[Skunkabilly]

My Portugese surplus is a little hard on my club's steel targets...is there a more steel-friendly .308 load? Soft points?

[DMK]

Could it be because of the steel jacket on the Port?

I realize that it's soft steel in the jacket, but it hits those plates awfully hard.

[MarineTech]

See if you can find any of the South African .308 surplus out there. Almost as good accuracy-wise as the Port, but it dosen't have the steel jacket. It can be hard to find now, but it shows up every now and then.

The new Aussie surplus may be a possibility too, but I haven't heard whether or not it has a steel core or jacket. Once it starts to get a little more widely available, you should start seeing reports on it.

[dude]

you will have to make your own lead reloads as all NATO X51 is pretty much the same

[Phil in Seattle]

is there a more steel-friendly .308 load? Soft points?

I was told once by the fella who was in charge of making and mainting the shotgun and rifle target plates at the Second Chance match in the early 90s that he could make targets to defeat 50BMG ball but not 50BMG SP. His explanation was that the SP acted much like an anti-armor HEAT round does and woudl tear right through the plates. I don't know I've never even seen 50BMG soft points.


The new Aussie surplus may be a possibility too, but I haven't heard whether or not it has a steel core or jacket.

The magnets aren't sticking to the samples I have.

[Dave R]

I think any soft-point is going to be kinder to the steel than a NATO round.

[CWL]

50BMG SP. His explanation was that the SP acted much like an anti-armor HEAT round does and would tear right through the plates.

I'd seriously doubt that a SP will liquify and send a plasma jet of molten metal thru plate like a HEAT round. HEAT rounds work because of shaped charged inside cone, it takes an additional explosive charge to activate HEAT rounds upon contact with target.

Methinks he was pulling your leg.

[Sir Galahad]

Yeah, a Glaser safety slug.

[Phil in Seattle]

Yeah, a Glaser safety slug.

Well with that thought in mind

http://www.frangiblebullets.com/index.html

.308 WIN NTP 125 gr. 2300 - 2800 fps