Thread: 308 projectiles, who's using what for hunting?

Greetings All,
Some time ago a member of our club asked another, with far greater experience and who we will call Great Guru, the following question.
"O Great Guru what projectile should I use in my .308"?
To which the guru replied.
"It doesn't matter"
Much laughter ensued. After a while we all recognized the guru's wisdom.
Here endeth the lesson.
Grandpamac.

165 gr Sierra hpbt, the hole in the tip looks a bit funny but no one on the receiving end has ever laughed at it.

I have been using 165gn Nosler BTs that were left over from when I had a 300WM. I consider them a bit hard for the lower velocity of the 16" 308win. They definitely kill stuff but don't create as bigger wound channel as I would like, even at close ranges. The BTs are a great bullet (I use the 150gn .284 in my 7mmRM too) but will look at something softer when I run out.
Polymer tipped bullets are fancier than needed in most situations but I do like the fact that the tips don't get deformed from getting knocked around.

As said above 308 150 gr or over never had a problem everything died very well I think the 150 gr sst I have had more Bang flops then anything else even on samba . Find what your gun shoots well .

I have killed deer with the following bullets: All hornady:
150gr SP
150gr SST
165gr SST
165gr SP

All deer died well, although I didn't shoot any reds with the 150gr SSTs.

I favoured the 165gr SP as most accurate and I had no concerns regarding terminal performance. Also, I struggled to get really great accuracy from SSTs or the 165gr SGK HPBT (in my rifle and with my limited reloading skills/gear), although all grouped well enough for 250m hunting.

But really, any 150gr or 165gr bullet will do the job. Pick a few you like the look/price of and go with the one that is the most accurate. Only exception to 150-165gr would be a 130gr barnes.

I've switched over the 150gr Nosler BT as it is super accurate in my rifle, and I really like that. Yet to shoot a deer with them but have no concerns regarding terminal performance.

further to the wise words of Grandpamac.....once upon a time in a more simple land not too far away from here,people went shooting with what ever amunition they had on hand.they learnt limitations and preferences of that particular type of ammunition and hunted accordingly...EG shooting pigs with shotgun and bird shot...you need to get inside 10 yards. soft varmity type projectile,head ot high neck...or in crease with animal facing/quartering away.... fmj or stout projectile,through major shoulder bones.... the humble .22lr or even .22magnum....anywhere in the earhole or as my old MSC manual has the kidney/spine/.22lr shot......it killed but not instantly,mostimportantly it put animal into front wheel drive only allowing you time to get in closer and do job properly....not the most PC way of doing things but it worked.
there is story of chap in deep dark africa who was poaching elephants with .22 shorts...he did same as with elephant bow...laid in ambush till beast was almost above him then put shot in under armpit...stuff that for a game of soldiers!!!! heart or major blood vesels damaged and jumbo runs off and dies not too fr away.

165 NBT are the ducks nuts , shot a bunch of deer with them now furthest 400y that was also the biggest stag I have ever shot faarking massive body looked like a red/wap cross in peak pre rut condition , bro shot another large stag at 350 same results .

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings All,
Some time ago a member of our club asked another, with far greater experience and who we will call Great Guru, the following question.
"O Great Guru what projectile should I use in my .308"?
To which the guru replied.
"It doesn't matter"
Much laughter ensued. After a while we all recognized the guru's wisdom.
Here endeth the lesson.
Grandpamac.

I needed a funny signature, I think this is it!

I have lied. I have shot a bunch of reds with 150gr SSTs. All with factory ammo ages ago before I started reloading. No issues as I recall.

150grn and 130grn silvertips...150grn corelocts.140grn interlocts 130grn interlocts160grn lapua mega 170grn speer rn 180grn hornady round nose 150grn interlocts 180grn winchester power points 150grn winchester powerpoints 130grn PMC 150grn norma 50grnttsx 110grntsx 110grn hornady hp .22magnum50grnsp 12ga #00 12ga solids .22lr, 45gnPMC YIP Ive shot pigs and deer and goats with a lot of different loads over the years....you can bet your left testicle Ive forgotten a few...yip just remembered back in SMLE days 174grn fmj and 150grn norma sp....
first deer .30/30
many others with .270
few with .223
few with .308
1 with .12ga
1 with .22magnum
pig with .22lr and all the above.

its not the angle of the dangle its the heat of the meat/its not the size that matters its where you put it......

Originally Posted by Bobba

130 Barnes ttsx is working well for me. Nothing has moved more than a couple of meters.
@burtonator how do find the 165 sst up close? I have some loaded up and ready to let fly after suck down.

The 130 TTSX works great up close, everything i have shot from 40 to 400 yards with the 165 SST has worked very well all one shot kills.

oops forgot my time with the 7.62x39....150grn corelocts 150grn silvertips 125grn NBT also used 130grn NBT in .270 and 125s and 150s in .308

There has been a few votes for the 165 sierra hpbt and here to chuck another one for that. Shot fallow and goats out to 200 and reds as close as 15~. Very accurate and easy to get shooting. Mate took my rifle to the south island and shot 2x tahr at 400+ and a chamois at 270. Liked them so much I ran them in 2x 6.5s to great success. Never had an animal walk away

Originally Posted by superdiver

There has been a few votes for the 165 sierra hpbt and here to chuck another one for that. Shot fallow and goats out to 200 and reds as close as 15~. Very accurate and easy to get shooting. Mate took my rifle to the south island and shot 2x tahr at 400+ and a chamois at 270. Liked them so much I ran them in 2x 6.5s to great success. Never had an animal walk away

It’s a great thread and some solid on the ground information. So much time to look into things during lock down.
Will probably post a WTB thread in buy sell for some Sierra, Hornady and nosler and see what happens. Get a couple hand fulls of each and see how they go

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings All,
Some time ago a member of our club asked another, with far greater experience and who we will call Great Guru, the following question.
"O Great Guru what projectile should I use in my .308"?
To which the guru replied.
"It doesn't matter"
Much laughter ensued. After a while we all recognized the guru's wisdom.
Here endeth the lesson.
Grandpamac.

All hail the wise one.
I find pointy ones work best😁