.308 load suggestions

[PJ3]

I am interested in working up a good .308Win load for both black bear and whitetail. I have been leaning toward 180gr bullets and I think I would like to try the Barnes Triple Shock, Hornady Interbond, CT Partition Gold, or the Speer Grand Slams. Anyone use these or have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.
PJ3

[Rocky Raab]

Those are all very good bullets indeed. If you go with the Barnes, drop back to a 150-grainer, though. As an all-copper bullet, they are VERY long for their weight and a 180 would be really tough to get into a .308 case with any powder space left at all. You needn't worry about performance - I bet you never recover a TSX from an animal, even if you shoot one lengthwise.

Use only Barnes data for Barnes bullets. That long bearing surface changes how loads react.

With any of those bullet choices, I'd look hard at Reloder 15 powder. It really shines in the .308. Varget is another great choice, and with the 180 grainers, so is W760.

Not to throw a wrench into it, but I have always found 150s or 165s to be optimum in the .308. Any of the bullets you mention are more than needed for black bears or whitetail, but you will certainly get premium performance from them. My favorite .308 deer bullet (whitetail or muley) has been the plain Jane Hornady #3031 150 softpoint. Hasn't failed me in over 30 years of hunting. I load it to a moderate 2700 fps and make one-shot DRT kills with it. If I wanted more than perfection, I'd just substitute a 150 Nosler Partition.

[Jack]

I think Rocky's given you excellent advice.
I've used a 308 (among other rifles) for deer since 1971. The bullet I have used since the beginning is a 165 grain Nosler Partition, and I've never had reason to change. The first shot has always worked, from any angle.
I have only been able to recover 1 expanded bullet using the 165 Partition, and that bullet penetrated 33 inches, including some bone, so I doubt you need a heavier bullet.
Rocky's listed some good powders to look at. I would add AA2520 powder to that list.

[PJ3]

I decided to try the 150gr Barnes Triple Shock. I purchased some to work up loads with. I am leaning towards Varget as my powder choice. Anyone have any pet loads. Thanks.

[Rocky Raab]

The biggest problem with the Barnes company is that they keep coming out with new bullets faster than they can develop load data for them. So their books are always obsolete.

However, they say that one can use original X-bullet data for the TSX and be safe. You might even be able to go one or two grains above book max for the X, but the printed X data will be safe as is. Do NOT use data for the coated bullets, only the original non-coated non-grooved X-bullet.

For the .308, my book doesn't list Varget, but it does give data for IMR and H4895 and IMR 4064, which are almost identical to Varget. For the 150-grainer, start at 41.0 and max is 44 to 45.0.

Do clean the rifle completely before you shoot Barnes bullets, and try not to mix other bullets in until you finish shooting the Barnes (due to the hardness difference between copper and jacket material). And do seat the Barnes bullets well off the lands, 0.050 being the Barnes recommendation.

[PJ3]

Here is what I got from Barnes for the 150gr TSX BT, see what you think.

Varget Min 43.5 @ 2681fps and Max 48.0 @ 2912fps

H4895 (most accurate load) starts at 42.5gr (2701fps) and max is 45.0gr at 2854fps.

On the info from Barnes, load density is listed. For Varget it is 105% and H4895 it is 99%. What do they mean by load density?

[Rocky Raab]

Usually it means how much the case is filled. That's not the proper definition, but that's how most reloaders use the number.
A 100% fill means the bullet just touches the top of the powder when the bullet is fully seated.

A 105% means that the load is lightly compressed. That charge would likely come partway up the neck. It's not a problem with most powders. Just seat the bullet slow and smooth.

[moneychanger]

varget,3031,h414,4064,imr4895,all good powders,but for 180s give w748 a try.

you might also try aa2495,and this powder does ok in the 45/70
good luck,dan