What is in your opinion the best allround bullet weight for a .308 winchester

What do you think is the best all round bullet weight for a .308 bolt action?

  • 110

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 125

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 150-155

    Votes: 32 31.7%

  • 165-168

    Votes: 64 63.4%

  • 180

    Votes: 5 5.0%
  • Total voters
    101
  • Poll closed .
M

micksis86

New member
So as the thread suggests I'm trying to decide on one bullet that will do pretty much every thing (I acknowledge that some weights will be better for some things than others).
It's for a bolt action rifle so please take that into consideration.
I guess it's in the theme of the Ruger guide gun the rifle that is able to do everything with a bullet weight to match.

Thanks
 
The 168 was designed for 300 meters. I have had good luck with it out to 600 yards. It can reach out to 1000 but the 175 has the advantage at those distances.
 
For a bolt gun I would stick with the 168's, it's a better long-range bullet than the 150's... going with the theme of 'bolt-gun, jack of all trades.'

I shoot them in my 16" barreled M1a, they are typically more accurate than the 150's at 100yds; I've not launched them further, yet, to see how the accuracy holds out at 200yds and beyond.
 
This will cause some controversy but I don't think a .308 is a 300 yard elk catridge. A 300 Win Mag IS a 300 yard elk cartridge.
 
I have mainly used 150 grain pointed soft points for most of my hunting with my .308. I tried 180 grain bullets a number of years ago, but I couldn't secure a regular supply, & I didn't really notice a difference in knock down power, so reverted to the 150 grain & have used them ever since.
I've used the 150 grain .308 on Water Buffalo, Scrub Bulls, Elk, Brumbies, Sambar Deer, Red Deer, Fallow Deer, Goats, Pigs, Kangaroo, Dingo, Fox ,Hare , Rabbits & crows.
The 150 grain .308 has worked for me hunting deer in thick bush where I have taken several at 10 yards. I have also used the 150 grain .308 to varmit shoot rabbits at distances of 300 to 400 yards.
I've been tempted to try 165/168 grain bullets in the past, but because of supply issues over the years, I'll be sticking with the 150 grain psp. They seem to work as an all round bullet for me.
 
What bullet (and load) shoots best out of your rifle? And, what are you going to be shooting? paper? varmints/light game? heavy game? all?

The 168 is a target bullet. The 150 is general use, 180 for max penetration, and 165 is a good compromise between the two.

Also, how good is good enough? A rifle that shoots 2 MOA is good enough for deer and other big game at any range you ought to be shooting game at, but won't win 600yd matches, most likely.

Most rifles will shoot different weight bullets to different places, sometimes several inches different at 100yds. Some rifles will put them fairly close together, others won't. You should try out all available weights in your rifle, THEN think about which one is best.

As to which one will be best for 300yd elk? The one you can make clean shots with. A 150gr hunting bullet will do the job, if you put in the right place. A 180 will carry through a bit better, but it still has to hit the right place. 3inches high at 100 will put you about 8-9 inches low at 300 (depending on the exact load). And then there's the wind to consider, which can put you off by quite a bit if you don't judge it right. Your skill compensating for wind, as well as drop can make the difference between a clean kill, a clean miss, a minor wound, or a gutshot elk.

Mostly I shoot 150s, and 165s, and sometimes 180s. If your rifle shoots them well, the 125-130s make dandy pest bullets (for larger pests;)).

Try some of each, and see what you and your rifle like best.

There is no magic bullet, btw....
 
I know of a 14 yr old kid who took his first 2 elk at approx 300 yds,broadside rib /lung shots,with a 165 ballistic tip and approx 45+gr Varget.
What I have found is nice,the 168 Nosler Match Custom Competition is a good,accurate reasonably priced range bullet.

For deer and antelope,etc,that 165 Ballistic Tip is accurate and kills well.This last antelope showed a good wound channel,and at the 537 yds it was hit,velocity was around 1800 fps.She hit the ground dead.

A nice option is the 165 Accu-bond,same as a Ballistic tip,but bonded core and heavier jacket.That would be my choice for elk.

Of course,you'd need to confirm in your rifle,but we have found they take the same charge of Varget(or RE-15),and shoot to the same place,and have essentially identical trajectories.
 
We talking hunting? Match? Favorite bullet?

In my case it's the berger 175gr BT LR and would be the 185gr if i could put it down range faster..
 
Well as the thread title mentions it's the best all round bullet weight.
Obviously match bullets will be more accurate and heavy bullets will get better penetration but what weight is adequate for everything.

Like if you were going to use one bullet weight for .308 what would it be?

I'm not necessarily talking types of bullet but if it helps it's in terms of hunting.

As i said think of it as if the ruger gunsite scout rifle is the rifle that is adequate (not perfect but adequate) for everything what is the best bullet weight to match that ability to do a variety of tasks?

44AMP I understand that every rifle will prefer different bullets but i'm not talking about a specific rifle really I'm talking more about the projectile weights that will achieve a variety of task I'd imagine that most factory 1:10 bullets will stabilise up to 165gr.
 
Best all around, make me pick one weight, is the 165 grain bullet. That's what I load and shoot, I've tried heavier and lighter, but the 165 is the best jack-of-all-trades.
 
I hunt with 150gr and it has always done the job effectively. Any thing larger than a whitetail and I'd opt for something in the 165gr range.
 
:Dfor best all around weight well, I have to go with 165-168. Why? Because Hornady has them available as a BTSP (hunting), SST (hunting), and A-Max (match). Plus my Tikka and my wife's X-bolt likes them.:)
 
I'm gonna go a bit heavier, although I will say we didn't go any further with load development beyond the 168 and 175 SMK's.

The 175's shot better than the 168's- and since they would group into 1/2" with Varget, we quit while we were ahead.
 
I would say 165gr. They did an article in a magazine several years ago about which 30 caliber bullet was better between the 150gr, 165gr, and the 180gr bullets, though I don't remember the cartridge they performed the test with. As it turned out at distance, and I don't remember how far, the 165gr bullet had a flatter trajectory and hit harder than either of the other 2.
 
I voted for 168 and in my .308 it happens to be a very good choice, but I would have voted for a 175 if that was available as an all around because it seems to stabilize better and stay true when shooting at longer range.

But all around, the 165-168 is a reasonable choice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top