Thread: Short barrel 308 factory ammo suggestions

Due to being overrun by reponse for a second hand Lefty 308 and not being able to decide which to choose I have bitten the bullet and ordered a new Tikka in 308.
It's getting the chop down to around 16 inch and a dpt overbarrel can.
Any suggestions from you fine knowledgeable gentleman regarding factory ammo for such an animal.
I realize that most here reload but hoped maybe someone had any experience with factory rounds and could perhaps recommend something to try ... and save me having to buy heaps to find one that works....

If you hadn't guessed going for the bushpig thing shooting maybe 250 mtrs max but mostly closer bush ranges.

180grn winchester power points will take care of the sub hundy work....and you will LOVE them..... the recoil shove is LESS than the same in 150s...and terminally they are awesome....
plenty of options for a 100-250yard round...you could do lots worse than federal blue box in 150grn

Used to load 160 ftx with 40gns 2208 in 308 /307 brass for a 16 no4 7.62 for my old mate he shot at least 100 deer out to 250 and reckoned the were brilliant must have been the xtra speed over 33/30 I shoot in 308 with 44 grns and they shoot 1 1/2 but me more than the gun .

I wont recommend $3 a pop hornady after seeing flattened and popped primers from 150grn .308 4-5 out of 40 and holy shit did they boot..... brand new sako rifle being fed that hot of load is borderline criminal....no rhyme nor reason why the 40 loads shouldve been so different either....put me right off EVER trying that brand again.

The 45/70 loves the hornady ftx leverevolution ammo but strangely the 30/30 and 357 don't at all.
Was using the winchester and remington corlokd in the 7mm08 and they were ok but not the smallest of groups but did the job hunting.

Oh...deer pigs n goats....got the 45/70 for bunnies

Belmont 130gr or superperformance seem to be most popular I hear. Personally reload but have heard good things about both from folks with "bushpigs".

I was loading 130gr ttsx for my 14.5” .308, but now I’m shooting sako 165gr gamehead pro. Very accurate out to 500yards for me.


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Sako have made a 150gr now for their softpoint variety. Unsure where you can get it but will be on the cheaper side and should shoot good from your tikka

Originally Posted by mimms2

Well. You're going to have to try a few. Or play the reloading game.
But yeah. start https://belmontammo.co.nz/product/be...-130gr-hp-250/

Anything 123gn-155 will do. You wont be eating much of a goat shot with 308. Meat be bruised from neck to arsehole

Yeah...had that problem with goats with the 7 08 . Why I went to an ar but the kids or missus hopefully will use their smaller calibres for them for meat retention. But being those will be close ranges if with 308 I will neck shoot, should save the meat.

Federal powershok 150g and Belmont both go very well in my 16.5" barrel

Originally Posted by AP13

Federal powershok 150g and Belmont both go very well in my 16.5" barrel

Thanks @AP13 , that's great to know. It sounds like the belmont is popping up alot so might have to give them a go first.

I use sst superformance in my shorty 308 and it goes good 0.7 moa at 200m on the only time I've shot that far with it at targets. Shot animals between 10m and 230m with it and they died so good enough for me. Does do a lot of damage tho so not much of a meat saver if shoulder shooting

I used, and suggest you try the Hornady match loads with the 168gr ELD-M. The reason I suggest that is, due the lowered speeds out of a short .308 you want a projectile that will open up for you and create good wounding through fragmentation. They reliable kill down to 1600fps, and I have happily used them on reds at 2700fps impact velocity. You can happily shoot that bullet at any game at expect good results.
They won’t be going fast, but sighted 3” high at a hundred, you should be no more than 3” low out to about 260yds.

I have found the conventional hunting bullets a bit tough as the velocity decreases.

Allrigh then, factory ammo I have used a lot with good results on game from 22" out to 350-400ymax.
Federal blue box 150gr...just works from the end of your muzzel to 400y in a full lenght barrel if a little messy at bush ranges.
I think the reduced velocity of a shorter barrel would actually make it better if you cut max range down to 300y or so.
Belmont 130gr hollowpoint....fantastic accuraccy out of every 308 I have put it threw.....it is a very frangible projectile with not a lot of sd but picking shots neck or lung it is very effective.....once again I think with the reduced velocity of the shorter barrel I think it would be great at reduced ranges.

from my digging it would appear 2500-2600 fps muzzle velocity even from factory ammo should be realistic which for a bush rifle at shorter ranges should be plenty. It will be my rifle for bush with ....maybe.... the possibility of shooting across a gully out to a longer range. If I know I will be shooting further I take the big boy gun but would like the option of shooting further with a bush rifle and not so confident with the 45 at longer ranges as it is fitted with a pistol dot sight to keep the weight down and just finding it to loud with the family around and where we have been hunting doc lately is popular with trampers would rather not give them a heart attack when that cannon goes off. Really need supressed.
I doubt would rarely be shot out past 100m.