I was just looking at some loading tables and running a few "what ifs" through the ballistics software for .308 Win.

As many on this forum are aware I have not loaded or fired anything other than my .270 Win this year in preparation for my NZ Tahr and Chamois hunt a few months ago.

Now it'll be a while before I can get these component, load for my .308 Win and shoot this at the SSAA Belmont range with my chronograph, but wondered what others who have encountered.

This is the observation: .308 Win with 165 gr "good" BC & SD bullet (I noticed that Hornady has a 165gr SPBT interlock with a BC = 0.435 and SD = 0.248) driven at around 2,800 fps (this'll be about max for this bullet in a .308 Win, ADI lists a maximum load of 2,775 fps with AR 2208 [Australian equivalent to 4064, I think). My Winchester pre 64 M70 fwt's 22" barrel might just get this MV.

On paper, I reckon this'd be a great big game load for Australia and even a pretty decent mountain rifle load too.

Anyone here had any experience with loads like this? I'd appreciate your comments and sharing your experiences with this.

I have a SA Rem 700 in .308 and it's my backup (this year) elk rifle. Two years ago it was my primary elk rifle.

For truly big game such as Elk I use 180 accubonds.....but for deer size animals I use 150 and 165s....I use the Hornady 165 BTSP a lot but also use the 150 SST.....

IMO...the .308 is one great hunting rifle and can even be used for some varminting with 125 BTs!

If you're hunting deer size animals.....(200 pounds field dressed) it's darn hard to beat the 165 Hornady BTSP....it just works.

I get about 2,800 FPS with the 165s from a 20" barrel.

Vapodog,

That's great feedback. By the way, what powder/primer/case combination are you using in your 165 gr loads?

quote:

what powder/primer/case combination are you using in your 165 gr loads?

IMR-4064, Rem UMC cases, and CCI LR primers

Magnum: I've used a 165-grain Accubond to take a truckload of whitetail, aoudad and big-bodied red deer with a pre-64 featherweight over the years.

47 grains of Varget (a grain over book max) gets me 2,770 fps from the 22" inch barrel. Federal brass and WWLR primers gives terrific accuracy and can't remember when I needed a second shot.

Any good 165 grain pill is a great killing combo out of the .308

Vagodog, Thanks, much appreciated.

Buckster, Great. We have the same rifle (pre 64 M70 fwt).

Thanks for all the good input guys. I use ADI AR2208 in Australia and it's a very similar burning rate to Varget and IMR-4064. It is my preferred powder for my .375 Taylor rifle.

I think I'll get some 165 gr Hornady BTSP Interlocks (Stock No 3045) and work up some loads.

By the way, I used the equivalent bullet in my .270 Win (also a pre 64 M70 fwt) 140 gr BTSP (#2735) interlocks on my recent New Zealand hunt to take both Tahr and Chamois. It's an awesome bullet.

308 and 165 XBT's worked good for me on a moose once.

Magnum, I think you will find a lot of folks that will tell you that 308's and 165 grainers go together like proverbial peas and carrots. I don't think you can go wrong, I'll throw in a 'try em' for the 150 grain TSX's, damn they shoot well for me...

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
I get about 2,800 FPS with the 165s from a 20" barrel.

Vapo, do you consider that rifle to have a 'fast' barrel? I don't get anywhere near that kind of speed out of my 308's with even 22' barrels...I'm more like 2650-2700 with near max of Varget....I am wondering if my chrono could be giving me low speeds???? I don't get anywhere near a lot of listed speeds in a bunch of 270's I have, but I have confirmed their speeds over other's chronographs, including a couple of the famed 3 screen Oehlers.

I look at quickload a lot--have to check and see what it says, I know my 270's and 6.5x284's match up with QL pretty darn close.

I use a .308 a lot. My rifle really loves Nosler BTs and I have used the 180s to shoot a lot of stuff incl 4 red stags. This season I am switching to 165 BTs. For the past few years I have used 165 SSTs and not had any problems. If I was using anything faster than a .308 I would use an Accubond. But then again, I used to use BTs in a 7 Rem Mag and never had a problem, to include sheep, oryx, zebra and other similar sized game. But these days I use a premium bullet. Lord knows they are accurate enough.

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
I get about 2,800 FPS with the 165s from a 20" barrel.

Vapo, do you consider that rifle to have a 'fast' barrel?

I can't explain it at all....it's what my chrony says....the same one that consistently says my .35 Whelen isn't getting the velocity that Nosler claims I should be getting.

Further let me say that I don't know the pressure except to say it's likely about 63,000 PSI.....and that's fine in a M-700 Remmy.

I'm compressing 47.5 grains of IMR-4064 to get there. Compression is substantial!

I dont know about great but if you use the bonded or solid copper bullets your 308 will be good for bigger game.

Most of my .308 experience is with 180's but I have shot a young kudu bull with a 165gr partition, which worked well and this year shot a black bear (200-220lbs range) with a Federal factory loaded 165gr Sierra game king advertised at 2700fps. The bear was quartering away at about 80m, bullet exited the off side shoulder with a hole about 2cm in diameter and bear dropped at the shot with a lot of blood pushed out of the exit.

I prefer the Hornady 165 SPBT in my .308Ws for hunting. I have killed quite a few deer, pigs and a couple elk with it along with numerous coyotes and other varmints. I use a 24" barrel and push 2725 fps with 748. The 165 is a very good, well balanced bullet weight for the .308W offering excellent trajectory, accuracy and down range performance.. The Hornady 165 always gives excellent terminal affect and I've never felt the need for a "premium" bullet in the .308W.

Larry Gibson

I've loaded 165gr TSX for my wife with IMR4320. She has used it on fallow deer and zebra, she let me borrow it for impala, warthog and bushbuck. The only thing that took more than one shot was the zebra and that was due to shot placement.

Vapo, thanks for the feedback, maybe I should try 4064....How do you feel about that pressure in a SAKO 75 action....

not trying to hijack BTW Magnum

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:
Vapo, thanks for the feedback, maybe I should try 4064....How do you feel about that pressure in a SAKO 75 action....

not trying to hijack BTW Magnum

Here's the rub.....I have no pressure gauging equipment so I'm guessing.....and if I'm right on the 63,000 PSI then any action will handle it as it's a common pressure for the factory loaded .270, .25-06, and a lot of magnums....

If I'm wrong.....well...

So work up as always.....The Sako is a fine action and will handle serious pressures.

FWIW.....I'm far more willing to go beyond book max with a push feed rifle....I get a lot more conservative with a CRF rifle.

Gidday Magnum,

quote:

Originally posted by Buckster:
Magnum: I've used a 165-grain Accubond to take a truckload of whitetail, aoudad and big-bodied red deer with a pre-64 featherweight over the years.

47 grains of Varget (a grain over book max) gets me 2,770 fps from the 22" inch barrel. Federal brass and WWLR primers gives terrific accuracy and can't remember when I needed a second shot.

Any good 165 grain pill is a great killing combo out of the .308

AR2208 IS varget. ADI make it for Hogdon. The loads are interchangeable.

The Hornandy 165 gr BTSP is what I'm now using in my 30-06 at 2925fps for tahr and deer. Its the ducks nutsand much more flat shooting than the 150gr I was using. The terminal performance is spectacular and you know how hard those big bull tahr are.

Happy Hunting

Hamish