.308 for deer

[Rammer Jammer]

I traded in for a .308 Remington aac sd. I think I'll stay in the 165-168 grain ammo. Is there a particular factory round that will knock em down quick? Just from looking online, I'm thinking of trying Hornady interbond and the Remington that has a Barnes bullet.

 

[DaveB]

Won't go wrong with either one.

Barnes makes a mighty fine projectile

 

[280longshot]

I tried some Hornady whitetail in my 308 and does well with a double lung shot.
Unless you're shocking the spine with a spine/neck/ high shoulder shot they're all going to run.
Barnes bullets hold together, penetrate well but aren't needed for deer in my opinion. I do shoot them but ....really not needed.
Just shoot for the vitals, even a heart shot deer will run.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Roost 1]

I've killed many deer with a 308 over the yrs with Remington Core-locts 180gr. Not had many bang flops but most don't make it out of sight. Let us know how you like remy aac-sd, most likely my next purchase.

 

[Rammer Jammer]

I've killed many deer with a 308 over the yrs with Remington Core-locts 180gr. Not had many bang flops but most don't make it out of sight. Let us know how you like remy aac-sd, most likely my next purchase.

Will do. I'm thinking it'd be mighty fine with a suppressor on that 20" barrel.

 

[TraumaSlave]

Australian Outback ammo with Game King 165s. As stated, nothing but a spine shot or head shot really gives a bang flop. I have taken both lungs and heart out and they still ran. They just didn't know they were dead yet.

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

Australian Outback ammo with Game King 165s. As stated, nothing but a spine shot or head shot really gives a bang flop. I have taken both lungs and heart out and they still ran. They just didn't know they were dead yet.

I hope you have better luck with the Sierra Gameking's than I have had. I have loaded them in 100gr. 243 Win, 130gr. 270 Win and 150gr. 300 Win Mag and shot around 10 deer with them from 40yds to 150yds or so. Only had 1 exit (270 at about 100yds) and almost no blood trails. My FIL has shot 2 bucks with his 300 Win both inside 100 yds, broadside, no exit and no blood trails. Luckily neither made it too far out of the field and we found them by walking the wooded hillside where they went in. We found small pieces of the bullets scattered inside the deer from all of them. The Sierra Gamekings and Prohunters seem much softer than other cup and core bullets I have shot.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

My buddy (BWales on here) has that exact same rifle. He dropped a Timney in it and that p.o.s. outshoots everything I own it seems. His will stack the A-Max under 1/2" at 100. Can't remember what he hunts with, sure he'll chime in soon

 

[Buccaneer]

Federal Fusion 165, deadly. Killed a Mulie at 308 yards in Colorado, dropped like a falling meteorite hit him on the head. Killed many deer inside 100 yards, same general reaction.

 

[Bucket]

I've killed many deer with a 308 over the yrs with Remington Core-locts 180gr. Not had many bang flops but most don't make it out of sight. Let us know how you like remy aac-sd, most likely my next purchase.

Will do. I'm thinking it'd be mighty fine with a suppressor on that 20" barrel.

I've got the same rifle and with the Beck's ammo listed below and a suppressor it is Hollywood quiet and I can still get 1.25" groups at 100. Just got it set up so my next goal is to take a deer with it.

https://beckammunition.com/subsonic-amm ... sonic.html

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

Wouldn't that sub sonic ammo be awful weak for deer? It says 990fps and 390ft.lb of energy at the muzzle out of a 20in barrel.

 

[Bucket]

Wouldn't that sub sonic ammo be awful weak for deer? It says 990fps and 390ft.lb of energy at the muzzle out of a 20in barrel.

They were developed for dealing with hogs in Texas. My plan is to try it at about 25 yards. Here's a thread from last year - not sure if pressfit got to take a deer with it or not:

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t

 

[TraumaSlave]

Australian Outback ammo with Game King 165s. As stated, nothing but a spine shot or head shot really gives a bang flop. I have taken both lungs and heart out and they still ran. They just didn't know they were dead yet.

I hope you have better luck with the Sierra Gameking's than I have had. I have loaded them in 100gr. 243 Win, 130gr. 270 Win and 150gr. 300 Win Mag and shot around 10 deer with them from 40yds to 150yds or so. Only had 1 exit (270 at about 100yds) and almost no blood trails. My FIL has shot 2 bucks with his 300 Win both inside 100 yds, broadside, no exit and no blood trails. Luckily neither made it too far out of the field and we found them by walking the wooded hillside where they went in. We found small pieces of the bullets scattered inside the deer from all of them. The Sierra Gamekings and Prohunters seem much softer than other cup and core bullets I have shot.

I have had exits every time. Last one was the size of an XL egg @125yrds. Also exits @ 400yrds. Those in .308. Also had exit @ 125yrds with .243. Never had an issue

 

[mr.big]

at 308 speeds I like the NBT and SST bullets,,whatever weight shoots best,,

 

[ratsnakeboogy]

Federal Fusion 150gr. is a great factory load and is commonly found at many stores. Great bullet construction at a great price, very accurate in my son's .308 as well.

 

[ROVERBOY]

I started out shooting Federal "plain red box" 150 gr. because I didn't have dies yet. Then started loading Hornady 150 gr. Interlocks. A lot of bullets if you shoot for the neck or solid shoulder won't exit but, will usually drop the deer right there. I like it a lot though.

 

[Bwales95]

Ive had my aac sd for 6 years +\- and its been my primary hunting rifle until this year. The thing is a shooter with amax and federal gmm 168 grain. I love the 20 inch barrel, but the rifle weight gets old if you hoof it a lot. I hunt with 150 grain hornaday whitetail and ive killed two bucks with them. Double lunged one at full broadside and it ran about twenty yards, high shouldered the second and it was a bang flop- my first and super convenient! I put a timney in it this summer and i should have done that day one, it changed the whole feel of shooting it. Id buy one again and think youll be happy with it.

 

[Lost Lake]

I used to use 165 grain bullets in my .308's, but to me, plain old cup and core 150 grain soft points seem to be perfect in mine. Most of my shots are not at longer ranges though.

 

[backstraps]

Wouldn't that sub sonic ammo be awful weak for deer? It says 990fps and 390ft.lb of energy at the muzzle out of a 20in barrel.

Absolutely not! Shot placement is everything. I have killed a stack of deer with subsonics in 300 b/o and 308 Both rifles in the same Rem 700 aac threaded with suppressor

 

[Smoke]

Last year I bought a Tikka CTR in 308. I was shooting Winchester deer season xp 150gr and this year switched to the solid copper Winchester xp. Shot one last year quartering away around 70 yards and dropped him in his tracks. Shot first one this year at 20 yards broadside and he ran about 60. He turned to me as I pulled trigger so my shot was off but still took out lungs. Second buck was about 45 yards broadside. Took out lungs and top of heart and ran 30 yards before dropping.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

Wouldn't that sub sonic ammo be awful weak for deer? It says 990fps and 390ft.lb of energy at the muzzle out of a 20in barrel.

Absolutely not! Shot placement is everything. I have killed a stack of deer with subsonics in 300 b/o and 308 Both rifles in the same Rem 700 aac threaded with suppressor

The same could be said for a .22LR. I guess I just don't understand why anyone would use a 308Win rifle but completely handicap it to short barrel handgun ballistics.

 

[infoman jr.]

I've shot 5 or 6 deer with 150gr and 2 this year with 168gr Barnes Vor-TX in my .308 AR. Both have performed very well. Just pick the one that's most accurate in your gun. Something in the 165-175gr range should shoot best in your rifle. Though it's not the gun I hunt with, I have an AAC-SD as well.

 

[sgtwebb1]

at 308 speeds I like the NBT and SST bullets,,whatever weight shoots best,,

Exactly what I was about to say, I load both for my .308 rifles.

The bolt gun likes the NBT 150 grain, the AR likes the 165-168 grain bullets way better than anything else.

 

[Rammer Jammer]

I picked up a box of 165 grain Hornady American Whitetail to sight it in. It is stacking them on top of each other so I see no need to switch to something else..... as long as it performs well on deer. I had a 270 in American Whitetail take my biggest buck down a few years ago and performed great so I'm expecting the same.

 

[TnTurk]

I picked up a box of 165 grain Hornady American Whitetail to sight it in. It is stacking them on top of each other so I see no need to switch to something else..... as long as it performs well on deer. I had a 270 in American Whitetail take my biggest buck down a few years ago and performed great so I'm expecting the same.

I shoot the same bullet out of my .308 and .270's. I really like the way that bullet performs in both calibers so much that I've actually started reloading the 130 grain Hornady Interlock bullet in my 270.

 

[backstraps]

Wouldn't that sub sonic ammo be awful weak for deer? It says 990fps and 390ft.lb of energy at the muzzle out of a 20in barrel.

Absolutely not! Shot placement is everything. I have killed a stack of deer with subsonics in 300 b/o and 308 Both rifles in the same Rem 700 aac threaded with suppressor

The same could be said for a .22LR. I guess I just don't understand why anyone would use a 308Win rifle but completely handicap it to short barrel handgun ballistics.

Short barrel handgun ballistics also will stack deer up :) Maybe, just because its a rifle in the hands of the hunter, the deer doesnt have to be hundreds of yards away?
There are limitations to any weapon, and as long as the hunter knows those limitations, and respects the prey he is after and kills it humanly and ethical...

I shoot a trex 180gr maker bullet, handloaded, and it will flat bang flop a deer! Never took one over 50 yards away with it though. Silent, no ear damage, clean ethical kills, faster and easier than the bow I am shooting :D

Supersonics, I like to load up the 168gr Barnes Very good bullet also load up Noslers for supersonic

 

[TNlandowner]

I've killed many deer with a 308 over the yrs with Remington Core-locts 180gr. Not had many bang flops but most don't make it out of sight. Let us know how you like remy aac-sd, most likely my next purchase.

Will do. I'm thinking it'd be mighty fine with a suppressor on that 20" barrel.

I've got the same rifle and with the Beck's ammo listed below and a suppressor it is Hollywood quiet and I can still get 1.25" groups at 100. Just got it set up so my next goal is to take a deer with it.

https://beckammunition.com/subsonic-amm ... sonic.html

I own a 700 AAC - SD rifle & AAC SR-7 can. I worked my own subsonic load with the Maker Ammo (bullet used in the BECK ammo) 180 grain REX bullet pushed to 1040 fps by Trail Boss powder. This combination is easily shoots close 1" groups @ 100 yards.

Shooting this heavy bullet at the slow velocity is a risk: Be aware of range as the bullet has a 5.5" drop from 50 out to 100 yards.

I allowed my son to shoot a 10 pt buck with it during the 2017 season. The shot was so quiet, 4 other deer never flinched and continued feeding in the food plot.

One word of caution: this bullet hits tissue and tumbles, curving like a boomerang. It should do plenty of damage in the lung area. My boy went for an immediate drop neck shot. The round entered perfect, but curved 60 degrees and exited. The round missed the spine and jugular veins. Another point is the round curved in deer flesh, but did not curve when shot into 1 gal water jugs. I caught the bullet in the 8th jug.

 

[Deer Assassin]

federal gmm 168 matchking

 

[Bucket]

I've killed many deer with a 308 over the yrs with Remington Core-locts 180gr. Not had many bang flops but most don't make it out of sight. Let us know how you like remy aac-sd, most likely my next purchase.

Will do. I'm thinking it'd be mighty fine with a suppressor on that 20" barrel.

I've got the same rifle and with the Beck's ammo listed below and a suppressor it is Hollywood quiet and I can still get 1.25" groups at 100. Just got it set up so my next goal is to take a deer with it.

https://beckammunition.com/subsonic-amm ... sonic.html

I own a 700 AAC - SD rifle & AAC SR-7 can. I worked my own subsonic load with the Maker Ammo (bullet used in the BECK ammo) 180 grain REX bullet pushed to 1040 fps by Trail Boss powder. This combination is easily shoots close 1" groups @ 100 yards.

Shooting this heavy bullet at the slow velocity is a risk: Be aware of range as the bullet has a 5.5" drop from 50 out to 100 yards.

I allowed my son to shoot a 10 pt buck with it during the 2017 season. The shot was so quiet, 4 other deer never flinched and continued feeding in the food plot.

One word of caution: this bullet hits tissue and tumbles, curving like a boomerang. It should do plenty of damage in the lung area. My boy went for an immediate drop neck shot. The round entered perfect, but curved 60 degrees and exited. The round missed the spine and jugular veins. Another point is the round curved in deer flesh, but did not curve when shot into 1 gal water jugs. I caught the bullet in the 8th jug.

Thanks for the info. 5.5" is the same drop I get from 50 to 100. I zeroed at 100 and use the first mark above for 25 and 75 and the 2nd mark above for 50 and it is very accurate. Still waiting to take my first deer with it - good to know about the deflection.

 

[brass magnet]

The local Walmarks clearenced Winchester grey box 150gr. Power Points for $7.00 a box years ago, I bought every box, still have some, every deer hit was DRT, they ain't tanks!