Your favored 7.62x51mm/308 defensive cartridge

[fragout]

I seen a thread about 5.56mm, so I figured I would ask the same thing, but with 7.62x51mm/308 in mind.

What load of the above caliber is your preferance for a defensive load?

EDIT:

Only interested in 7.62x51mm/308 for the purpose of this thread. Please leave all others out, as my intention has not to do with comparisons of other calibers.
Thanks.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Any one that goes bang will get the job done.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I cant see any .308 cartridge being considered a great defense round if you are talking close quarters unless you live out in the boondocks where it don't matter where the bullet goes after it penetrates two or three walls. as for defense in combat, fmj have always been used, but for me I would want a jhp.

 

[303tom]

Same thing I use on White-tail or anything else a JHP.................

 

[splithoof]

Remington 180 JSPC (as they used to say "the deadliest mushroom in the woods"). Well, bullet technology has come a ways since then, but it should still work very well, at about half the price of the premium offerings.

 

[50 Shooter]

Glaser blue, you did say defensive.

 

[back40]

defense from what?

 

[Reloadron]

While I never entertained the thought of using a 308 Winchester or for that matter a 223 Remington as a defensive (as in home defense) I guess if I did (for reasons I'll never understand) I would use any good hunting bullet like a PSP or JHP flavor in 160 to 180 grain weight class.

Ron

 

[yzguy87]

7.62/308 packs some energy. Id say any decent hunting bullet would do the job (and do it very well too).

 

[AKElroy]

My .308 loves 150 gr. remmy corloked. It is cheap, and drops deer like Thor's hammer. Regularly shoots sub MOA out of my weather warrior.

 

[ACP]

For SHTF any 147-150 gr. surplus should do, for animals, what AKElroy said.

 

[Geno]

I like my 165 grain, hollow point, Sierra Game Kings, over 46 grains of Varget. They are 0.75" accurate at 100 yards in my m70s, and they feed reliably in my M1As.

Geno

 

[Robert101]

For self defense I favor the lighter 150 grain bullet in either FMJ or SP. I really don't mind the penetration of the FMJ for self defense. If someone pulls out a 308 for self defense then it is likely that penetration will be more of an asset than a problem. If not, then that little .224 just might do the trick at close ranges.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

If I had to use my 308, my choice would be my Extreme Shock 160gr SW. FPS= 985 and Ft#'s= 344. Short range/CQ.

 

[fragout]

A list of my current favorite factory loads I have used.

Fed XM80C 149gr
Win Q3130 147gr
Fed (AE) 168gr OTM
Fed (Vital shock) 165gr SGK
SSA 168gr OTM
Win 168gr BST
Black Hills (gold) 168gr TSX
Fed XM118LR 175gr
Fed 168gr GMM

 

[ZGunner]

Any one that goes bang will get the job done.

I'd have to agree with this. Assuming this defensive shot will be within 20 ft, as long as you can hit something you'll have your desired effect.

 

[jonnyc]

+1
Is this really a serious question? If you have the need of any rifle for a particular defense situation, the problem is now well beyond bullet choice.

 

[DeMilled]

I think about the best you are going to find are the Reduced Ricochet Limited Penetration, Winchester PDX1, or a Hornady TAP.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/components/mle-tactical-bullets/mle-rrlp-bullets/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44ZI-a6oI9c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p8C3VmTYtE

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/308-win-tap/110-gr-tap-urban


Military type Ball Ammo will go through plenty of walls.

Ammo designed for expansion will not.

Buy the proper rounds and 308 for defense can be counted on to stop the
threat very well and penetrate fewer walls than 45 ACP JHP.

 

[fragout]

After reading a similar 3 page thread regarding 5.56mm defensive ammo, I was impressed by the work put into it by the various members here that contributed to that thread. ( A good read by the way)

I was simply hoping for similar results in regards to 7.62x51mm.

Thanks to the folks that contributed here.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I would not use 7.62x51 as an intended home defense or even urban defense environment. Out in the wild, if you hit him you are pretty much going to do the job.

I love 5.56 for home defense and police work since it performs so poorly on construction material. I keep a shotgun for home defense but if my house were more crowded (a goal of mine), I would probably use a 16" AR loaded with Winchester Ranger 64-grain Power-Points. They are excellent in flesh and won't even penetrate a single layer of 5/8 drywall.

These drywall tests are very interesting: http://how-i-did-it.org/drywall/test-parameters.html

I would not use a short barrel AR unless it was a 300 BLK using 22/30 cal sabots like the old Remington Accelerator loaded to .223 like velocities.


If I absolutely had to use an AR-10 vs an AR-15 for home defense (like if I was in some God-forsaken place like Maryland), I'd load up some sabots with Power-Points. The faster the better.

 

[ElToro]

I have a few mags of 155 TAP ready to go in my m1a scout and grab and go. Then after that some various hunting rounds. After thats gone then 147 FMJ for everything else

 

[Ignition Override]

For use in my Spanish FR8, "non-imitation scout rifles" (i.e. Ruger), anything works.

 

[TRUTH ABSOLUTE]

Hornady TAP URBAN. think there are a couple in 308. Popular in law enforcement circles. I use this one currently.
http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/308-win-tap/110-gr-tap-urban

 

[herkyguy]

I've seen Hornady TAP down to 110 grain and then heavy stuff in the neighborhood of 168 grain. but for the most part, my .308 shooting is 150 grain because it's cheap and available.

 

[HankC]

If you don't want the bullet go thru wall after wall and hit the neighbor next door, the German plastics training ammo will be a better 308 home defense ammo if 308 bolt gun is the only weapon you have. I would not use a 308 for anything home defense!