Hunting varmits w/.308....

[megasupermagnum]

Not with a cast bullet, but IMR 3031 and a 125 grain Sierra. It's not a load I would use if saving pelts. Exit hole is about fist sized. No worse than an 80 grain bullet in a 6mm. I've heard if you slow these bullets down to 30-30 levels they perform more like a big game bullet. If using cast, I'd use whatever is most accurate. RN, FP, HP, I don't think it will matter. The Lee 170 grain shoots good for me.

[Kimber1911]

I shot a woodchuck at 75 yards with a 300 wsm, it was about 12 feet long after that!

[skeettx]

308 Win, Lyman 311465, Hornady Crimp on Gas Check, Javelina Lube,
20 to 24 grains of 4227
depending on what your gun likes, do a ladder load.

I use LC Match brass and CCI 200 primers

I orient the powder just behind the bullet and easily shoot
5 shot one inch groups at 100 yards

[Minerat]

I shot a coyote with a 110 j word SP once. It kinda looked like the rabbit. Maybe if it had been in the chest it would not have been so distructive. In all honesty it was loaded hot so may have not made any difference. Shot a ground rat (prairie dog) with a 139gr 7mm mag once. Red vapor best describes the result.

Have not tried cast as I have a 17HH that is more powder efficient the 30 cal.

[Tripplebeards]

If it was in the chest you probably could fit a king can loosely in its butt.lol it’s fun to blow up coyotes unless your saving pelts. I’ve sadly wrecked a few kit fox with lead BB’s. I’ve leaned to lead them or just aim a half foot or so in front of their heads even when they’re standing still for less pellet contact.

As much as I like cast I’d tell you if you really want to use it for pelt saving a slow, hard boolit that will poke right through them will cause less damage but I will garantee your going to get runners just like you would be using a FMJ. If you don’t care about pelts 110 gr vmax or 125 gr NBT. Blow em up and slam them to the ground bullets. 60 grain vmax loaded at 2850/2950fps in my 223’s are magic on pelts. You don’t see an entrance and if it exits bullet size entrance to fifty cent sized exits. 70 grain NBT loaded at 3650 FPS out of my 243 is the hammer of Thor just like the 223 round but if you hit a bone in or out you can clap in the hole.

No matter what bullet you use for coyotes I would expect fist sized holes in and or out from a 308 more often than not unless it’s slowed way down which defeats the purpose being your going to get runners. After all they’re just dirty coyotes, blast away!...and post some pics. What ever boolit you choose to use will work because imo a 308 is overkill.

[dlbarr]

What is the twist of the barrel? that would help for some one to help you better.

THAT is a great question...I do not know. It is one of the NEF replacement barrels made for the now-out-of-business-and-out-of-production NEF Handi Rifle.

[seetrout]

I would start here if I were you. Lots of good info in this sticky.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Rifles-Article

[longbow]

I haven't used it on a critter but my Mihec 316410 130 gr. HP from my .303 blows up milk jugs full of water pretty impressively to 100 yards anyway. I haven't shot it further. I have the plain base version so velocity is limited but so far accuracy and destruction have been quite impressive. I have some a friend cast that are GC base so will push those harder and shoot farther.

With the deep HP pin there is little left of a boolit when it hits a milk jug at 100 yards. I stacked 4 up and the boolit was fragmented in the first one with just small pieces penetrating. And remember, that is a PB version at moderate velocity. I'd have to guess that if accuracy was still good to 200 yards that would be about the limit at the lower velocity.

If you want long range shooting you'll be into gas check shank for sure and maybe paper patched. if you are happy keeping ranges under 200 yards that changes things.

As mentioned, the Ness Safety Bullet is another choice and it was designed not to ricochet. it is a close range only boolit though as it is a deep HP wadcutter so poor BC... but it blows up easily! There is a group buy on for that one right now. And there was a group buy recently for the 311410 so Mihec should have some leftovers.

Longbow

[Bigslug]

NOE/Ranch Dog gas check, tumble lube bullet designed specicfically for the .308's neck & standard SAAMI throat:http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...8vt0hmhq417kk7

My understanding is Arsenal Molds makes this one as well.

Can be driven pretty hard, the big meplat displaces rather forcefully, and since the slug was designed specifically for the .308, seating depth for feeding and accuracy has been a no-brainer.. The velocity ceiling isn't as high with cast as jacketed, so compensating with extra mass is not a bad call.

[dverna]

You have a great reason to get a nice little .223 bolt action and have some fun. Buy the 55 gr SP Hornady bullets in bulk (https://www.armorally.com/shop/horna...r-spire-point/) for a cheap but effective bullet that will be more accurate than cast. Cheap brass, not much powder and a range of 250+ yards. With little chance of a ricochet.

Sure, you can make the .308 work with some caveats (reduced range, less accuracy, less expansion, more time needed to make accurate bullets, higher risk of ricochet)....but it is nice to have the right tool. You will never regret acquiring a .223. I know I will never be without one.

[popper]

little chance of a ricochet Why is cast worse than jax? Physics sure doesn't allude to any difference.

[Tripplebeards]

Guess It all depends on the speed and how soft your alloy is. Kinda like a spit wad vs a bowling ball hitting the same target. A lot more energy and the energy to keep on trucking with the heavier boolit imo. If the OP is going to use their 308,like most, which is going to be a couple times at max just to try it who cares. But if you are a die hard varmint and predator hunter jacketed ammo and a smaller caliber is in their future If the OP really is going to shoot prairie dogs at 300/500 yards all day long. A lead boolit on called in coyote at bow range it’s not going to matter. A running coyote at a couple hundred yards be prepaired to lead into the next county and you’ll still hit behind it with a cast load under 2000 FPS. I’ll aim 10’ in from of them on a full run at a couple hundred yards and still hit 2/3 minute of coyote behind them. Don’t want rain on your parade but you have to be realistic with what your plans are. Good luck! Sounds fun. I pondere the same. I have a Ruger 77/44 that shoots sub MOA with cast. Would I use it for my primary varmint and predator rifle. No way in heck. It will be fun to plink a few and them I’ll go right back to my 3800 FPS j words that shoot cloverleaves all day long and is a lazer with no hold over out to 325 yards. I’ll save my cast for plinking, big game, self defense, and occasional varmint and predator hunting...just for kicks...to say it did it. If it were me I’d save up for a 223, 22-250,or 243 and shoot j words for varmints. Now a days you can buy 223 bulk ammo cheaper than you can reload it. Besides this, there is going to be less recoil and flatter trajectory for all day fun shooting. Yes, you can download the 308 but it’s going to so slow you’ll be aimming a county mile above you target at long distances when sighted in close.

[megasupermagnum]

I shot a good number of those blazing fast loads. I shot out my 6mm remington with 58 grain V max's. It was kind of cool having a lazer beam, but it takes it's toll. Copper fouling was horrible, and while it was a used gun, I didn't even get 1000 rounds before the barrel was gone. The throat is gone, it looks like a torch hit it for the first inch.

I've gone to 125 grain bullets in 308 winchester at about 3150 fps. I don't miss the 6mm at all, it just sits in the closet. The difference in drop at 300 yards is negligible to me, maybe a couple inches. Neither was good for pelts, the 58 grain bullets blew a big hole in the entrance, while the 125's blow a big hole on the exit.

I'm not a die hard varmint hunter either, it's just a necessary evil to me to help nesting birds and other animals.

[Tripplebeards]

Yep, those 125 gr 308’s make big mess as well. It seems like there is never a right answer for caliber and bullet choice for saving pelts. That’s why I switched bb shot and a 12 gauge and became a better hunter learning how to call them into arms reach. My average called coyote and harvested lately has been 10 to 25 yards. I do like my lazer beam rifles yotes though. Never have to worry about hold over 99.9% of the time. I’m not a varmint hunter, just predators.

[dverna]

little chance of a ricochet Why is cast worse than jax? Physics sure doesn't allude to any difference.

popper, if you are commenting on my post wrt to the .223, here is the rationale.

The little .224 bullets for varmint shooting are made to expand rapidly. Light jackets and high RPM will reduce the chance of a ricochet. The 50 gr SX and Blitz bullets I used to use in the .222 cannot be driven over 3300 fps (IIRC) as they may not make it to the target.

[bmortell]

well with jacketed you can get compressed powder metal core bullets that are definitely different than a cast lead bullet as far as ricochets. if I didn't have lots of woods behind my house id probably use those for critters instead of cast.

[Mackay Sagebrush]

I have killed all manner of varmints with .308s.

They work fine.

[sixshot]

Many years ago I had a Remington 308 Sendero & a 6.5X20 Leupold on top. Using 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips a Rock Chucks didn' stand a chance inside 400 yds & the launch on impact was pretty impressive. Switching to 168 gr match bullets with prepped brass & 4064 powder & you could should very small groups way out there.
A good 223 is pretty impressive also with the right combination but if you want to save pelts you'll have to choose your bullets wisely..... or do a lot of sewing.

Dick