308 passthrough

[Cobra7]

Is anyone having problems with their 308 not leaving an exit wound? I never had this problem with a 30-06. I was shooting 150gr Rem. Cor-Lokts. We are talking about 80-125lb Whitetails from 150 yards or less shot in the shoulder or ribs.   Sean

[Rogue Ram]

Funny, your question brought back some bad memories for me.  As a teen, my dad and I both used .308s with the Remington 150 grain core lokt bullets. Several hunting trips occurred with mule deer taking solid hits at extremely close ranges and getting away, I can recall a couple taking multiple solid shots and going a distance before dropping.  

Not that it matters, but my rifle which was a present from him, turned out to suck eggs and hitting a deer that wasn't close was nearly impossible.  The memory of these hunts disturbs me a great deal as I lost my dad soon after and I tried real hard to forget about those trips..........lost deer, everyone upset, POS rifle, etc....... Just prior to him passing we had a sit down to figure out why in some cases the bullets weren't opening up and never came to any resolution except to say we were finished with that type of ammo.

I eventually moved on to a .270 and just tried to forget about it all. Thinking back on the issue, I just don't have an answer to it, but as for .30 cals on deer, I have used the .30-06  with Winchester Power Point 150s and my favorite of all time Hornaday Light Magnum 150s (!)........and have never wanted to trust that Remington .308 150 gr corelokt again. I'm sure others will weigh in and have killed many deer each year with that combo.  Just saying I had a similar experience that created some horrible memories; if I were using a .308 I'd use something different if for no other reason than to make me feel better.

 

RR

[bladerunner]

it has to just be the bullet,because the caliber is a proven HAMMER on deer (my friend has shot several with one this year,and it was all my dad hunted with for years).....try some of the winchester gray box stuff if yer gonna go cheap,or step up and get some hornadys or federal premium or federal fusion....I'd stay with the 150 grain,though

[Cobra7]

Sorry Rogue Ram for bringing back some bad times. I am glad your dad took the time to teach and take you hunting. My dad had a bumper sticker on his truck that said " Take Your Boy Hunting Instead Of Hunting For Your Boy"   Sean

[Squeeze]

I don't know if you hand load, but that may be the answer.
I started shooting a Savage Striker, in .308 Win, a few years
ago, to get around a shotgun/muzzleloader/handgun only
hunting zone.  I can shoot a handgun, with a rifle chamber,
but I can't shoot a rifle???  Anyway, I developed a 130 gr.
Barnes XBT load, driven by W748, that chrony's at 2775 fps,
out of my 14" barrel, and it really hammers northern Whitetails.
I have yet to recover a bullet, and the last deer was quartering
towards me.  The bullet hit center low, in the front shoulder,
blew up some bones, turned the vitals to blood pudding,
and exited through a rib, on the far side.  It was a pretty
dramatic "Bang Flop"... or more like a "Bang Flip".   I
have had nothing but DRT results with this load.  Well one
stumbled 50' before falling, but by judging from the damage,
it was a tribute to the toughness of whitetail deer.  It was DRT,
but the critter's brain didn't know it.

I shoot some 150 gr. Hornady Soft Point bullet loads, out
of my BAR, in .308 Win, that chrony about 2850 fps, and
it puts deer down, with authority, too.   I don't think the
problem is with the .308 Win. chambering.  It is plenty capable
of dispatching large deer.  I would be looking hard at ammo,
or shot placement, if results were less than expected.

Squeeze

P.S.  I have .30-06 Sprg, and 300 WSM, rifles, too, and I have
never been able to tell the difference in these over the .308 Win,
in deer shooting.  They burn more powder, and they thump me
harder, but by my experiences, they don't kill deer any better
than the .308 Win.