont make it 20 steps and they are down 2 deer made it 2 feet straigt down..

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
I got in two sample packs from Superior Ammunition today:

308 Winchester:
150 & 165 grain in Barnes TSX and Swift Scirocco
165 gr in Swift A-frame

8x57mm (My rifle):
200 grain in Accubond, A-Frame, Partition, TSX, and Woodleigh SP

I suspect the Sciroccos will "be the money" for the .308, but want to make sure they group well.

I'm hoping the Accubonds group well for the 8x57, not sure of the others will expand enough at the speeds from a 20" barrel.

I really want to build a 8x68 for a real 8mm thumper - then I will try the 220 A-frames on that first.

As it happened my girlfriend is off on her first hunting trip and she will be using my 308W.

We will be going to the Kalahari and as I suggested I went for the 150gr to try to keep the trajectory a little flatter. Long story short, what I had on hand and tried next would not short worth a darn.

I pulled out some Hdy 165gr IB's that I hadn't tried yet. Loaded them up at between 2650 and 2690 fps in WW brass with Fed primers.

In an early 1970's Musgrave rifle these shoot into 20-25mm at 100m. The trajectory differences are quite small out to around 250m; which would be the longest shot she'd take.

I'd give these Interbonds a try. I'm really pleased with the accuracy and velocity potential. I'll hopefully have proper field results for you too early in May.

I'd use the 165gr Interbond.

Finally got to the range today. I was delayed a few weeks.... routed off about 3/8" of my left thumb the first week of May.

The Sciroccos and Aframes grouped best, 1" or less. Both in 165 grains.

Do you think the 165 grain Aframe will get enough expansion at 200-250 yards in a 308 winchester?

I've used both before in Africa, 180 grain Sciroccos in a 300 RUM and 300 grain Aframes in a 375 H&H, both dropped the animals hard.

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
I'm thinking of taking my son to RSA this summer, will be his first, my third, and planning and using one of our .308 winchesters.

I use the Hornady 150 gr SST here in Texas on whitetail, axis, aoudad, fallow, hogs, etc; but am thinking I need a heavier grain and maybe tougher bullet for Africa?

I was thinking the Hornady Superformance ammo - comes in SST, Interbond, or GMX - all in 165 grain.

Thoughts?

I love the 165 Interbond, co-worker has taken many a elk with them that I loaded for him.

I've narrowed my choices down to the Sciroccos or Aframes based on the loads I had Superior provide and how they grouped at the range today.

Sorry, I forgot about this thread.

The hunt that I referred to went well. The 165gr Interbond performed well too. My girlfriend shot a Springbok ram, DRT and a Gemsbok cow that went about 40m before going down and expiring. Both shots were high heart shots and were through and through. Range was 155-165m in both cases.

I would recommend the bullets for a 308 within 250m or so.

I suspect the Scirocco would do as well and is maybe a little tougher.

I'd say take the A-frames and hit smaller antelope square on the shoulder if you're worried about the bullet not opening up. That way you'll be sure you hit the bigger bones and have a safer bet with the larger boys like kudu etc. But the Sciroccos should still work just as well.

I was thinking, why not take both and check out the performance? They are both hitting at the exact same windage; on elevation the Aframes are hitting about 1" lower than the Sciroccos.

Use a premium bullet, 150 grains, whichever one shoots best in your rifle. Place your shot to go through heart/lungs and exit through the opposite shoulder. You will do just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
If I was going on a plains game hunt with a .308 Winchester I'd be loading the 165 A-Frame and I'd do so with confidence!

Yep! No reason to look back.

quote:

Originally posted by tc98:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
If I was going on a plains game hunt with a .308 Winchester I'd be loading the 165 A-Frame and I'd do so with confidence!

Yep! No reason to look back.

+2. Expansion should be great since the A-Frame is pure lead in the front and rear core. They expand rather easily.

quote:

150 gr Noz PTG. Bow to stern on a blacktail buck at 150 yds. .308 Win, 22" bbl, MV around 2,700 fps.




Posts: 1759 | Location: S.E. Alaska | Registered: 18 December

That is excellent bullet performance.

Did bullet evolution end with Nosler Partions?

Got back yesterday. My 16 year old son took 9 animals with 165 grain Swift Aframes. No missed shots, no lost animals.

Net - .308 Wwinchester with 165 grain Aframes loaded to 2,775 fps are perfect on animals up to Kudu sized game to 250 yards.

Black Springbuck - 140 yards, one shot, DRT (dead right there, dropped on spot). CP (Complete penetration)

Black Wildebeest - 250 yards, one shot, ran 40 yards, dropped. Stopped under skin on opposite side.

Blesbok - 250 yards, one shot, DRT. CP.

Blue Wildebeest - 250 yards, first shot dropped it hard, but turned out it hit above the vitals and below the spine. Shot was CP. Slowed it down enough to separate from the herd. It then soaked up lead from us like a Cape Buffalo. It was a real snorter.

Mountain Reedbuck - 140 yards. One shot, DRT. CP.

Impala - 180 yards. One shot, DRT. CP.

Gemsbock - 180 yards, quartering, entered in front of right shoulder, hit lungs, broke left shoulder. Rand 40 yards and laid down. He put in a heart shot as insurance, but the first shot was good enough (but insurance is always good!). Shot stopped under skin on left shoulder.

Warthog - 70 yards, complete penetration through both shoulders. One shot, DRT.

Cape Kudu - 250 yards, entered through left shoulder (breaking), stopped under skin behind right shoulder. It jumped, turned around, ran 10 yards, and fell down the hill a bit. It was an old bull on his last winter. Funny thing - the head of the A-frame (the classic mushroom) separated from the bullet! first time I ever saw that. Now, someone might say the bullet failed, but the animal would not agree.