[goofy]

I have had a Remington 750 woodsmaster .308 in stock for a while and decided to keep it for myself.
So I am going to set it up for deer hunting and was wondering what would be a good ammo to use.
What kind,grain would do the job.
I like Hornady ammo(I use it in ALL of my guns except .22)I'm thinking the SST tips but I am not sure.
I never hunted with a rifle for deer(except my .50) I used my dads 30-06 when I was a kid and just used what he gave me and he told me not to shoot at deer under 30 yards unless I head shot it.But never got a shot.
So what I am looking for is a round that I can use up close(sometimes 10 yards+-)and still be able to shoot out to 200 yards with knock down power and max. expansion at all yardage.
Is this possible?
I have allot of time to get it right and wait for the ammo to start to come back in.
I do not reload(but I think I know someone that might do it for me) but would hand loads be the way to go?
Thanks for your help.
Mike

 

[cycloneman]

I like the Hornady sst's myself and the nosler green tips.

I do not deer hunt with anything under 165gr.

So Hornady 165sst's. You can even get the superformance ammo

2nd I dont know if you can still find it but i still have some remington factory with nosler billistic tips again 165 gr.

Dont shoot deer with the 150's.

YOur distance is no problem at all. I have killed antelop with 165 gr sst's at 400 yrds and could push it to 600 if i wanted to.

enjoy

 

[Bigr Bang Thry]

Goofy,

I find the Remington Core-Lokt to be an excellent game stopper. I also use Winchester Silvertips, and Super X . If you want to have someone handload for you, the Hornadt SST is an excellent choice. I would probably start with the 150 gr. SST and maybe Hodgdon BENCHMARK powder. IMR 4064, Hodgdon ball C, and maybe Win 760 would probably work well also. The thing about handloading is that you spend a ton of time (and money) trying different combinations to get the perfect load for your gun. Of course, that's half the fun, but still...

 

[JLA]

For deer Mike, the .308 round would be sufficient in any incarnation from 110 to 190 gr, fmj to fancy plaztik tips.. Truth be told anything with more ass than a .243 will burn clean thru a deer sized animal, even at extended ranges.

I personally use 168 gr Amaxes loaded to 2700 fps from my 20" .308. They are sub MOA and I know i can make a perfect shot, which is what is most important. I favor neck shots, at the base of the skull.

 

[hstout1143]

I've used the 165 gr Nobler ballistic tips for years. With shots being from 75yds to 350yds and the expansion and ability of the bullet to stay together are amazing. I've found all but 2 of the bullets still inside the deer and still intact. All energy is expended in 8-10 inches. My son had a gut shot deer that only made it 150yds after being shot. I can't say enough good things about them.

 

[JLA]

damn. 150 yds gutshot is pretty lucky. I remember tracking one for hours on into the night after benig gutshot by my trigger happy cousin-in-law. We finally found it holed up in a brush thicket clinging to life. We had john finish the job with a .45 to the head. Then a good lecture why we make damn sure of yiur quarry before shooting at it. It wasnt even a legal buck. 4 pointer with about an 8" spread. that thing was just a baby and as symmetrical as could be. he woulda been a damn nice buck someday.

 

[steve4102]

The 308 is a Deer killing machine, just buy some Rem Core Lokt in 150-180gr and enjoy.

 

[aa1911]

I've always used nosler green tip (ballistic tips) in various calibers, for .308 I use the 168gn flavor. Been hearing lots of great things about Barnes TSX bullets but the BT's have been all I need.

but like said, it's .308, doesn't really matter all that much, just about anything out of that sucker will take care of any deer at very respectable distances.

 

[Texxut]

I've taken dozens of deer with the 150grn Nozler Partition in .308, none needed a second shot. But as JLA said, shot placement is the most important factor in a clean kill. My wife has taken many, with her .243 and a 100 grn Nozler Partition bullet. All one shot. Shoot 100 at the range and one in the field.

 

[hstout1143]

damn. 150 yds gutshot is pretty lucky. I remember tracking one for hours on into the night after benig gutshot by my trigger happy cousin-in-law. We finally found it holed up in a brush thicket clinging to life. We had john finish the job with a .45 to the head.

He said he had buck fever, It was his first deer. We waited about 20 minutes to look for it, we would have waited longer but it was getting close to sundown. We went about 50 yards and heard it kicking trying to stand up. When we field dressed it, it's intestines were liquified.

He was shooting a 7mm-08 with a 140 gr ballistic tip.

 

[Zhurh]

I know half dozen people in our community that kill their moose every season with 308s. I've been using my AR-10 in 338 fed, 210 nos parts last couple years,has taken 4 bulls, coming outta the barrel 2600. Picked up a Scar 308 this fall, my new moose gun. I stick with ttsx, gmx, nos parts, accubonds, and sst's;they all work. Been killing caribou and bears with my 6.8 a few years now, 110 ttsx. It's where you hit them more than anything I do believe.

 

[goofy]

Thanks for all the info.
I am setting the 750 up just in case I have trouble using my Beowolf .50 Because of the new laws.
I know I will be able to use the .50 on my land without any trouble but if I want to go else ware to hunt taking it off my land could be a hassle.
When my area went to rifle I did not want to deal with all the trouble of "If I am using a load for 200 yards what do I do if a buck walks out at 10 yards from the brush"so I went with the .50 so I could drop them from just about any distance.Just take a chest shot and they drop.
Now with the new laws I am going with a .308.
So let me see if I get this.
If I am using 165gr sst I will be able to hit the heart at 200 yards to drop him but close I need to go for the neck?because a heart shot will blow right thru(with little expansion) and although it will drop it will run for a while?Which means tracking and dragging long distance?
I don't have any shots over 250 yards (most are 150 yards and under)and most of my shots I get are under 75 yards( this year I had 3 at under 50 yards)1 was under 10 yards.
So now I have to reteach myself not to just go for the heart lung shot.
Or am I wrong and thinking to much?
Will the 165 gr sst drop them at 10 yards with a heart shot?
Or like I said am I over thinking this?
Mike

 

[carver]

You are over thinking it! I took a doe this year with a 150gr. Federal SP. The deer jumped once, and covered maybe 5 yds. That was it. Heart shot.

 

[goofy]

Thanks Carver I thought I was
Mike

 

[Powder Burner]

Ive shot a Truck load of Deer with .308 150 gr soft pt. 165s work well also,.308 is one of the Best Deer cartridges of all time, good luck.