AR 10 Hunting Loads

[USAF Ret]

I am going to be doing break-in on my Ruger SFAR with Hornady 150 grain SSTs. I will do a little testing in there for groups to see if anything magic happens for a deer cartridge, but my go to round right now is a 165 grain Accubond.

Anyone care to share hunting loads you use in an AR-10 chambered in 308? AR brand, barrel length, bullet, brass, primer, powder, COAL, velocity, groups? If you have SD and ES and pics, share that too.

Just interested and a starting point to play around.

Thanks.

 

[SFC B]

Sooooo, my POF 12.5 barrel 7.62 absolutely loves the 168g Berger Hybrids from Federal for accuracy (slightly better than MOA). That being said, I shot a doe in IN at +-70m last year and had zero expansion......straight blow through both lung with NO blood trail. Got lucky to find her about 30 yards into head high CRP.

 

[USAF Ret]

Sooooo, my POF 12.5 barrel 7.62 absolutely loves the 168g Berger Hybrids from Federal for accuracy (slightly better than MOA). That being said, I shot a doe in IN at +-70m last year and had zero expansion......straight blow through both lung with NO blood trail. Got lucky to find her about 30 yards into head high CRP.

That has to be LOUD!

 

[Alpine01]

I am going to be doing break-in on my Ruger SFAR with Hornady 150 grain SSTs. I will do a little testing in there for groups to see if anything magic happens for a deer cartridge, but my go to round right now is a 165 grain Accubond.

Anyone care to share hunting loads you use in an AR-10 chambered in 308? AR brand, barrel length, bullet, brass, primer, powder, COAL, velocity, groups? If you have SD and ES and pics, share that too.

Just interested and a starting point to play around.

Thanks.

So my first rifle was a semi-custom LR-308 (18-inch barrel) that I built for fun as I wanted something with a little more ooomph than a 5.56 platform. I used 150gr Federal Fusions (factory load) for quite a while along with SMK 168's. The fusions shot very well, I recall I was easily 1 MOA and if I was on my game, sub-MOA. Velocities were in the 2700 fps range. Probably hard to find component bullets these days but may be worth a look.

 

[USAF Ret]

So my first rifle was a semi-custom LR-308 (18-inch barrel) that I built for fun as I wanted something with a little more ooomph than a 5.56 platform. I used 150gr Federal Fusions (factory load) for quite a while along with SMK 168's. The fusions shot very well, I recall I was easily 1 MOA and if I was on my game, sub-MOA. Velocities were in the 2700 fps range. Probably hard to find component bullets these days but may be worth a look.

Thanks. Yeah, Fusion bullets are hard to find. Wouldn't want to hunt with SMKs as those are target, but I know they are accurate. I loaded some 175s for a buddy's AR-10 and it shoots sub MOA.

 

[shannerdrake]

Smallest group I’ve ever shot out of any rifle was out of a built AR-10 308 on a DPMS LR lower.

It was with factory Hornady Superformance 150gr SSTs.

 

[millerkiller77]

Aero M5 lower, all Geissele internals
Aero upper, 20" Ballistic Advantage barrel,
JP full mass bcg and buffer assy
Magpul PRS gen3 stock
Trijicon 2.5-15×56
Seekins mount

This rifle shoots factory Hornady SST's so well that I can't see a reason to spend the time working up a load for it. The only downside is the SST really grenades on errant shoulder shots.

 

[USAF Ret]

Aero M5 lower, all Geissele internals
Aero upper, 20" Ballistic Advantage barrel,
JP full mass bcg and buffer assy
Magpul PRS gen3 stock
Trijicon 2.5-15×56
Seekins mount

This rifle shoots factory Hornady SST's so well that I can't see a reason to spend the time working up a load for it. The only downside is the SST really grenades on errant shoulder shots.View attachment 270377

Good info. Yes, I have heard the same, but I have watched some ballistics gel tests and they actually hold together better than other cup and core bullets. I had a lot of TGKs and those literally turned to lead shards.

 

[grizzly63]

Speer is selling the Hot cor 165 spitzer again. Flat base and pretty darn accurate. They will hold together better than the boat tails. I'm using BL-C2 in a Stag 18". I did work up an MOA load with Hornady 170FP and I bet they would be good medicine.

 

[Alpine01]

Thanks. Yeah, Fusion bullets are hard to find. Wouldn't want to hunt with SMKs as those are target, but I know they are accurate. I loaded some 175s for a buddy's AR-10 and it shoots sub MOA.

I don't hunt with my LR. Just target shooting out ~1000 yds (yeah pushing it). For that the SMKs are fine. If I had to hunt with it, I can run the factory Fusions in a pinch. I have Kimbers (308 and 7 mag) for hunting.

 

[USAF Ret]

Speer is selling the Hot cor 165 spitzer again. Flat base and pretty darn accurate. They will hold together better than the boat tails. I'm using BL-C2 in a Stag 18". I did work up an MOA load with Hornady 170FP and I bet they would be good medicine.

I have some Hot-Cors in 7mm for my 7mm-08. I want to load them and see how they shoot.

I am pretty stick on the 165 AB and the 168 ABLR. But, I am open to loads folks worked up for a similar AR platform.

 

[jt13]

I've had good luck with factory Hornady 168 ELD-Ms, even out of a 16" barrel at 2450 fps.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Aero M5 lower, all Geissele internals
Aero upper, 20" Ballistic Advantage barrel,
JP full mass bcg and buffer assy
Magpul PRS gen3 stock
Trijicon 2.5-15×56
Seekins mount

This rifle shoots factory Hornady SST's so well that I can't see a reason to spend the time working up a load for it. The only downside is the SST really grenades on errant shoulder shots.View attachment 270377

Nice looking rifle. Is that a 0 MOA Seekins mount?

 

[SFC B]

That has to be LOUD!

Oh yeah.....WITH a brake......and I AM the moron that did NOT have on ear pro when I shot that doe. Basically couldn't hear for 18 hrs. I will NOT do that again FFS!!!

 

[shannerdrake]

Aero M5 lower, all Geissele internals
Aero upper, 20" Ballistic Advantage barrel,
JP full mass bcg and buffer assy
Magpul PRS gen3 stock
Trijicon 2.5-15×56
Seekins mount

This rifle shoots factory Hornady SST's so well that I can't see a reason to spend the time working up a load for it. The only downside is the SST really grenades on errant shoulder shots.View attachment 270377

Couldn’t agree more on the bullet. The one deer I shot with one died quickly but the bullet turned to powder. Most meat loss I’ve ever had and I hate to imagine how much lead I still ate. I only center punched a rib and it exploded.

 

[millerkiller77]

Nice looking rifle. Is that a 0 MOA Seekins mount?

Correct

 

[BAKPAKR]

Correct

I thought you might have some issues mounting it backwards if it was 20 MOA.

I can see that you did it that way to mount your backup sight.

 

[Red-Team 98]

Suggest 165 gr in AR10
IMR 4064 @ 43.2 low node for AR
Speer Hot Core excellent bullet for hunting
LC Brass and Fed 210M primer
Does appear scope mount is backwards
As for recoil what buffer weight are you using. Sometimes tuning the buffer weight to the gun will help in recoil and also a good muzzle brake that’s ported like Surefire Warcomp works good for me.

 

[USAF Ret]

Suggest 165 gr in AR10
IMR 4064 @ 43.2 low node for AR
Speer Hot Core excellent bullet for hunting
LC Brass and Fed 210M primer
Does appear scope mount is backwards
As for recoil what buffer weight are you using. Sometimes tuning the buffer weight to the gun will help in recoil and also a good muzzle brake that’s ported like Surefire Warcomp works good for me.

The one in the pic is not mine.

I have 165 Accubonds that seem to be accurate in every rifle I shoot with Varget. I don't have any IMR 4064. The buffer is stock and I believe it is an AR-15 tube and spring. I have an Aero Precision AR-15 Enhanced Carbine Buffer Kit coming in. It is supposed to reduce recoil. It has the stock Ruger muzzle brake on it, but will be going to a suppressor as soon as I offload a couple of rifles on GunBroker. Of course, that will probably be here in the next 9 months the way things seem to be working with the unnamed 3-letter agency in charge of it.

 

[Red-Team 98]

The one in the pic is not mine.

I have 165 Accubonds that seem to be accurate in every rifle I shoot with Varget. I don't have any IMR 4064. The buffer is stock and I believe it is an AR-15 tube and spring. I have an Aero Precision AR-15 Enhanced Carbine Buffer Kit coming in. It is supposed to reduce recoil. It has the stock Ruger muzzle brake on it, but will be going to a suppressor as soon as I offload a couple of rifles on GunBroker. Of course, that will probably be here in the next 9 months the way things seem to be working with the unnamed 3-letter agency in charge of it.

Take a good look a Kynshot buffer they have one just for the AR-10