.308 with light bullets

[Deerhunter#1]

Well I have parted ways with 2 308 barrels but have the opp to get a bull barrel unmodified for almost nothing. that being said I have a 30-30 that I am loading the 125-130 bullets in.Looking at the ballistic charts they basically are the same the 308 with h4895 seams to give the best of both worlds. I can reduce the load to 30-30 levels other then the extra powder capasity that will be used. But also able to load it up if need be where it will shine over the 30-30. Has anyone used the light bullets and h4895 with there 308 handi? What were the results? 

[petemi]

I haven't tried lighter bullets in my .308s, but I'm very interested to see the replies you get.  I am experimenting with 115 gr. varmint bullets in my wife's and my 7mm-08s.  I read somewhere years ago that 168 gr. boat tails offered the best accuracy in the .308 and that is all I've used since in my Ruger and my Handi.  The 7mm-08s will arrive today and the brass is ready to load.  By the weekend I should know if they'll work well in that caliber.

Pete

[JMcDonald]

It probably depends on your accuracy standards. It might not be a .5MOA shooter, but so far both 147gr FMJBT (pulled military Ball) with bulk military powder, and Monarch ammo (cheapest brass-cased stuff I could find) have been more accurate than I am. And so far, when I do my part (well, as best I can), I have been able to pretty consistently keep shots under 2" at 100 yards, with maybe 1 out of 4 groups getting down to 1.5MOA. Then again, I just got the gun and that was only the second time I shot for groups, so I'm sure I have time to improve .
Though, I do guarantee somebody has gotten really good groups with all sorts of .308 bullet weights.

[tom548]

I have been using 125 gr. bullets in a Ruger 308 ultra lite for 25 years. It shoots great and has done every thing I have asked of it. I use RL 15 powder. I have never lost a white tail , and only take heart/lung or the head if that is all I have as a target. I did shoot a few though a Handi  this spring and they did shoot  about 1.5" at 100 yards. Try them they are light on recoil and often  see the hit in my scope.

[quickdtoo]

I use the 125gr Sierra PH SPT #2120 in my 30-30AI Handi, it's super accurate and works well on mule deer, not that I've shot anything with it other than paper, but a friend has used it in his 308 at 2900fps on several mule deer, almost identical to the velocity my 30-30AI runs, so it's a good choice for the 308, Sierra data shows hunting loads from 30-30 pistol to 300 Win Mag, so it has a broad range of velocities for dependable terminal performance, 1700-3400fps MV! 

Tim

[Darreld Walton]

I standardized my light bullet .308 load as a 130 gr. Speer hollow point and 45 gr. 4895.  It goes well under an inch my Belgian Browning BLR, several bolt guns, and functioned well in a PTR91 and an M1A SOCOM.  Gives a satisfying "red mist" result on varmints, and will boost Great Hoary Marmots into a sub-orbital arc.  That load is not "max", and gives about 2800 fps, depending on which rifle it's fired in.  Still room in the data to boost it to 3000 fps.
Most definitely NOT a load for fur hunters, nor meat hunters, 147 fmj's for hide, and 165's for meat work so much better that I've never even considered using lighter "hunting" bullets in the .308, the lighter bullets shed velocity so much faster than the heavier slugs that it just isn't worth it to me to try and make the lighter bullets work for hunting larger game.  I've used 150 and 168 gr. bullets to shoot out to a thousand yard in matches, and wouldn't even consider using a 125 or 130 out there.  I've busted varmints at close to 400 with the 130's, but the wind starts pushing them around a LOT.

[tom548]

The results I have gotten on well over a 100 white tails using heart/lung shots has never destroyed meat or produced large exit holes. If your a shoulder shooter it would be different, that would be true for any bullet in the shoulder, even a solid will send bone into the meat.

[Ranch13]

I load 125 gr remington bulk bullets in the 308's, but use rl 15 powder. They shoot well enough to decapitate prairie dogs at a couple hundred yards, and are hard on coyotes, but for game I prefer the 165 gr bullets .

[petemi]

I've got RL15.  I'll have to give it a try.  +1 on the 165/168 gr. for the larger stuff.

Pete

[Deerhunter#1]

Well the 30-30 and .308 handi both have a 10 twist and 22 inch barrel. The differnce of course being the the one rimmed and the other not. also the compasity of the case. My 30-30 is performing well at the 2400 ft sec with the 130 grain bullets for deer. The real question is if the .308 can be loaded to those speeds with that bullet and be accurate I can always have the capability to use the heavier 308 bullets at a later date if desired with greater flexability and power then heavy 30-30 bullets. Trying to get the best of both worlds if that is at all possible and maybee the 308 is the ticket.

[petemi]

The .308 IS the ticket.  You can play around with it at sub 30-30 levels or load up and hunt T Rex.  I bought my first .308, a Ruger, about a dozen years ago.  It all but retired my trusty Marlin 336 .30-30.  Now, my Handi .308 may just put both of them out of business.

Pete

[carbineman]

For a hunting companion I have loaded the original 130 grain Barnes X bullet to 3050fps in the 308, and this load took several Canadian whitetails, one at over 400 meters. I have not kept up with the newer Barnes offerings, but would bet the TSX is traveling even faster now. I did the loading with BLC-2 propellant.

[Winter Hawk]

The Winchester 88 I had in .308 put 5 150 grain Hornady bullets inside a quarter at 100 yards off the bench.  It also accounted for 8 deer, all neck shots, all "bang - flop" kills.  Furthest shot was 120 yards.

Tthe .308 was (and maybe still is) the preferred cartridge for long range target shooting at Camp Perry.  Not in light bullets of course.  At the same time, I have loaded mine down with 110 grain plinkers and used it on bunnies up close. 

-WH-

[OldSchoolRanger]

The .308 IS the ticket.  You can play around with it at sub 30-30 levels or load up and hunt T Rex.  I bought my first .308, a Ruger, about a dozen years ago.  It all but retired my trusty Marlin 336 .30-30.  Now, my Handi .308 may just put both of them out of business.

Pete

I also started hunting with a Marlin 336 30-30, then changed over to a Rem 788 in 308, used it for years.  Now I use a Rem 700 in 7x57.  The 308 is a great all around caliber, but I prefer the 7x57, it has more than enough power with less recoil.  If you want you can also load it up for more oomph!  Why, one would do so is a mystery.  Hoping to eventually find the elusive 7x57 in a Handi.

[OldSchoolRanger]

The Winchester 88 I had in .308 put 5 150 grain Hornady bullets inside a quarter at 100 yards off the bench.  It also accounted for 8 deer, all neck shots, all "bang - flop" kills.  Furthest shot was 120 yards.

-WH-

Wow!  Your Win 88 sounds like a real keeper, a friend of mine had one, but it wasn't as accurate.  He offered to sell it to me, but like a dope, I turned it down.  Wish I would have bought it.