308 loads

[Ghurka]

Hi all,

just put in for my .308 variation, its going to be my dedicated deer rifle(mainly roe/Fallow) so I am after any tips for bullet/powder choice.
I have had good results with sierra bullets for my .223, so has anyone got any recipes for these?

[deershooter]

45 grains of varget with any 150grain bullet works well with mine

Deershooter

[GAZZAR15]

45 grains vit 540 sierra 155g palma match very accurate!!

[flims]

what rifle will you be loading for?

[dpile1]

Have a wee look through these mate

[zigliss]

43gr N140; 167gr Lapua Scenars - seems to work reasonably well in my 308s

[223AI]

Unbelievable the amount of people suggesting target bullets for a deer load

[Tikka223]

I use 44g N140 with 165g Sierra gamekings (spitzer or Hollow points) in Sako's (85 varminter and TRG) for Fallow and Roe. They group hole on hole at 100 , I've used this load for 10 year's plus .

[Parabuteo]

Unbelievable the amount of people suggesting target bullets for a deer load

More worryingly an unbelievable number of people offering "pet loads" without the slightest inkling about the rifle they will be fired in, brass type or primers.

To the OP.

IF you buy second hand ask to try the rifle yourself and ideally with the hand loads the current owner is using, then take their load data as a start point if the cases are not showing signs of over pressure and the load groups well.

Or at the very least ask to see some test targets and empties.

Decide on the bullet you want to start with (probably only be a weight to start with) and see whether you can source them and a suitable powder readilly. With .308 the world is your starfish, but you need to be able to get hold of the components.

Then look at the manufacturers load date fro the powder, they pretty well all publish this on line now.

A good low cost and available powder is the Ramshot range, tac and wildboar meter particularly well. RS52 is a great .308 powder that produces good velocity while being less spiky than the usual culprits like N140. Both of these powders are available.

[223AI]

More worryingly an unbelievable number of people offering "pet loads" without the slightest inkling about the rifle they will be fired in, brass type or primers.

Indeed, half these loads would cause real pressure in my aged .308!!