All-Around .308 Round

[bmars]

I just got a 700 SPS Tactical. I intend to use it as a jack-of-all trades rifle. I intend to do some range shooting (I have access to a 300 yard range) and deer hunting with it as well.

I'm looking for a good all-around round that will be solid for bench accuracy, but also an effective hunting round. I realize I can't totally have the best of both worlds in one round, but I want my off-season bench work to eventually be able to translate to the field without re-sighting a different round, etc.

I do not reload. Anyone have suggestions for such a factory round?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[PurdueRifleman2008]

Hornady TAP 168's shot well out of my 700 ADL Syn and typically held around .65MOA. I've never used those for hunting, though, since we aren't allowed to use but a very few centerfire rifle cartridges for deer here in Indiana. But I have every confidence that they would bring down a whitetail with no problems with proper shot placement.

But I'm sure someone else could give you something a little more affordable. I quit messing with factory ammunition once I started reloading so I don't know what all is out there, presently.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

Hornady 165 grain boat-tail soft point should work great, I haven't shot them myself, but no reason they shouldn't shoot 1 MOA out of a good rifle.

Personally, I shoot 168 gr match bullets out of my .308, as I handload. These aren't recommended for hunting though and I don't hunt.

 

[dakotasin]

hornady custom 165's are my jack-of-all trades pick in a factory load. they're kind of tough to find because so many people want to shoot the light mag version, but grafs carries the customs. excellent load as far as factory stuff goes.

 

[jpwilly]

I do not reload

Save your brass anyway you may get into it some day.

BTW a good all around 308 that is super inexpensive is the Federal Power Shok 150gr soft point sold at Walmart for $13.97 a box. Use to sell it for $12.97 before this BO scare...and even $10.97 a couple years ago. (Bummer)

 

[TX Hog Hunter]

My SPS shoots 150gr Remington PSPCL and the PRVI 165gr PSP real well. Also not sure if you can still find it but the Sellier and Bellot 168gr HPBT match load is really accurate, they use Sierra match bullets.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Hornaday 150 gr SST.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Any of the Hornady loads mentioned should work. Their 168 gr Match round shot MOA through my M1A with iron sights and I have no doubt that it would drop any deer on the planet if you placed it behind the shoulder where it belongs.

Typically I have found Remingtons shoot very well with Remington ammo. I don't know if it is just a coincidence, but every M700 in the family would shoot 1 MOA OTB with at least one weight of Core-Lokt PSP. Any such load from 150 to 180 gr should work well for deer as well.

 

[TeamRush]

I just got a 700 SPS Tactical. I intend to use it as a jack-of-all trades rifle. I intend to do some range shooting (I have access to a 300 yard range) and deer hunting with it as well.

I use mine for everything from feral dogs/coyotes on up to mule deer.

I've even been known to use it on Ground hogs (woodchucks) when the opportunity arises!

If you want to go out for anything bigger/dangerous, you are better off stepping into magnum territory.

I'm not a bit afraid to take 400+ yard shots with mine...

You will rapidly find out the .308 Win has virtually the same ballistics as the .30-06 in a more manageable package,
(anything a .30-06 can do, .308 can do as good or better!)
And there are TONS of ballistics tables, Add on stuff and even optics with fairly accurate bullet drop compensator built in for the .308 Win round.

As for the rounds,
I usually stick with a 150 Grain bullet,
Usually Winchester brand,
(since my .308 Remingtons like Winchester ammo better than Remington or Federal hunting ammo)
But you are just going to have to buy several brands/weights and see what your rifle likes best out of the box (like everybody else!)....

For 'Out Of The Box' Hunting rounds, I'm REAL partial to Winchester XP3, Accubond CT or Ballistic Silvertips,
they pretty much cover the gammet from 'Varmints' to 'Thick Skin & Bone' penetrators for me...
And you can get them in weights from 150 to 180...
Not exactly 'Varmint' rounds, but they do OK for the occasional 'Whistle Pig' you might encounter!
And you can buy them off the shelf!
------------------------------------

Federal and Black Hills make some REALLY accurate Premium Match Grade ammo that my Rem rifles like if you can afford to feed your rifle the 'Good Stuff',

And there are just TONS of load data out there if you reload for the .308 Win!

If you reload, let me know and I'll pass along some of my 'Pet' loads, you can see if they work for you...

 

[bmars]

Sounds like Hornady is the consensus. No one shooting any of the Federal Premiums? Of course at this point, it looks like it might be another year before anything is available locally. I may have to bite the bullet and pay for shipping.

 

[TeamRush]

Horniday is accurate, but don't expect it to bring game down!
I shot clean through coyote without bullet expanding.

I shot whitetail and the bullet didn't expand enough to tear things up, if the deer hadn't lost both lungs and heart to a .30 caliber hole, it wouldn't have when down and then the chase would have been on!.

I hear some guys talk about the gory mess the Hornady rounds make, but I didn't have much luck with them in actual hunting situations...

 

[MTMilitiaman]

TeamRush, exactly which load were you using when these alleged events occurred?

My dad's side of the family has killed truck loads of game with .30-06s, divided about half between Sierra Gamekings and Hornady Interlocks. One of my uncles in particular I think has been using the same 150 gr Hornady Spirepoint load since the 70s and it has never failed to take game quickly.

 

[Al Thompson]

(anything a .30-06 can do, .308 can do as good or better!)

Uh, no. The .308 starts losing when you go above 175 grains or so. For the very heavy bullets, no comparison. Team Rush, if you'd reload, you'd find the '06 to be a bit faster and more flexible.

lost both lungs and heart to a .30 caliber hole

Sounds like the bullet worked just fine. What you witnessed was the same thing a Nosler Partition does - the nose expands violently and usually shears off leaving the base of the bullet to exit the critter. It's good that you got your deer, if you'll shoot a few more you can get a pretty clear picture of how specific bullets work.

To the OP - I reload, so I'm not up on some of the new factory ammo. Try Georgia Arms for some 150 or 165 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo. I find that the BTs work great for deer and shoot very well.

http://georgia-arms.com/308win-2.aspx