The Accurate Reloading Forums
Factory .308 Win loads for plains game?
18 March 2018, 04:50
Badger MattFactory .308 Win loads for plains game?
Anyone have some recommendation for factory .308 Win loads (brand and bullet weight, please) for plains game? I'm taking a buddy with my to RSA and he'll be using his .308. Assume shots from 50 to 200 yds. He's blind and uses an iScope to hunt. He's successfully taken bison, whitetail, pronghorn, and hogs already.
18 March 2018, 06:30
Mike_DettorreMatt,
Both of my 308s shoot the Remington Hog Hammer loaded with 168 grain TSXs quite well.
MikeLegistine actu quod scripsi?
Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.
What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
I use Barnes Vortex 168 gr. TTSX and they just hammer wild pigs. Would be great for PG.
19 March 2018, 23:44
vapodogquote:
Originally posted by Badger Matt:
Anyone have some recommendation for factory .308 Win loads (brand and bullet weight, please) for plains game? I'm taking a buddy with my to RSA and he'll be using his .308. Assume shots from 50 to 200 yds. He's blind and uses an iScope to hunt. He's successfully taken bison, whitetail, pronghorn, and hogs already.
Do we inckude eland in the mix of plains game? If so, this is my choice
https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...n-accubond-box-of-20
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20 March 2018, 01:44
Badger MattThanks for the inputs guys. I forwarded a list of appropriate ammunition so he can find something locally.
20 March 2018, 04:16
AtkinsonI would recommend the factory WW power point or Rem corelokts in 180 gr. persuasion for Africa..I would opt for 150 or 165 but you may need to shoot eland and they are big...
I prefer handloaded ammo with 165 gr. Nosler partition or Accubond over a tub of Varget as a rule..Some factory ammo may be available with Nosler partitions and that's always a good bet.
Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120
rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
20 March 2018, 22:11
BlacktailerMrs Blacktailer used my handloads with 165TTSX up to zebra with no problem. The factory equivalent would be my choice.
Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark
21 March 2018, 01:03
BuffHunter63I've killed a lot of mule deer with Winchester Ballistic tips in 168 grains. Most were shot at about 200 yds. Put it in the shoulder and you have a bang flop.
BH63
Hunting buff is better than sex!
21 March 2018, 01:18
lindy2I have no experience with them, but your friend might also want to look into Swift's offerings.
https://www.swiftbullets.com/p...igh-grade-ammunition21 March 2018, 01:58
vapodogquote:
Originally posted by lindy2:
I have no experience with them, but your friend might also want to look into Swift's offerings.
https://www.swiftbullets.com/p...igh-grade-ammunition
Yup...that's seriously good stuff....especially the A-Frames
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"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
Winston Churchill
21 March 2018, 03:20
SnellstromOn our trip to the Eastern Cape another fellow there brought his .308 and his normal whitetail ammo which was 150 grain Rem Core Locked.
I can't remember how many animals he hit and didn't collect, even the Landowner who witnessed some of the shots said he had hit them well but they lost several animals. I felt bad for him.
I load all my own ammo and have excellent results but that made me make a note to self and not count on cheap mass produced ammo for the trip of a lifetime.
If I were taking a .308 for Plains Game I would opt for 150 to 168 grain Accubonds, Partitions, Barnes TSX-TTSX or similar.
Many of the previous suggestions were spot on.
22 March 2018, 06:30
AtkinsonWelll the WW powerpoints and the Rem Corelokts have always been good bullets and still are, the expand properly up close and way out yonder, I can attest to that, used them for years and still do on deer and antelope, see no reason for premium bullets for deer and antelope, they are just not needed, but that does not mean they don't work.
Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120
rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
27 March 2018, 11:04
bpesteveI was extremely happy with the Barnes Vortec 150 gr TTSX .308 factory ammo I used in Namibia in 2016. It shoots tiny little groups out of a Browning X-Bolt and none of the animals I took, from dik-dik to kudu in size, required a second shot. Penetration and expansion were faultless.
Have a great trip!
28 March 2018, 04:19
DesertRamquote:
Originally posted by bpesteve:
I was extremely happy with the Barnes Vortec 150 gr TTSX .308 factory ammo I used in Namibia in 2016. It shoots tiny little groups out of a Browning X-Bolt and none of the animals I took, from dik-dik to kudu in size, required a second shot. Penetration and expansion were faultless.
Have a great trip!
That's what we shoot in my son's .308 with great results so far too, on both oryx and pronghorn. I shoot the same bullet, albeit at a higher velocity, in my .300 WSM with excellent results on oryx, pronghorn, mule deer, and Barbary sheep.
Based on my experience, I recommend that 150 grain TTSX out of those two .30 caliber cartridges.
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28 March 2018, 07:02
scottfromdallasThese would probably be a good choice as well.
165 Trophy Bonded Tip. Federal Ammo is usually very accurate as well.
https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...bonded-tip-box-of-20
28 March 2018, 07:32
mdwestmy wife has taken: blesbok, impala, warthog, kudu, blue wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, and 2x gemsbok all with her .308 using Barnes Vor-TX 165gr.
In the US she has used the same rifle and factory cartridge to take elk, aoudad, feral hogs, and whitetail deer...
Shots on the above have all been between 20-150 yards..
devastating results every time the trigger is pulled..
28 March 2018, 08:36
Snellstromquote:
Originally posted by scottfromdallas:
These would probably be a good choice as well.
165 Trophy Bonded Tip. Federal Ammo is usually very accurate as well.
https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...bonded-tip-box-of-20
Scott I have been loading the Trophy Bonded Tip bullets in my 30/06 165 grain this winter. So far all I've killed is water jugs with them but they are penetrating 32-36" of water jugs and beautiful mushrooms with 91.6% weight retention average so far. I can't wait to use them on an Elk but I doubt a bullet will stay in one.
I think they would be great in a .308.
29 March 2018, 03:49
brian simmonsI used trophy bonded bear claws for plains game in federal factory load. no problems with the rounds. hit them hard n deep. cant beat it. hi mat been a while. brian
brian r simmons
29 March 2018, 19:04
Biggs300I don't own a 308 and will probably never make it to Africa. If I did, Norma Oryx or Federal Trophy Bonded Tipped would be at the top of my list. I reload, but I've shot factory Oryx ammo in both my 9.3x62 and 7mm-08 and they were very accurate in both rifles. Oryx are a good bonded bullet and seem hotter (in both calibers) than most factory ammo I've tried.
Start young, hunt hard, and enjoy God's bounty.
31 March 2018, 08:21
scottfromdallasquote:
Originally posted by Snellstrom:
quote:
Originally posted by scottfromdallas:
These would probably be a good choice as well.
165 Trophy Bonded Tip. Federal Ammo is usually very accurate as well.
https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...bonded-tip-box-of-20
Scott I have been loading the Trophy Bonded Tip bullets in my 30/06 165 grain this winter. So far all I've killed is water jugs with them but they are penetrating 32-36" of water jugs and beautiful mushrooms with 91.6% weight retention average so far. I can't wait to use them on an Elk but I doubt a bullet will stay in one.
I think they would be great in a .308.
Midway has them on sale for $27. I don't there is a better value.
06 April 2018, 01:35
AtkinsonWell there ya go, about 100 or so suggestions, just goes to show ya how good our bullet makers today have improved over the years..True story, I have not had bullet failure in 30 or more years, prior to that they were common..
Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120
rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com