What .308 bullet would you use?

[LocoGringo]

I have a .308 AR I've modified/built for (relatively) long range/precision. I have a great recipe for 175 gr Sierra Matchkings and can substitute without altering the recipe a 178 gr Hornady A-max. The problem is I'm running out of both. I'd like to be able to use the rounds for hunting also, so what 175 grain .30 bullet would you use for both precision and hunting? Does such a thing even exist?

 

[troy fairweather]

Smk's make deer pretty dead.

 

[JmacD]

Sierra TGK and the Hornady eldx both have been very accurate for me. I haven’t taken a deer with the Sierra

 

[Mk-211]

.308 diameter, 155 grain Tipped Controlled Chaos Bullets (50 count)

Tipped Controlled Chaos bullets offer the best of both worlds when it comes to ballistic performance, with a higher ballistic coefficient. The Tipped Controlled Chaos they shed the front portion of the bullet into multiple curled petals (normally 5-7) that radiate outward away from the bullets...

lehighdefense.com

 

[OS/N]

Think Hornady loads a PSP 165 interlock at 2700fps in their Am Wht Tail 308 ammo.

Similar should make a good hunting round but any PSP hunting bullet 150-175 should work fine.

I would not choose a match type bullet for hunting - the lead core is not the right alloy or bonded to the jacket and the nose is empty with a very small opening designed for BC only. The plastic tips are for better BC and not impact either.

 

[Varminterror]

The plastic tips are for better BC and not impact either.

Oh no! So I guess the Hornady SST, ELD-x, and Vmax, Nosler Accubond, Ballistic Tip, and ABLR, Sierra TGK’s, Barnes TTSX, (and a dozen others) all must not kill game?

 

[Varminterror]

@LocoGringo - Your SMK’s and A-Max’s kill game just fine. If you want to use the same bullet for both applications, party on.

 

[TonyAngel]

Are we dealing with a budget constraint or are you just looking for bullet recommendation? What do you call "precision?"

I like both the SMK and A-Max and for the rifle I have now, either would do for me. Both will kill dear and both are accurate. If buying in bulk, get the one that's cheaper, assuming that they both shoot accurately out of your rifle.

If, by precision, you mean you're shooting small groups at extended ranges and budget is not a concern, I typically go for Berger hunting VLDs for dual purpose ammunition.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I would bet the 178eldx will fit your needs.

 

[Captcurt]

Sierra TGK and the Hornady eldx both have been very accurate for me. I haven’t taken a deer with the Sierra

Both have been accurate for me. The TGK is thin jacketed but should be fine in 308.

 

[JmacD]

I would bet the 178eldx will fit your needs.

Both have been accurate for me. The TGK is thin jacketed but should be fine in 308.

Yup.

 

[jmr40]

I have gone to the 155 gr Lapua Scenar for everything in my 308's. It's the most accurate bullet I've tried, it is reasonably priced and while not sold as a hunting bullet I've seen too much to not believe it is an excellent game killer.

This photo says a lot. You get the same overall length and BC of most 180 gr bullets with the muzzle velocity of a 155 gr bullet. The bullet works much like the Nosler Partition on game. The large hollow area at the front gives good expansion, yet the solid lead at the back of the bullet gives you penetration.

 

[.308 Norma]

so what 175 grain .30 bullet would you use for both precision and hunting?

Curious - why does it have to be 175grs? I don't think I've used anything other than 165gr bullets in any of my 30 calibers in 35 or 40 years - other than the 170gr bullets I prefer in my 30-30 of course.

 

[westernrover]

Anyone tried the Hammer bullets? Like the 168 grain HHT? or 182 gr.? What's your twist?

 

[TEXASJD]

https://bergerbullets.com/product/30-caliber-175-grain-very-low-drag-vld-hunting/
BERGER

 

[LocoGringo]

Curious - why does it have to be 175grs? I don't think I've used anything other than 165gr bullets in any of my 30 calibers in 35 or 40 years - other than the 170gr bullets I prefer in my 30-30 of course.

Because I want it to stay stable and supersonic as long as possible. It's coming out of an 18.5" barrel, so the initial muzzle velocity is slow, but it stays supersonic longer than a 168/169 match bullet. I originally bought the 175s for a 24" .308 to shoot 1000 yards and didn't want to switch to another bullet for the .308 AR, so that's what I did.

It shoots well enough that I went to a PRS match once and made the shot I'm most proud of to this day. I managed to shoot an egg off of a golf tee at 200 yards with a cold bore. I know that's not particularly long range, but I figure the .308 AR is solid to about 800 yards which is longer than just about any shot I'll get in East Tennessee for target shooting and I want to be able to take that same rifle to the woods for deer hunting also.

 

[LocoGringo]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll see what my budget can handle...

 

[LocoGringo]

Anyone tried the Hammer bullets? Like the 168 grain HHT? or 182 gr.? What's your twist?

1:10

 

[LocoGringo]

I also have 100 of the Barnes 175 Match Burners I'm curious to try. I've always heard/read that "match" bullets aren't good for hunting like OS/N said, but the harsh reality check from Varminterror is usually something to be counted on and relied upon. I just don't want to place a good shot and wound the deer without recovery or a long, cruel death because the match bullet doesn't perform as a hunting bullet would. It's also understood that East Tennessee deer aren't much bigger than a Great Dane, so they aren't that difficult to kill.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I also have 100 of the Barnes 175 Match Burners I'm curious to try. I've always heard/read that "match" bullets aren't good for hunting like OS/N said, but the harsh reality check from Varminterror is usually something to be counted on and relied upon. I just don't want to place a good shot and wound the deer without recovery or a long, cruel death because the match bullet doesn't perform as a hunting bullet would. It's also understood that East Tennessee deer aren't much bigger than a Great Dane, so they aren't that difficult to kill.

That being said, the A-max is fine for a hunting bullet, so is the ELDm for that matter. I haven't had any problems getting A-max, ELDX, or ELDM around here, but SGK and Game Changers have been scarce.

 

[OS/N]

Oh no! So I guess the Hornady SST, ELD-x, and Vmax, Nosler Accubond, Ballistic Tip, and ABLR, Sierra TGK’s, Barnes TTSX, (and a dozen others) all must not kill game?

I said I would not choose a match bullet for hunting to include tipped match bullets. The OP asked for suggestions thats mine. If you want offer yours that's fine but don't use my post or one part of it to justify your BS.

If you look at your own list it appears you wouldn't either as none of the bullets you list are match grade bullets. They are variants modified for hunting game or sniping with. You still may want to limit use of the vmax to varmint hunting and not deer size game but still do what you want - I could care less just leave me out of it.

 

[Varminterror]

If you look at your own list

I hunt with match bullets.

Berger 105 Hybrid 6mm


Hornady 123 ELDm 6.5mm


The list I offered above were simply derived from all of the proven hunting bullets on the market, specifically designed for hunting, with the polymer tips you stated are not designed for impact.

 

[Laphroaig]

I have a .308 AR I've modified/built for (relatively) long range/precision. I have a great recipe for 175 gr Sierra Matchkings and can substitute without altering the recipe a 178 gr Hornady A-max. The problem is I'm running out of both. I'd like to be able to use the rounds for hunting also, so what 175 grain .30 bullet would you use for both precision and hunting? Does such a thing even exist?

Midway has both of those bullets available, albeit the A-Max is now the ELD Match. Same thing but a different plastic in the tip. Berger advertises some of their bullets as "hybrid" hunting/target. Quite pricey but if you're serious...

 

[Varminterror]

Berger advertises some of their bullets as "hybrid" hunting/target.

Clarifying a bit: the Berger "Hybrid" moniker refers to the ogive profile, and does NOT denote hybrid use hunting/target bullets. They are called a "Hybrid" due to the profile of the ogive, which uses a discontinuous ogive radius such that it is technically a Tangent ogive where it meets the shank, but has a longer, sleeker caliber multiplier in the front end of the ogive more like a secant ogive profile.

Ref: https://bergerbullets.com/faq-items/what-is-hybrid-ogive/

Berger DOES offer both Hunting and Target model line bullets with Hybrid ogives, with the former being a Hunting model line bullet which uses the Hybrid ogive profile, and the latter being their Target model line bullet, again, using the Hybrid ogive profile.

Alternatively, Berger also offers VLD Hunting bullet model lines as well, which have the same secant ogive profile design as their VLD Target bullets. The same distinction applies, the VLD Hunting bullet is a different jacket and core design (nitty gritty details for the differences) than the VLD Target bullet, but they share the same VLD secant ogive profile.

So VLD and Hybrid in Berger Marketing have absolutely NOTHING to do with hunting vs. target applications, and is ONLY a reference to their ogive profiles.

The Berger Hybrid Target bullets do kill game very well (see the shark-bite chunk missing from the heart pictured above using a Berger 105 Hybrid Target), as do the VLD Target bullets, but I'd hate for someone to buy "Berger Hybrids" with a bias that they want a hunting bullet, because that's not what they're getting. The Berger Classic Hunter uses the Hybrid Ogive design, the Berger VLD Hunting bullets don't... In years past, Berger bullet boxes were Orange for their Hunting lines, regardless of ogive profile, and their Target line boxes were yellow. They've now switched to using yellow boxes for ALL product lines, but the Hunting bullet lines, both VLD and Hybrid, use Orange banners on their labels, while the Target bullet lines all use yellow banners.

 

[westernrover]

No Hammer users? What about CEB?

They have .308" 175 grain in "Rifle Maximus" and "MTH" (Match/Tactical/Hunting).