Thread: Light 308 Projectiles

I want to load up some light 308 pills for wallabies and possibly Fallow Deer, what would be the best choice from the list below (or any other suggestions) Also I have 2208 powder (long barrel 1:10 twist) which will work, would 2206 be better for the light projectile? or not really worth using 2 different powders.

Sierra 125 SPT
Speer 125 TNT
Hornady 125 SST super shock

The 125 sst with 8208 behind it gets me 2980 out of 18inch barrel great accuracy and awesome on the reds! Has the same 100 yard zero as the 165 sst with 2208.



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Speer 130gr HP would suit and usually shoots very well.

125 Seirras 46gns 2208 out of 20" barrel just under 3K. Used on Thar,Chamios,Reds,Sika and everything else.

The sierra 110 grain m1 carbine bullets ok very well in the 308 too.

About to trial some 110 Hornady Flat base Vmax and Barnes TSX TX also in 110 in the next few weeks as part of a project 30calTerry Happy and I have going on for our short barrel 308 T3 Bushpig's. In search of a good solution for the 308 on lighter boned animals. (Fast and light option)

That amongst a few others like 155 Berger Hunting VLD's and 155 Speer SP's as well Heavier and slower option.... Thanks @ebf! Will check in later with some results.

I agree 7mmwsm I think in my heart the 155's will be the business. But having just sold my 300 Blk I had quite a few lighter 110gr projectiles left to run for this little experiment. (Hornady and Barnes)

Didn't help last trip having one of our party having a fallow run away from a 223 Fiocchi poly tip rounds in the boiler room (hit leg bone breaking it but exiting) at around 200m. Then having to run the animal down and having to dispatch - So the experiment was hatched...

Wanted to look at lighter faster rounds effects, vs heavier rounds (155 and greater) for frangibility, wound channel and stopping power & meat saver power from the 308 platform instead of the 223 we've always relied upon for meat saver neck shots from a heavier platform (308 as all 3 of us had bushpigs suitable for this).

Another Mate also had a factory 7mm corelokt (140/150-ish gr weight) hit the front end of a fallow at about 75m in the boiler room and whilst almost immediate drop - the front end was stuffed with bruising from the hydraulic internal effect of the round.

I also put a 162 amax into a Fallow neck shot on two occasions and round in one case exited and blew out the neck and head almost off good result lights out at 320yrds whilst the second looked perfect lower neck shot but upon butchering it had gone the other way blown out along the spine rearward stuffing the last 4 or so inches of back steaks. The spine section itself was missing about a 3.5 inch section completely gone at the bottom of the neck. Externally there was one bullet entry hole -no exit in the skin.

Over a few beers the experiment was hatched to take a look at light and fast projectiles, and heavy and slow (for a bushpig) from a 308 platform options as an alternate to the 223 in first instance and our long guns (7mm rem mag 300 win mag) that usually accompany us to shoot animals and Gongs respectively.
Can't wait to see the results - going to try both wet phone books (bullet retention) and some ballistic gel recipe that Terry is cooking up.

Also a good opportunity to play with a few options of projectiles and a lab radar and gel for shits and giggles - with a hope of getting to a couple of options for better terminal performance.

Hope that better sets out what we are trying to do..and why!

In my 3006 I used the 125 sierra and 130 Speer HP on goats. They were dynamite! I had been using 165gr sierras but they didn't drop them on the spot. The 125 and 130gr on broadside shoulder shots dumped them down. Damage was impressive. They were no good on texas heart shots, they failed to reach the chest. The 165gr would completly penetrate on a texas heart shot.
On wallabies the 125 or 130gr would be awesome. On fallow meat loss would be high.

Hornady 130sp

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

I would stick with 150 grains. My experience with light for calibre projectiles is ruined meat in light animals and lost animals when a big one turns up unexpectedly.
Bigger projectiles will still kill smaller animals.

a very good load for the .308 on Goats / Fallow is 150grn. Hornadys at 2345fps - originally did the load as a light recoiling option for my son when he stepped up from the .223

meat damage is low, longest kill was +300yds, recoil is tame . . .. sometimes high velocity with light for caliber bullets is not your friend, especially up close.

R

130grn hp speer or 125grn nosler ballistic tip........ both work just fine n dandy on animals you have mentioned and both will tackle something larger IF you pick your shot. we have taken reds with the 125grn ballistic tip at 40ish yards out of the 7.62x39mm with bangflop results from chest shots.

I have loaded up some 125gr speer TNTs so will post back on results. Running 2206h powder out of my 16" tikka bushpig

As expected, no consensus... Some good points though, I hadnt thought about meat damage on deer, in reality if one pops up it will be unlucky for the deer as it is usually wallabies that we are after. Wont hurt to carry a handfull of 155s as well though. I have tried the Hornady 130 SP and they were pretty violent on wallabies but I only had 20, loaded with 47gr of 2208, the only issue with these is that it was slightly compressed and the bullet was into the lands. Not that either of these are really a problem. Based on price I think I will give the Speer 125 a go

ive had good results with speer bullets as far as accuracy goes using hot cores in one of my 6.5s and a 308 and will try them in my 30 06

A mate shot a big sambar with the Speer 130 gr hp. He found the copper and lead base of the bullet under the skin of the opposite side.
Entry wound into the ribs was the size of a lemon, and lungs where (s)mashed. Apparently it ran 40 m before dying. It might not be the recommended projectile for that size of game but it did the job.