.308 Win

[Raptor 1]

Hoping to hunt Colorado this fall and am thinking about using my .308 Win. Looking for some ammo, or load suggestions. I do reload! My first thought was 168gn Barnes TSX. Will be hunting Mule deer, and I might purchase a Bull Elk licenses also. Any help would be greatly appreciated..

R1

[Highpower]

For your Mule Deer, I'd look at the Sierra 165 HPBT Gameking. Performance is excellent. I have a friend that carries these in his 300 Wby for elk and does very well, but I tend to lean towards the TSX for elk for the deeper penetration. Just my $.02

[early]

b4 my Dad moved outta state ta retire; he used a 308 win ta harvest several elk and deer. i think he used 165 gr hornady interlock spp's. but after he dumped his re-loading equipment he switched to hornady light mag factory loaded 165 gr... i use a 30-06 with 180gr sp's and comparing wound chanels and effectiveness (as in how quick the animal droped) i could see no difference in the two. im strictly an amature; but in over 10 years i never had ta track any of his elk. they fell close ta where they were shot.

early

[oldelkhunter]

.308 will bounce off an Elks Ribs


165 TSX or 180 partition or similar bullet well constructed bulletwill do the trick. A deer bullet will expand tooooooooooo fast .

I worked up a 168gr TSX load for my 308 for those thoughts. Just hit the mule deer thru both shoulders, and the TSX will rib thru em. I am not overly confident in the tsx on deer. Seen wounds that make me wonder.

[James B]

BC I know what you mean. Just using the original X bullets, the wounds on deer just never impressed me. Most however went down pretty fast. Of their ability to Penetrate, there is no doubt.

If I were going after Elk with my 308, I would load the 180 Grain Partition with total confidence. Another bullet that does not get much attention in the 308 is the 190 Grain Hornady BTSP. I used to load them for steel silhouettes but they were also extremely effective on all big game Deer, Bear and Moose. This, even though theywere only loaded to 2400-2450 fps.

[oldelkhunter]

also extremely effective on all big game Deer, Bear and Moose. This, even though theywere only loaded to 2400-2450 fps.

Thats not fast enough for big game ..you need at least 3300 to get that bullet going

[Solitary Man]

The TSX would be my choice. Has worked very well for me on smallish southern whitetail deer. Had one run about 20 yards, but that was the farthest.

[Raptor 1]

bigcountry,

If you don't mind, what was your recipe for the 168gn TSX?

R1

I will have to go home and see. I know I used 4064. Will get back to ya. Wasn't awesom accuracy but ok. I finaly got 1.5MOA accuracy.