Best 30cal 180gr bullet

[ONE HOLE 4570]

Hope some one may be able to help, I picked up a used 10+ year old 308 vangaurd & the guy gave me 2 boxs of 180gr remington core locks (got a great deal with a leupold 2-7 scope $275). it will put these in under an inch all day from a bench, if I can hold still.  :grin:

Question, I tried all the 150's & 165's with a multitude of powders (probably half of what the gun cost me in cash) so now I am on too the 180's. What I would like to know is what bullet will reliably expand at a max of 250 yrd shot. I do not want to buy bullets ment for any of the 300 magnums because I will not be able to push them that fast.

I have a problem with the core locks, shot 2 deer 50-60 yrds right through the boiler room no blood trail lost one found one 200yrds from the point of impact.  :x

I have no problem reloading but would like some suggestions on a bullet & powder(probably have already) to start with.
Any help would be appreciated.  Really wanted those 150 or 165's too bad but a good shooter with the 180's :?

[Graybeard]

If you're not going to shoot over 250 yards and want the best terminal performance on game you really cannot beat the various brand 180 round nose bullets. Yeah I know you ain't gonna believe it until you try it but if you try them then you'll believe.

[Mikey]

Most definately gonna agree with Graybeard on those Remingtons.  I worked up a bunch of loads for a buddy's 06 semi-auto and found those core-locks hit just as accurately as my handloads did.  He has taken whitetail at 50-150 yds every year for the past 15 years with that rifle and those loads and he is only on his 2nd box of shells.  They all drop like they were pole-axed.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Ramrod]

Once again good advice from the oldtimer.  Those old roundnose bullets were made to open up at modest velocity and work as good now as they did 75 years ago. I too have had pointed Core-locks sail right thru close range deer in my .30-06. No expansion, almost no blood, and lost deer. I think you definatly give up performance for flatter trajectory with the pointed bullets.
Oh, you could try going the other way, loading up some 125 or 130 grain bullets at max velocity and blasting big holes in the deer. :twisted:
Personally, I wouldn't do it though!

[Patriot_1776]

One Hole 4570,

Don't forget to look into the 180gr. TSX.  They have rings machined into the bullet shank to reduce bearing surface inside the barrel.  That will help you achieve a slightly higher velocity in your rifle plus help with longer range shots; and expansion is not really a problem.   Patriot

[azshooter]

First of all what do you plan on shooting with your new .308?  I ask because if you are shooting deer then you basicly want the most accurate.  Deer are easy kills.  For Elk, Moose, Bison then go with a Nosler partition or possibly a Winchester FailSafe.  Just because they don't blow apart when shot from a Mag does not mean they are not good for a .308.  The most accurate shooting 30 cal I have shot are Hornady SST's I have no plan on hunting with them.  I am going on my 2nd Bison shoot in January and going to use a Nosler/Winchester FailSafe because it does the job on a Bison better than any bullet I know of.  Its not the most accurate but is the best terminal performer.

[spispeza]

have used winchester 180gr.round nose factory load on whitetail buck 1 shot to the neck facing me.dropped on the spot.DEAD deer,out of a 30-06.1903 sringfield that i had rechambered to ackly improved.was using these factory loads to fireform brass.also one coyote shot to the lungs,ran for a bit,then died.deer was 80 yards,coyote was 175 to200 yards

[Coyote Hunter]

One Hole 4570 --

I got a Marlin .45-70 a little over a year ago and started shooting North Fork 350g bonded bullets with it.  Great accuracy and excellent terminal results.  These are also the single most consistent laods I have ever developed, with both Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation often coming in under 5.0 for a 4-5 shot string.

For this last fall I worked up 7mm Mag loads using the Norht Fork 160g bonded bullet.  Got the best accuracy my Ruger has ever shot (0.266" at 100 yards, 3 shots).

For Christmas I got a .300 Win Mag and, yes, I'll be working up loads for the North Fork 180g bonded bullet.  I fully expect to get more velocity than with non-grooved bullets, and I expect supreme accuracy.

The North Fork bullets open reliably at velocities as low as 1800fps, making them an excellent choice for the .308.  The only drawback is they are a bit pricey, but once load development is done you won't be shooting many.  I plan to work up "sister" loads for practice like I did for th e.45-70, loads that use cheaper bullets but shoot to the same point of impact.

Here's some pics of the North Fork .308-180SS.  The numbers under the bullets indicate impact velocity in fps and weight retention in %.
http://www.northforkbullets.com/images/308180A.jpg


Image is too large for forums. I changed it to a link rather than an image. Just click to view. GB

[rickt300]

Kind of surprised you had problems with the 180 grain corelokts on deer. I have always wondered why there seems to be so many differing opinions on that bullet as for me they have worked well on everything so far.  I have played around with a bunch of different bullets for my 308 and if I had to pick one 180 grain bullet for it the Wincherster power point or the Speer hotcor would be where the decision gets hard.

[Big Tom]

Kind of surprised you had problems with the 180 grain corelokts on deer. quote]

I have to join the core lokt dissenters also.
I had similar experiences with .280, 7mm.08, and most recently(2003) I got a nice .270 Win Fwt just before season and just HAD to try it out on deer. I put a perfect double lung shot on a big doe at 50yd...she ran off as if I missed? I found her about 100 yds down the ridge dead....absolutely no expansion and hardly any blood trail.

Best 180 gr expansion at 200 yds... I would give the Nosler Accubond or Swift Sirocco a close look.
I had good results with 180gr Sierra Gamekings in my .300 Wby

[stork]

Well I have had very good results with a plain Hornady Spire Point.  I used it this year to get a doe.  It blew a hole the size of a softball in her at 20 yards.  She ran 10 yards and that was it.  This bullet also give me one inch 5 shot groups.

I have also had good luck with Speer Grandslams.  I got a deer last year at 150 yards.  She died right where she was.  tis bullet was also very accurate in my rifle.  

Both bullets were shot out of a 30-06.

[Ramrod]

The problem with the 180 grain pointed Core-locks is the jacket is to heavy for reliable expansion on deer. These bullets were designed for bigger game, like moose, or elk. Jack O'Conner writes about putting one thru BOTH shoulders of a big grizzly and seeing it kick up dust on the far side.
ONE HOLE 4570,  I know everyone wants tiny groups, bit here's the truth. If you can get the 150 grain bullets to group within 2 inches at 100 yards, you have yourself a reliable 250 yard deer gun.

[superhornet]

Hornady RN....

[ONE HOLE 4570]

Thanks guys,

I'll get some diff manf RN's & give them a try. Ramrod the 150's look like a shootgun pattern can't figure this gun out but I will start with some RN 180 & go from there maybee work up to the more pricy ones. Might try some nosler balistic tips & hornady SST's later. Hunt deer with this rifle have others for lger game but it was a good ddeal could't pass it up.

one hole

[High Brass]

My future Grandfather-in law has shot 180gr. bullets out of his 308 for years, like 25 or so.  He used to shoot 180gr. Sierra Gamekings but has switched to 180gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips due to the tip not getting deformed in the magazine.  He said that the performance between the two is pretty much the same in accuracy and on game.