308 squirel load

[rlf]

Thanks in advance for the help. Trying to find a light load for 100 gr. seirra plinker bullet for squirel and a faster load for prairre dogs. Going to use my Savage 308 scout for all my rifle hunting. One man one rifle thing. I have fed.cases, unique, 2400 and imr 4064 powders and win. large rifle powders.
Any ideas?

 

[SpringfieldM1A]

165 gn spitzer. go big or go home. dont have to worry about picking anything up.

 

[frankenstein406]

Sub sonic light fmj load? Sorry I can't help more.

 

[Bula]

I say look into cast loads. Google "Lee Soupcan" loads, Unique for the lower end. Prairie dog loads, i'd keep to the Sierras, and push them fast.

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

Google Rocky Raab, Unique, 308

Returns: 10gr Unique, Speer plinker, approx 1600 fps

 

[guzzi]

308 joy

This video is of a 308 Hornady 110grain V-Max, with 46 gr of H335 powder impacting a half gallon milk jug full of water.


Also in that collection is this video of a small water bottle being blown away.

Be safe.

 

[sam700]

Try to find some loads for IMR's SR4759. I don't have my data with me but I know i'm getting around 1400 FPS with a 147 grain FMJ in my 300 win mag. There is also a similar load published for Trailboss. I think you could find both on the IMR website. It's a cheap practice load and does minimal meat damage on small game if that is a factor for you. Head shots are still best, but they don't pop like they would with a full power load.

 

[forshoes]

Check the Hodgdon site about using Trail Boss. Makes for a light recoil load and you don't need to worry about high pressures in light loads.

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

 

[Clark]

There are all kinds or reduced loads.
I have been hunting ground squirrels with 15 gr Blue Dot in 223.
I have been hunting raccoons with 1 gr Bullseye in 45/70

It depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[jmorris]

You can use 32 acp bullets and even buy an adapter so you can use 32 cases in your 308 chamber. With the zero being quite different than your larger game hunting loads. It makes a 22 seem like a good idea.

 

[jmorris]

Here is what they look like and where to find them.


http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm

 

[PapaG]

I have two such loads for the 308, one using a 110 grain plain base cast bullet (313 dia that I run down to 310) and a 165 plain base flat nose. I load both in front of about eight and a half grains of trail boss.

Both hit fairly close to the scope setting at thirty yards as the 150 jacketed soft point full load does at 100.

Nice thing about Trail Boss is that it fills the case and gives excellent repetition on velocity.

 

[kludge]

http://photos.imageevent.com/badger...hmansmanuals/1903-Springfield-1911-Manual.pdf

Down about page 51 or 52 it describes a "Guard Cartridge" in a .30-06 that used 9.1 gr of Bullseye with blem bullets (I assume 150gr FMJ spitzers) at ~1200fps.

But I'd probably go with the Trail Boss recommendation.

I've got some .309" Hornady XTP's to try in a .30 Carbine and these would probably make for some explosive "close range" varmint work in a .308. You could probably easily get them up to 3000fps, and sighting in 2" high at 100 yards, you'd be 2" low at 200 yards and still be at ~1560fps. And I'd rather use .309" bullets than 32 caliber .312" bullets. Hornady also has Jacketed LRN in .308" for the .30 Mauser, but a lower ballistic coefficient than the 90gr XTP.

Even better -- load up the 110gr V-Max. Either way it's a shame to use that much powder on varmints, when a little .22 Hornet would do the same thing.

For squirrels, I might just get a squirrel rifle in .22LR, or a pistol for that matter. But in the "only one rifle" vein... how about a .22LR insert for your .308?

http://www.mcace.com/rifleinserts.html

 

[Clark]

So many problems can be solved by breaking out the 22 rim fire.

 

[rlf]

Thanks fellas, first I have a GREAT .22. Marlin model 60. Figure the more I use my deer rifle the better I'll be with it. Rocky Raab site is very informative and I'll try his load for sure. Also going to try 16 grs of sr4759, the book says thats at 1571 fps. Will look into Trailboss for a 100 gr plinker load. Thanks agin

 

[7.62 Nato]

I've head shot squirrel with my Win. model 88 deer rifle in 308 using Remington Accelerators. I don't believe they are made anymore but the components are available for handloading. They use .224 dia. bullets in a .30 cal. sabot. The Accelerators are 55 grain SP but there are a lot of choices in .224 that could be used.

 

[Steve in KC]

how about a .311 round ball, seated flush with a dab of alox over your choice of pistol powder?

pretty accurate at squerril distances, doesn't destroy them, won't go through the neighbor's house (that's always good) and subsonic if you don't get too greedy with the powder.

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/rb30.htm