Short range 308 bullet for White Tail

[Mr. Hill]

I had good success with a 165g Sierra GameKing over IMR 4064 this year.

I use the factory loaded federal premium Sierra gameking 165 grain round for deer and it really does great on deer. Very accurate and readily expands.

 

[Legionnaire]

I've used 150 grain Remington Core-Lokts from under 50 to 200 yards with great success.

 

[larueminati]

For the mentioned parameters I'd go with a Nosler Accubond. I have a strong preference for the 125 grain version I'm shooting them at ~2800 and they are very lethal. Deer don't walk away from them.

Good to know. I've used these in my AR @ 2,810 but never got anything with them. Just switched to a bolt and i'm going to stick with them but bump the velocity up into the 2,950-3,000 neighborhood.

 

[d2wing]

I liked Hornaday 165 gr Boattails for everything but I am going to switch to faster expanding 150 grains as deer are pretty thin. !80's go right through sometimes and the deer go further unless you blow out the heart or shoulders.

 

[Stevenvalleyky]

While I agree with most opinions about just picking any hunting bullet for short range, I will deviate a little bit. I've had Factory 150 grain Remington core locks come apart and not penetrate at 15 yards. I've also had Hornady SST driven at near Max loads explode at extremely close range like a varmint bullet. Once you get past 50 yards, it seems the velocity is low enough that they can manage to stay together. If you are 100% certain that your shots will be 150 yards or less, I would consider downloading a little bit. Most 150 grain bullets that are not bonded are likely to come apart at impact velocities near 3000 FPS. Downloading to 2500 FPS will not have any effect at 150 yards but can ensure a pass-through on a good broadside shot at typical bowhunting ranges. Plus it's easier on your shoulder and the deer won't know the difference at all. I've had this problem also occur with 243 Winchester at 15 yards before. Impact velocity too high can be just as bad as too low.
Just something to consider.

 

[readyeddy]

If I were certain of only short range shots, then I would go 200 grains. The lightest I would go is 180.

 

[GooseGestapo]

For your parameters, GO CHEAP!

I typically use a home cast bullet in your scenario. But if you don’t cast, get a Speer HotCore bullet or a blem from one of the online-merchants.
Check with Jeff Bartlett at Gi-brass.com for bulk powders.
Deer aren’t particularly hard to kill. I got the one in my avatar with a 60gr Hornady blem I bought in bulk for $.06 each several years ago. Powder is bulk purchase H4895 at less than $20/lb. cost of round from .223 was less than .22wrm.
Deer in avatar was shot out my kitchen window Christmas morn at 7:25am. Interrupted my coffee break, made me late to bible study! Almost beyond your specified 150yds. Lased at 148yds.

These three were got opening day of ‘16. .218Bee with 40gr Armscor JHP over 12.5gr of Hodgdons Lil’Gun. Bullets are $60/1,000. I even recovered the brass.

With a 150yd zero, with a specified +/-5” Point blank, my point blank ranges run from 175 to 350yds, depending on cartridge/bullet/load. ie: .44mag to .300RUM.
SO, point blank plus 150yds is 500yds with the .300RUM...
GOOGLE “point blank”, it’s an artillery term... simply means a no elevation or windage distance.
A better expression would be “muzzle contact” to 150yds.

 

[Random 8]

Between myself, my wife, and my friend, a lot of deer have been taken inside of 200, mostly inside of 100 with 150 grain flat based soft points. I use Hornady spire point and Speer Hot Core interchangeably as far as terminal results. I simply pick the one that is most accurate. Rifles in question are 2x .308 Winchester, 2x .300 Savage, 1x 30-06 with slightly reduced Garand safe loads, basically .300Sav to .308 speed. All loaded with IMR 4064. I don't trust the Remington core-lokt. Have seen them behave a bit erratically from a couple of hunters at camp shooting factory loads.

I've found the 150 flat bases to be easy to find a good load for and mighty effective on deer. Have never had a complaint from a deer I shot with one. I do step down the velocity just a tad in the .308 and 30-06. They can get a little violent on the meat if you step them too fast. Seems about 2600-2700 is the sweet spot. Still plenty flat and plenty of oompa left at 200.

 

[AKElroy]

I generally load whatever the rifle likes to shoot best. Deer tend to fall for any of it. Fortunately, my deer getter loves 150 gr remmy Corlokt. $17-$18 bucks a box is hard to beat.

 

[jmorris]

Years ago I was invited to hunt a friends place and long story short wound up putting 3, 150 grain core-lokt Remington round into a 3.5” circle on a buck before he ran in a big circle right back to the spot I had shot him in before collapsing. The first shot he didn’t move, the second he shook a little like he was trying to get flys off him.

I figure it was an anomaly but that’s the last time I used them.

Partitions have always given me good results.

 

[35fan]

I'm banking on the Barnes 130gr tsx in my Gunsite carbine

 

[entropy]

150 or 165 Partitions. I've killed deer with both under 100 yards, and the expansion was picture perfect.

 

[Picher]

I've been very impressed with the Nosler Accubond and wouldn't hesitate to use the 130s in my .270 Win for deer. The 150s would probably be best in the .308.

I had some Nosler Ballistic Tips that were too fragile for use in my .270 Win, blowing up on a small deer at about 60 yards, but never had a problem with them in the '06. My son swears by Rem Core-Locts and has done well with them over many years. The new Winchester "Deer Season" ammo also looks really good, so far.

 

[DKSDonnie]

Hello all...
Just wondering what your go to bullet would be for shorter range hunting of white tail deer. Specifically from a .308 Winchester with a 18'' barrel. My definition of short range: Point blank to 150 yards. Looking for bullets or load data with the bullets (if you want to supply it), as I am hand loading for this new adventure! I've used SGK from a .30-06 with mixed results, wondering if a flat base would be better than a boat tail. Thanks in advance!
RH

For what it's worth, 150 grain bullets have been the go to bullets for 308, 30-06, even the 30-30 since I can remember. Slower velocities require softer bullets like Core Lokt's and/or Sierra Gamekings. The question is for handloading for whitetail deer at 150 yd max distances which means most shots will be under 100 yds. At 150 yds I see no benefit from boattail bullets and from what I read, the Sierra Pro hunters are flat based and are a little tougher than the boattails. I see no need for PARTITION BULLETS or bullets any bigger than 150 grains to do what you asked. 165 grain? 180 grain? Partition? You are trying to harvest WHITETAIL DEER at an average of 100 yds not Rhino's at 600 yds. I think that's why many hunters complain about certain calibers that don't perform as they desire. They are using the wrong bullet combo for the game they are taking, at the speed and distances they are taking said game at. As others have mentioned, you could prob walk into any gun store and buy a box of Remington 150 grain Core Lokt's and kill any deer u see up to 150 yds and it would prob cost less than reloading them. Just a thought. I use Nosler Accubonds for both of my WSM"s because I need a bonded/tougher bullet for the higher magnum speeds. I'm going to unload both just for these reasons. They are overkill and cost me more money to reload because of the need for tougher bullets and other components.

 

[entropy]

You are trying to harvest WHITETAIL DEER at an average of 100 yds not Rhino's at 600 yds.

I think I'd prefer solids for Rhino, and closer than 600 yards.

Maybe you have Texas sized whitetails down there in Maryland. Truthfully, I use 55 gr. Ballistic Tip Varmints in .223 for deer, but why not use the best bullet? I'm trying 60 gr. Partitions this year. That's why I started reloading .30-06, to match the load to the game, both bullet and velocity-wise. I loaded lighter than those factory 150 Cor-Lokt's because I was shooting a 742 Carbine and I didn't need the fireball factory ammo gave me. (Plus it beats those 742's up, and they don't hold up well to a pounding.) I used IMR 3031 and a 150 Partition going 2650 or so for my deer load for years. The bullets I recovered looked and performed just like the perfect mushrooms in the ads. At the range I've shot most of my deer at a .22 LR would have sufficed, but a bit overgunned is better than undergunned. Not every shot opportunity is perfect, and not everybody is willing to pass up less-than-perfect shots. Having a 200 grain bullet screaming out at 3000 is no substitute for accurate or ethical shooting, but erring on the side of a few extra ft/lbs. isn't all bad, either.
I do agree with you that a 150 out of a .308, '06, or .30-30 doesn't have to be screaming along to do the job on deer.

 

[DKSDonnie]

I think I'd prefer solids for Rhino, and closer than 600 yards.

Maybe you have Texas sized whitetails down there in Maryland. Truthfully, I use 55 gr. Ballistic Tip Varmints in .223 for deer, but why not use the best bullet? I'm trying 60 gr. Partitions this year. That's why I started reloading .30-06, to match the load to the game, both bullet and velocity-wise. I loaded lighter than those factory 150 Cor-Lokt's because I was shooting a 742 Carbine and I didn't need the fireball factory ammo gave me. (Plus it beats those 742's up, and they don't hold up well to a pounding.) I used IMR 3031 and a 150 Partition going 2650 or so for my deer load for years. The bullets I recovered looked and performed just like the perfect mushrooms in the ads. At the range I've shot most of my deer at a .22 LR would have sufficed, but a bit overgunned is better than undergunned. Not every shot opportunity is perfect, and not everybody is willing to pass up less-than-perfect shots. Having a 200 grain bullet screaming out at 3000 is no substitute for accurate or ethical shooting, but erring on the side of a few extra ft/lbs. isn't all bad, either.
I do agree with you that a 150 out of a .308, '06, or .30-30 doesn't have to be screaming along to do the job on deer.

Yes sir, if you shoot a 130 lb deer after you gut it, you've shot a nice deer in Maryland. Plus, deer in Maryland don't stand around long to get their pictures taken. For many years I shot many deer with .222 shooting 52 grain boattail hollow points and it would drop them in their tracks as long as you had the broadside lung shot or neck shot and of course the powerful head shot. Exactly why I won't take out anything less than a .270 is because like you said. You don't always get that picture perfect shot. You do have to take out a shoulder once in a while. I do agree that a little too much is always better than not enough. I'd rather lose some meat than lose a deer anytime. I saw a video the other day where a hunter was using a .325 WSM with 220 grain bullets for whitetail deer at 150 yds ranges. He shot a deer at less than 100 yds and knocked the deer down and it got up and walked away never to be found. Talk about using overpower to substitute for accurate and ethical shooting.