308 load question

[grubbylabs]

I am really new to all of this but since my friend has a press and 308 dies I thought I would try some re loading. My barrel is a 1:12 twist and I would like to be able to re load for paper punching as well as big game like Elk. What would be a good bullet and weight for either of those.

Thanks.


Also what would be a good reloading book to get?

 

[rcmodel]

Posting in the "handloading & reloading" forum will get some great results.

rc

 

[dakotasin]

1 - 165 grain hornady btsp.
2 - speer #14.

not asked - try varget or rl-15 for first powders.

 

[T.R.]

Hornady still makes very good bullets for slightly lower price than their competitors. My 308 shoots any good 150 grain bullet with excellent accuracy. Sierra Pro Hunter and Hornady Interlock are favorites. To take elk with 150 grain bullet you should look to the Premium bonded bullets such as Speer, Winchester, Remington, Nosler, and others...

165 grain bullets is a very good choice as this weight falls exactly between 150 and 180.

I've taken a number of elk in Wyoming with my .308 loaded with plain 180 grain ammo by Remington and FEDERAL.

TR

 

[Frankl03]

With a 1:12 twist I would lean more towards the the 150 gr but try a couple of weights in that range and see what works the best for your rifle.

Lots of good info for the beginning handloader in the hand loading section. That's how I got started. A couple of reloading manuals helps too.

 

[grubbylabs]

T.R That is not nice. You should know that it is cruel and unusual punishment to show that to another hunter in the middle of winter.


But thanks for all the responses.

 

[5Rfanatic]

i shoot a 208 grain hornady AMAX seated out to 2.85 and loaded with 48 grains of IMR 4320 and get about 2720 fps. I figure that would take down about anything if placed in the right spot and within 300 yards.

 

[Coltdriver]

5RFanatic what twist do you have to stabilize a bullet of that weight?

 

[MCMXI]

i shoot a 208 grain hornady AMAX seated out to 2.85 and loaded with 48 grains of IMR 4320 and get about 2720 fps.

... I'm only getting 2,650 fps with a 178gr Hornady AMAX, 42.2gr of Reloder 15, CCI 200 primer and Lapua brass. I have a 25" Krieger 1:10 barrel and there isn't much room left in the case for more powder. Not sure how you're managing to get such a high velocity with that 208gr beast. That's the same bullet that I shoot from my .300 Win Mag!! What brass/primers are you using? Did you chronograph the load with a Shooting Chrony model?