All things .308 Win

[Undrgrndprdcts]

I am now three for three with my .308 WIN and 155 TMK load. I put two into him at about 50 yards. Lots of blood on the surrounding sage brush. Total confidence in this load out to 600ish.

I found the bullet on the off side hide.

What are the rifle setups?

 

[Fireflyfishing]

What are the rifle setups?

Tikka CTR 20” barrel 1:11 twist.
Nightforce ATACR 4-16 SFP.
McMillan stock.
TBAC Ultra 7 can.

 

[BLJ]

Factory CTR barrel?

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Factory CTR barrel?

Affirm. Shoots amazing.

 

[Bcleck90]

Tikka CTR 20” barrel 1:11 twist.
Nightforce ATACR 4-16 SFP.
McMillan stock.
TBAC Ultra 7 can.
View attachment 958230

How do you like the McMillan stock? Any issues or was it drop in? I’m thinking about buying one for my CTR

 

[Bcleck90]

170ish yards
Tikka CTR .308
SWFA 3-9
Fusion 165gr

 

[TxxAgg]

 

[intunegp]

Put three 165gr Accubonds through a bull's lungs/chest and he was still laying there looking at me as I approached. He was still on his feet after the first two. I watched for a few more minutes waiting for him to die and put a fourth through his neck to end it. Both lungs were punctured but definitely not shredded or exploded, one bullet was recovered under the hide on the far side and the other two passed through with very small entries and exits. Not very much blood at all between where he stood and the 20-25 yards away that he laid down.

Common sense tells me the first shot should/could/would have killed him if I just waited it out, but I didn't want to leave the opportunity for a long tracking job and even longer pack out so I kept shooting. After the first hit to the chest that I suspect got both lungs, he was standing still and looking sick, but I didn't want to give him a chance to run.

I was shooting a Sig Cross (16" barrel, 1:10 twist) with Nosler Trophy Grade factory ammo. I know the short barrel isn't maximizing velocity, but is 350 yards really getting into maximum range territory? Prior to this experience I thought I was good out to 450 at least. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing because again, I feel that he would have eventually died from the first shot, but who knows how long it would have taken since he was still alive after about 15 minutes and two more bullets?

Not giving up on my gun or even necessarily the load, but it definitely wasn't a "smoked his ass" feeling even though the shots were good. Two days later I shot a buck at 310 yards and he only ran about 40 yards downhill and left a good heavy blood trail all the way to where he crumpled.

 

[Formidilosus]

Put three 165gr Accubonds through a bull's lungs/chest and he was still laying there looking at me as I approached. He was still on his feet after the first two. I watched for a few more minutes waiting for him to die and put a fourth through his neck to end it. Both lungs were punctured but definitely not shredded or exploded, one bullet was recovered under the hide on the far side and the other two passed through with very small entries and exits. Not very much blood at all between where he stood and the 20-25 yards away that he laid down.

Common sense tells me the first shot should/could/would have killed him if I just waited it out, but I didn't want to leave the opportunity for a long tracking job and even longer pack out so I kept shooting. After the first hit to the chest that I suspect got both lungs, he was standing still and looking sick, but I didn't want to give him a chance to run.

I was shooting a Sig Cross (16" barrel, 1:10 twist) with Nosler Trophy Grade factory ammo. I know the short barrel isn't maximizing velocity, but is 350 yards really getting into maximum range territory? Prior to this experience I thought I was good out to 450 at least. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing because again, I feel that he would have eventually died from the first shot, but who knows how long it would have taken since he was still alive after about 15 minutes and two more bullets?

Not giving up on my gun or even necessarily the load, but it definitely wasn't a "smoked his ass" feeling even though the shots were good. Two days later I shot a buck at 310 yards and he only ran about 40 yards downhill and left a good heavy blood trail all the way to where he crumpled.

Bonded bullet, low impact velocity= narrow wound channels. That is not the bullet that I would choose for a short barreled 308.

Elk have a tendency to stand still or slow walk after the first hit. Someone that knows what they are doing will get multiple hits into them before they fall- it’s not unusual to get 4-6 hits in the chest of elk from large magnums before they go down if the spine or scapulas aren’t hit. Beyond that, if you understand how animals actually expire, you’ll see why an animal that didn’t move stayed on its feet longer than one that ran at the shot.

 

[intunegp]

Bonded bullet, low impact velocity= narrow wound channels. That is not the bullet that I would choose for a short barreled 308.

Elk have a tendency to stand still or slow walk after the first hit. Someone that knows what they are doing will get multiple hits into them before they fall- it’s not unusual to get 4-6 hits in the chest of elk from large magnums before they go down if the spine or scapulas aren’t hit. Beyond that, if you understand how animals actually expire, you’ll see why an animal that didn’t move stayed on its feet longer than one that ran at the shot.

Would an SST or ELD-M perform better? I settled on the Nosler because it grouped the best of several factory ammos that I tried when I first got the rifle, but it also likes the Hornady Superformance line in 165 or 168 grain and I think both of those bullets are available.

I've always shot an elk until it goes down or I can't anymore, but my experience this year just left me wondering if there was room for improvement with ammo. I understand that standing still buys them some time versus running, but I would never watch through my scope on the assumption an elk was dead on its feet.

 

[Formidilosus]

Would an SST or ELD-M perform better? I settled on the Nosler because it grouped the best of several factory ammos that I tried when I first got the rifle, but it also likes the Hornady Superformance line in 165 or 168 grain and I think both of those bullets are available.

Yes they will. I would actually get the Hornady Black 168gr AMAX. If it will shoot, it has better terminal performance than any you have mentioned.

I understand that standing still buys them some time versus running, but I would never watch through my scope on the assumption an elk was dead on it's feet.

Oh absolutely. However most do. I have sat beside “great hunters” as they watch for more than a minute after the elk was hit to go down, then exclaim after it fell- “DRT!” I have also sat there telling some of the same ones on other animals to shoot again, they refuse- and then the animal runs off, and the hunter is dumbfounded.

“Shoot them until they fall and stop trying to get up. Then, stay on them for 5 minutes to make sure they don’t get up”.

 

[intunegp]

Yes they will. I would actually get the Hornady Black 168gr AMAX. If it will shoot, it has better terminal performance than any you have mentioned.




Oh absolutely. However most do. I have sat beside “great hunters” as they watch for more than a minute after the elk was hit to go down, then exclaim after it fell- “DRT!” I have also sat there telling some of the same ones on other animals to shoot again, they refuse- and then the animal runs off, and the hunter is dumbfounded.

“Shoot them until they fall and stop trying to get up. Then, stay on them for 5 minutes to make sure they don’t get up”.

Thanks!

 

[BLJ]

“Shoot them until they fall and stop trying to get up. Then, stay on them for 5 minutes to make sure they don’t get up”.

We’ve had some differing opinions in the past, but I agree completely with this.
Exactly what I do.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Yes they will. I would actually get the Hornady Black 168gr AMAX. If it will shoot, it has better terminal performance than any you have mentioned.

This. I’ve ran this ammo for years in my 308 and it kills the most consistently out of the others I’ve tried. If it shoots in your gun I don’t think you will be disappointed.

I dabbled with the accubonds and just wasn’t impressed with performance across the velocity spectrum. They still kill, I’ve just found better options for me personally.

 

[77TMK]

From a couple years ago during Mississippi's whitetail season. Using a my older rig which was a 16.5" T3X Lite Compact cutdown and SiCo Omega. Load was 155 ELD-M in annealed LC brass with 45.3 gr Varget and a CCI LRP. MV in that weather was around 2640 FPS, and impact on this ~100 lb doe was just shy of 1900 FPS at 435 yards. Had a depression behind a field wall I could freely watch from and saw her enter the field, as I was intentionally looking for a long shot that day. Dialed about 2.6 mils and held a third for a very faint wind and waited for her to try some leftover corn. Shot shattered entry shoulder and exited a little higher with a jet of blood. Nowadays I've moved onto 223 Rem in an AR, but looking to bring this barreled action back with a Bravo and NX8 2.5-20

.

 

[sierracharlie338]

From a couple years ago during Mississippi's whitetail season. Using a my older rig which was a 16.5" T3X Lite Compact cutdown and SiCo Omega. Load was 155 ELD-M in annealed LC brass with 45.3 gr Varget and a CCI LRP. MV in that weather was around 2640 FPS, and impact on this ~100 lb doe was just shy of 1900 FPS at 435 yards. Had a depression behind a field wall I could freely watch from and saw her enter the field, as I was intentionally looking for a long shot that day. Dialed about 2.6 mils and held a third for a very faint wind and waited for her to try some leftover corn. Shot shattered entry shoulder and exited a little higher with a jet of blood. Nowadays I've moved onto 223 Rem in an AR, but looking to bring this barreled action back with a Bravo and NX8 2.5-20

.

 

[igethangry]

Form 4 got approved this week. My first can and it’s an absolute dream to shoot. Spotting impacts better than with my bare muzzle 13.5lb 6.5CM… Should have done it sooner, but glad I finally made the leap. Sitting at 7.7lbs now. I’m hoping it will stay under 8lbs with a gen 2 SWFA 6x and UM rings. Looking at ~2730fps with 150gr bullets and Varget. I might try to hit 2750, but I don’t really need to for my at home hunting distances. Mirage was pretty bad from 5+ round strings so I ordered an LS wild suppressor cover.

 

[BLJ]

Swapped scopes and went to some taller rings.
I think that will work for this deer season.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

View attachment 963686
Form 4 got approved this week. My first can and it’s an absolute dream to shoot. Spotting impacts better than with my bare muzzle 13.5lb 6.5CM… Should have done it sooner, but glad I finally made the leap. Sitting at 7.7lbs now. I’m hoping it will stay under 8lbs with a gen 2 SWFA 6x and UM rings. Looking at ~2730fps with 150gr bullets and Varget. I might try to hit 2750, but I don’t really need to for my at home hunting distances. Mirage was pretty bad from 5+ round strings so I ordered an LS wild suppressor cover.

I have the same can on my 308 it’s makes a big difference staying on/getting back on target with a gen 1 6X Swfa, even seated with no rear support

LS wild cover cuts mirage significantly I run 10+ round string and keep a good sight picture

 

[TxxAgg]

Small pig wasn’t much of a test for 168 eldms. They were running through some brush at maybe 70 yds. He was a DRT with lots of blood splatter and a large exit.

The dog really enjoyed the fresh hooves

View attachment 960495