308 ammo..recommendation?

[Hem]

So I bought my daughter a TikkaT3 youth model but sadly she opted out. She likes shooting but has no desire to hunt, at least for now. We were shooting reduced loads in 125g.
So there it sits in my safe.
Bi annually I give everything a look over and in handling this rifle the last time I really got the urge to hunt it. The butt extension actually makes the fit pretty good . It's compact with a 24" barrel, so I think I would primarily use it for deer in tight quarters, but nothing says I won't hunt elk in the timber ,as well.
I am interested to hear opinions based upon my criteria.
Thanks.

 

[BackofBeyond]

I say hunt with it and enjoy - deer, elk, whatever. .308 is a great caliber. If you decide you don’t like it, or it’s good trade bait for something else let me know. Would be a great starter for my boys when the times comes.

Edit to add - my Savage .308 LOVES Sierra GameKing 168 gr over 44 grains of Varget. Knocked down a lot of white tail with it while we lived in TX.

 

[Hem]

I say hunt with it and enjoy - deer, elk, whatever. .308 is a great caliber. If you decide you don’t like it, or it’s good trade bait for something else let me know. Would be a great starter for my boys when the times comes.

Edit to add - my Savage .308 LOVES Sierra GameKing 168 gr over 44 grains of Varget. Knocked down a lot of white tail with it while we lived in TX.

Thanks. Sure, I get its perfectly capable. My three go-to rifles (30,06, .270. 25.06) have served me well. But I'm uncertain if shooting a 165g size round will have too much sting in a compact composite .308 rifle.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Thanks. Sure, I get its perfectly capable. My three go-to rifles (30,06, .270. 25.06) have served me well. But I'm uncertain if shooting a 165g size round will have too much sting in a compact composite .308 rifle.

How heavy is it compared to your ‘06 and .270?

I’d be willing to bet, perceived recoil from a 7 pound ‘06 is probably right about the same as perceived recoil from a 6 pound .308

Of course, I have no actual science to back up this opinion, that’s just “gut” feeling and conjecture.

Grab a cheapo box of Fed Fusion 165 or similar and let ‘er rip tater chip, just to see if it is to much punch. What’s the worst that could happen?

 

[Bambistew]

I shoot a Kimber Montana 308... 165 accubonds over 45gr of varget. It's a puffball, just warm up on a 338 or 375 and it's like shooting a 243. seriously it's not bad at 6lbs loaded. I love that rifle, it's killed a lot of animals, brown bear black bear numerous bou, a dozen sheep, deer and may take it on a moose hunt this fall.

 

[cahunter805]

Factory ammo or do you hand load?

 

[Don Fischer]

I'm a guy that believes for each cartridge there is one best bullet. Pretty thin line there! In 308 I have used 165gr bullet's almost exclusively for a lot of years, Never found a good 150gr load and steping up to 180 gr uped recoil more than I wnted. But going into Alaska where we used to fish for Dolly Vardens, I loaded that old 308 with 200gr bullet's. Upped the recoil pretty good and brought velocity down but the rifle was a Rem 660 with a 20" barrel and was awfully handy while fishing. Elimnate the need for defense against bears at close quarters and it's the 165 gr bullet all the way. This way of thinking can cut a pretty fine line sometimes and the bullet you choose needs to make sense only to the user.

 

[MTLabrador]

My dad uses 165 Accubonds in his, and a buddy used to use the same when he still shot a .308. I’ve seen nothing but good performance from them, but at .308 velocities I think any good 150-165 grain bullet will work well. 150 coppers would be great too.

 

[Redman]

I had the exact same issue as you. Ordered a Browning X bolt Hells Canyon in .308 (compliments of goHunt) for my daughter to use. She shot one deer with it. I found myself taking it for a stroll and now all my other guns collect dust! I use 150gr Barnes TTSX and have killed deer and elk with it and have yet to shoot anything twice. It just kills...
I have used the .308 win for over 2 decades out of a T/C Encore pistol. I hand load 125gr Nosler BT. I have killed more deer with that round than I can count and at ranges from 20yds to 285yds. Again never needed a follow-up shot.
I think the perfect all around bullet is a 150gr monolithic bullet. I have used Barnes TTSX because of the availability and they have always proved themselves to me. Had I been able to find Nosler eTips that would probably been what I used. I almost switched to Hammers because I was unable to find Barnes TTSX for a long time. If I were starting out now with load development it would be Hammers because they always seem to be available.

 

[ccc23454]

It's compact with a 24" barrel, so I think I would primarily use it for deer in tight quarters, but nothing says I won't hunt elk in the timber ,as well.

I would probably develop load around a 180 partition or accubond. You already have a light load, time for a heavy one.

 

[Hem]

Just what I was looking for, some perspective. Much appreciated.
I will do my best not to be a puffball .

 

[Hem]

Factory ammo or do you hand load?

Factory ammo.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

So I bought my daughter a TikkaT3 youth model but sadly she opted out. She likes shooting but has no desire to hunt, at least for now. We were shooting reduced loads in 125g.
So there it sits in my safe.
Bi annually I give everything a look over and in handling this rifle the last time I really got the urge to hunt it. The butt extension actually makes the fit pretty good . It's compact with a 24" barrel, so I think I would primarily use it for deer in tight quarters, but nothing says I won't hunt elk in the timber ,as well.
I am interested to hear opinions based upon my criteria.
Thanks.

I shoot 165 gr. boatails , sighted in 3" over at 100yds.
At 200 it's dead on and at 300yds 3" low.
Love my .308! I have shot elk and javelina's with it...

 

[VikingsGuy]

My tikka in .308 shooting 150gn TTSX bullets is my most accurate hunting rifle. Go copper, you won't regret it.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

I use hornady 165gr sst in my browning x bolt. Killed elk, deer, and sheep with it. Deadly round.

 

[BigMonk96]

I shoot, factory 150gr. Federal Nosler Partitions and 165gr. Hornady SST Superformance in my Browning Bar for whitetails in South Carolina -- both are very accurate and get the job done -- with ammo shortages of late, the .308 ammo is more available than all others and a better selection of choice

 

[Hem]

My tikka in .308 shooting 150gn TTSX bullets is my most accurate hunting rifle. Go copper, you won't regret it.

This year I might switch over. The past couple of years I have been trying to use up my better hunting stock .
Wouldn't you know it, last year there was nothing available on the shelves, and out of desperation for a sheep hunt was able to wrangle another box lead.

 

[Wisco0331]

Since you said factory loads…

I’d grab a few boxes of potential ammo you would like to use. Shoot them and see what the rifle likes. I really wanted to use Barnes TSX but my rifle did not like them. Settled on Berger HB hunter in 168 and can consistently shoot .75-.8moa out of an 18” gas gun. Plus, getting an added excuse to sling some lead is always welcome for me!

Ammo I tested was:
federal premium with TSX (terrible groupings)
Fed premium Berger HB 168 (best performance and lethal ability for my use)
Hornady eld-x 178 (my gun loved this but the two deer I hit this year didn’t!)
Remington core lokt (shot a little over 1moa, limitations when poking out above 200)

 

[ludville1]

Bought a new Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .308 in 2021. Bought some Federal Non Typical 150 gr. ammo for it and it shoots fantastic! Unfortunately, didn't get a chance to shoot a deer with it...that glory went to my new Super Grade in .264 Win. mag.

 

[morley.tyler]

I love the 308. A lot. I have enough 308 rifles, that if I explained it to you, your response wouldn't be, "Yea, that makes sense."

If you're looking for factory ammo, my standard go-to for everything from antelope to elk has been the Fed Premium w/ 150gr Partition.

Buy Nosler Partition 308 Win Ammo 150 | P308S

Shopping for the Nosler Partition - Learn more about the latest Nosler Partition and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.

www.federalpremium.com

It just works. There are 'cooler' bullet choices, but in nearly all of my 308's, this ammo groups very well, and has never failed to do its job. Wish I could say the same...