No love for 180 grain for .308 Winchester?

[shaffe48]

Seems if there's a go to for .300 mag it's 180 grain. So when I switched from .300 to .308 I kept with this bullet. I figured they have a good bc and sd so why not? But several spots I've read seem to suggest that 180 grain is too much bullet for the .308. But I'm not sure if that makes sense. There's only a 80 fps drop between 165 and 180 grain. Muzzle energy goes up. Doesn't sound like too much bullet to me.

Does anyone have a rational explanation why 180 grain isn't a good bullet for a .308 Winchester (vs 30-06 or .300 magnum)?

 

[GlockZ]

Interesting question. Don’t have an answer for that one, however, in case you didn’t know the US military snipers use 308/7.62x51, using a 175gr bullet. So don’t see why a 180gr bullet couldn’t be used effectively in 308.

 

[HSi-ESi]

My BLR 81 in .308 loves 180 gr Partitions (P. Pt.). I used to shoot 150's and 165's - but I've found better accuracy with the 180.

 

[SFC B]

I shoot an '06 and it only gets 180s for everything. I am very happy with performance from lope to elk.

 

[Redman]

Interesting question. Don’t have an answer for that one, however, in case you didn’t know the US military snipers use 308/7.62x51, using a 175gr bullet. So don’t see why a 180gr bullet couldn’t be used effectively in 308.

Yep they are accurate but humans are soft targets. I am by no means an expert on ballistics. From my understanding the .308 will be loosing its umpf when it gets out there a ways. You can get penetration but not expansion. The bullet may act like a FMJ, not causing trauma or shock.

 

[Washington Hunter]

One downside would be recoil, and the other might be, especially if using monolithic bullets (e.g. Barnes, Nosler etip) not enough speed for reliable expansion. I see nothing wrong with using 180's in the 308 but myself, I'd prefer 165 as a maximum weight for the 308.

 

[shaffe48]

I think my box says it's dropped below 2k at 400 yards. Guess I can see some bullets beyond 300 yards might not expand too well.

 

[belly-deep]

I don’t see any reason not to use a 180. I have in the past. But I’m not sure they gain anything meaningful over a 165.

 

[smarandr]

Someone forgot to tell the moose I dropped at almost 300 yards that 180s from a .308 was "too much bullet."

 

[shaffe48]

Ok I didn't figure there was a good reason not to use it. Don't think anything we shoot is gonna figure into it whichever we use. I think shooting a .308 pretty much says you have left the ballistics and cartridge debate and just figure on hitting and killing them!

 

[Bigjav]

One reason that 180's aren't so popular might be because a good portion of 308's available come in a 1:12 twist barrels which have been to be known to have issues stabilizing bullets above 168's..

 

[Gunner46]

180's are the only thing that will give me a group under 1" out of my Rem 600. I used the 180 BT for over a decade and they served with honor. Winchester white box 180 semi-spitzers were a very, very close second.

 

[Dougfirtree]

The bullet in question is a consideration. I think the 180 is getting less popular, as modern bullets take over, which tend to require higher velocities to open well and tend to retain more weight.

 

[shaffe48]

One reason that 180's aren't so popular might be because a good portion of 308's available come in a 1:12 twist barrels which have been to be known to have issues stabilizing bullets above 168's..

I'll keep that in mind. I should notice accuracy issues in my groups if that's an issue, correct?

According to this my bullets should be stable with a 1:10 and right on the border of stable and marginal stability with a 1:12. Pretty sure my Savage is 1:10.

http://www.bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/#

 

[Rifles And More]

I have the Berger Elite 180 in a Tikka 308 with 11" twist. Changed the bolt stop to a long action and switched to the 30-06 class magazines.

At 2750 it makes it a 800 yard cartridge (1800 fps min impact) depending on altitude. The bigger bullet fights the wind better, which is the magic part of any long range shooting.

 

[shaffe48]

Im actually running federal factory loads despite the fact that I used the Berger website stability calculator. I used to handloaded for my .300 with the 180 SST/interbond but this bullet wouldn't shoot for me with their factory loads so I switched to the trophy bonded tip. I kept using this bullet (for now) when I switched to the .308.

Those are high velocities even for a 30-06. Had they offered my rifle in a 30-06 I would have had that version. I'm guessing you are saying that you are seating your bullets out further with the longer magazine?

I switched my thinking back and forth whether my Max range should be 300 or 400 yards. I think I will keep debating with myself but 300 yards are definitely the best shots for me.

 

[Rifles And More]

Yes, seated out farther with the longer magazine. The longer COAL also adds to the velocity gain: Link to Berger article

300 or 400 shouldn't make any appreciable difference in performance, just pick what you are comfortable with.

 

[Bigjav]

I'll keep that in mind. I should notice accuracy issues in my groups if that's an issue, correct?

According to this my bullets should be stable with a 1:10 and right on the border of stable and marginal stability with a 1:12. Pretty sure my Savage is 1:10.

http://www.bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/#

Stabilizing heavier bullets would likely result in more frequently noticeable 'flyers' with a 1:12 twist which are used in most varmint and target rifles. If you have a 1:10 twist you will be able to stabilize almost any 30 caliber bullet. And although I haven't tried one I have hear good things about the 5R rifling in a 1:11 twist rate

 

[shaffe48]

Stabilizing heavier bullets would likely result in more frequently noticeable 'flyers' with a 1:12 twist which are used in most varmint and target rifles. If you have a 1:10 twist you will be able to stabilize almost any 30 caliber bullet. And although I haven't tried one I have hear good things about the 5R rifling in a 1:11 twist rate

Turns out my new Savage hasn't been as forgiving with different factory loads as my other one led me to hope. But I don't think the bullet stability is causing this one. I'm getting good accuracy with the 180 Trophy Bonded Tip but the 180 Fusion is 'only' getting 1.5-2 inches.

As it happens, it's costing me more to find a cheap factory round than finding one would save me. Maybe it's time to try reloading again. See if I can't work up two accurate loads one over 180 Trophy Bonded Tip and the other over 180 Accubond. Then I'll have two loads for black bear that are as good as anything I guess. Exit wounds. Bust right through shoulder bones.