J-word 125gr 308 Winchester

[petroid]

I have some 125gr Hornady SST J-words I'd like to try in 308 Winchester for a varmint/lower recoil hunting load for my son. Hornady lists max of 47.8gr H4895 and Hodgdon lists a max of 49gr. I am using LC brass and thought I would start at 47gr but the powder is halfway up the neck! At 43gr the powder is not quite up to the neck, so do you think this is a good starting load? And is the LC brass volume that much smaller?

[tomme boy]

44 grs and don't look back

[runfiverun]

Tomme beat me.
43-44 for 125's and 42 for 150's
I have used both I and H type for both loads and usually do well depending on the powder at that point in time.

[petroid]

thanks ill try 43 and 44 and report back

[Old colt]

I think I dropped some down to 40 gr for a lighter load. These were old Speer 125gr hp

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[Lloyd Smale]

ive shot a number of deer with the speer 125 and the hornady sst and 46 grains of 4895. Those two bullets are the only ones that shoot 1moa or close to it in my Kimber montana. Anything heavier is closer to 2 inch. So I was forced into trying them on deer. Found out they work just fine. I haven't lost a deer yet to either of them.

[petroid]

ive shot a number of deer with the speer 125 and the hornady sst and 46 grains of 4895. Those two bullets are the only ones that shoot 1moa or close to it in my Kimber montana. Anything heavier is closer to 2 inch. So I was forced into trying them on deer. Found out they work just fine. I haven't lost a deer yet to either of them.

I've no doubt they will work fine on deer. Two seasons ago, my son used my M91/30 with a 123gr .310" SST at about 2700fps to hammer a six pointer. It was his first buck. He got a .308 Ruger American Rifle for Christmas shortly after but didn't get to go hunting last fall. I have a cast boolit load with the Lee 170gr flat nose at 1800fps that has much less recoil than full .308 loads with this lightweight gun, but this summer we are planning a prairie dog hunt in Wyoming. I was thinking it would be nice for him to be able to use his "deer rifle" with light, fast bullets to vaporize some pasture poodles at much longer ranges than we deer hunt in the woods. Hopefully he can get some practice and familiarize himself with the gun. Also, it would be amazing to see what a 308 bullet will do to a prairie dog, lol.

[petroid]

I think 43gr is it. It grouped better than 44 and recoil was enough that I don't think higher is good.chrono battery dead so I'll check speed later. Top group is 43gr. Bottom 44. 100 yards

[petroid]

Pic got turned sideways. Sorry

[runfiverun]

you got a little stringing with the 44.
a primer change could bring that into a little round hole.

for P-dogs I really like the speer 125gr 'TNT' it has to be their most accurate bullet except maybe their 100gr BT controlled expansion for the 25 cal rifles.

[oldblinddog]

The Speer 125 TNT over 46.0 gr. 8208XBR in .308 is awesome!

[Ateam]

I shot a box or so of the sierra 110g HP at PD's years back. They didnt seem to do much more dammage than my .223 with 40g blitzkings, probably not enough target there to shine, coyotes might be about right. Always thought the light barnes bullet (110 I think, maybe its 125) would be interesting to tinker with.

[petroid]

I had these bullets primers and powder on hand so is what I put together. In all honesty yes it's better suited for coyotes or deer, but he can get some long range practice on small targets with it this summer

[runfiverun]

the Nosler Varmageddon's would probably be awesome on P-dogs in the 308.
I shoot them in my 300 B.O. and they are very accurate and very explosive at it's 2400 fps speed.
I can't imagine how they would do on a P-dog in a 308 [probably just be there then not be there]
I know the Hornady 110 sp's and V-max's are spectacular on the little ground squirrels and rock chucks around here at the same 2400 fps speed.