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Light bullets for 308

so i sold my 22-250 a while ago to purchase a 308. now hunting season for me is coming up and wanted to try and use the 308 for predators and not have to purchase a 22 cal rifle. anyone have experience using a 308 with preferably 110 gr bullets or even the 125 gr ones for predator hunting? thanks
 
General
how far out are your critters usually? what bbl twist length etc? i am guessing boltgun? i have run some 125 nosler ballitsic tips out of my .308 garand. gone try some 110 vmaxs now. send me a PM and i will send you a little load info.
cheers,
doc
 
I shot a lot of the Speer 125 TNTs out of an M14 with Varget, LC brass and CCI primers.

Wasn't looking for blistering speed, just a good accurate load with low recoil. They were very accurate, even out of a magazine.

The ogive of the bullet was very similar to the 168 gr SMK.

Bob
 
My 308 loves the 125 balistic tips. They are accurate, flat shooting and open up perform well on small game. W748 and H4895 powders give best velocities, around 3000+ fps.
 
My 308 Hunter Benchrest rifle shoots Hornady 110 gr V-max's well but it really likes Speer 125 gr TNT.
 
I shoot 135gr FB's in my 12 twist 308 Win with 39grs of 3031 in Win case.
It shoots 10 shot groups into 5/8" at 100 yds and very pleasent to shoot off the bench.
 
The 125 TNT Speer is a very accurate bullet that really expands quickly. The 125 Nosler Ballistic tip is a MUCH TOUGHER bullet. I use the 125 BT with 46 grs IMR 4895 for 3000 fps to kill WT deer with out of my 21 1/2" Heart barrel tight neck match chambered Rem 700 action 308 Win.
 
The Hornady 110 V-Max and Speer 130 grain HP are NOT fur friendly! Woodchucks shot with either, even at .30-30 AI velocities, are a bad horror movie scene. Both are very accurate in the .30-30 AI and .308 Winchester. I run the light bullets in front of 3031 in the .308 but there are many powders that will work well.
 
I run 110 gr Sierra HP with 49.5 gr of H-4895 Chronographed out of a 26” barrel @ 3244 fps no pressure signs… also run 125 gr Nosler BT with H-4895 Max load of 50gr compressed 3220 fps max load.
 
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110 vmax shoot pretty well out of the 308 start around 52gr of 748 should be able to go up to 54-55gr....you will need a long drop tube for the higher loads...higher loads will also kill rem/win brass 3-4 shots, lapua is definatly the way to go....I can get around 3400-3450 with these bullets, they work very well out to 800yds, I have shot them out to 1000 but they became sub-sonic but accuracy was very suprising
 
Can't speak to predator hunting, but used a .308 W with a Berger 115 Flat Base, Varget and a Wolf SRM primer and scored a 600-48x last August during a 300 yard f-class match.
 
TX65 said:
Can't speak to predator hunting, but used a .308 W with a Berger 115 Flat Base, Varget and a Wolf SRM primer and scored a 600-48x last August during a 300 yard f-class match.
Very nice and great shooting! Any idea of the velocity?
 
I shoot the GS Custom HV bullets in my 300WSM Varminter. At over 4000fps these things are bad medicine on the critters. I think it takes their fur off when they are hit, then they explode.. :) ;)
 
"anyone have experience using a 308 with preferably 110 gr bullets or even the 125 gr ones for predator hunting"

Add the 130 gr Speer hollow point to that list... Very effective! We're talking coyotes? 110 V-Max, 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip, 130 Speer HP, all good.

Or... I understand this is radical.... Just use your deer load, 150, 165 whatever soft point you shoot deer with. It will kill coyotes just fine too and give you some mighty fine practice!

Guy
 
Hi can someone provide me a load for a 126 grain projectile using a lapua case , and N530 powder?

What primer should I use?

Its going into a SR25 with a 18.3 inch barrel. Do you think I can eventually go up to 46.5 grains. I know start low and go up. How fast would I be shooting with that type of charge. Any simulations would be appreciated.
 
I have been shooting my 308 ruger 10 twist alot along with my 30BR while testing the bullets I make. I can say that the 308 hammers my 118's really well.
I just had a friend buy a T/C venture predator rifle in a 308 and he shot my 118's through it and it shot awesome. We were using 46 gr of Varget and 47 gr of IMR 8208.
I also make some 123's on a 1.115 jacket that shot really well to.
 
hi tim man can you please share your 123 and 125 load just for basis of comparison?

not going to copy just using it to build a fact base.

thanks!
 
Same load, 46gr Varget and 47gr 8208. Nothing special, my 8 ogive flatbase bullets like to be seated anywhere from touching to jammed or whatever your mag will alllow.
 

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