Best 308 Bullet

Mossy2024

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Nov 3, 2024
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What is the best 308 bullet for deer?

I lost a deer with shot with 150 grain hornady American whitetail at 100 yds. There was only small drops of blood and then nothing
 
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Typical short range whitetail stuff I’d probably look at 150 nosler ballistic tips. A little further shots possible maybe 168 Sierra TMK.
 

Robobiss

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Jan 3, 2024
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I like the 150 NBT.

But there’s nothing wrong with the bullets you’re shooting and the distance you’re shooting them at. If you lost the deer, it was almost definitely because you didn’t shoot it in the lungs. 99.99% of the time if you put that bullet from 100 yards at 308 velocities in front of the diaphram of a whitetail it will result in a dead deer, very quickly.

Have you shot your rifle since? Whats the zero look like? Are you 100% confident in the sight picture at the moment the rifle went off?
 

BKM

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May 5, 2024
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My 308 liked a 165sst

Pretty dramatic kills that almost all had exits.
 

CJ19

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What is the best 308 bullet for deer?

I lost a deer with shot with 150 grain hornady American whitetail at 100 yds. There was only small drops of blood and then nothing

The list of 308 bullets that perform well on whitetails is too long to list. The hornady bullets you are using have been proven time and time again to be dynamite on whitetails. My family and hunting group uses a wide range of bullets including factory hornady to kill many many whitetails without issue. If you are placing your shot correctly and nothing circumstantial such as brush occurs the hornady factory loads in 308 you are using will easily perform against every game animal in north america at 100 yards.

If you want to try a different brand, remington core lokts are a cost effective alternative. You simply do not need 100$ per box bullets to kill whitetails efficiently at 100 yards. If you want them...get some partitions, ballistic tips, sst, etc. You will flatten deer with those.
 

KenLee

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What is the best 308 bullet for deer?

I lost a deer with shot with 150 grain hornady American whitetail at 100 yds. There was only small drops of blood and then nothing
That's a fine whitetail round.
Move to a 165 gr SST Superformance if it makes you feel better
 

Ditt44

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Mar 30, 2023
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With just a few drops of blood, either too low or too far back is my first guess. I would check zero before doing anything. The Winchester you mention is not different than dozens of standard .308 ammo. I have used 150 grain Core-Lokts since the 80s, my dad since...forever in a Rem 760 carbine.

Most likely not your bullet, but where it hit the deer. Even if you did hit lungs, a high hit could have left you little blood and a dead deer 100 yards away.
 
Joined
Sep 29, 2021
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If the shot execution was good, the rifle proves to still be zeroed, and you've lost confidence with the bullet, there are plenty of other options. Do you reload for this rifle or are you buying factory ammo? For boxed ammo I've had quick incapacitation and short/no distance traveled on a blacktail buck and a bull elk with Hornady black 168 AMAX.
 

S-3 ranch

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I shoot Norma 150 oryx In .308, but just about any brand and weight
Remington, Winchester, federal, Norma , Barnes ttsx , hornday .
Have proven time and again lethal on white tail and mulie
A shot placement in chest or neck is the important part
I bet you missed the lungs or CNS
Brisket or gut shot
 

ELKOHUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
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May 4, 2019
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For a soft tip those hornady whitetail rounds hit hard.... for a polymer tip Barnes ttsx.
 

bnsafe

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Feb 24, 2012
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i shoot 165 gr nosler ballistic tips. If I do my part the deer does not go far.
 

Ron.C

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Jan 25, 2021
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Vancouver Island British Columbia
Have to agree with those above that have already eluded to shot placement.

That said, what is best 308 bullet for whitetail at 100 yards???? How many deer have been killed in the last 60 years with cheap Remington core lokts???

pretty hard to pick a "best bullet" in this scenario when there are so many options that will work just fine.
 
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