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Hunting & Fishing .308 and Predator Hunting

DAEgg

Private
Minuteman
Dec 31, 2011
7
0
38
Mankato, Minnesota
I'm going to be getting a new rifle here soon and it will be a .308. Just curious if anyone has tried light grain accurate rounds in this caliber for predators. I have a .223 AR and .243 but this will be set up for more long range primarily.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

Haven't tried it personally, but I have been assured that the lighter TAP loads work well.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

i wondered the same thing and from what I've read the 110's should fly just fine and really screw up a coyote's day.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

You've got a .243 and you want to use a .308 for long range? That seems a bit bass ackwards to me.

Which bullet weight are you looking to try and what distance are you considering "long range"?
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

Im with cbass. If you have a 243 use it. Ive been shooting coyotes with a 155g lapua out of a 308 for years. I just went down to a wildcat 243. The bullet has a lot better bc and i can push it several hundred fps faster. It a good little round.
Xdeano
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

I have used subsonic 308 loads for fox and they did fine, no pelt damage. 175SMK @ 1030fps, in and out 30 caliber hole. If you want to blow shit up far away, the 243 is going to be the ticket.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

I often wonder why people want to go through all the work of finding, tuning or purchasing a different load for predators or varmints. As if their standard load, like a 175SMK wont kill a coyote.
If you want to shoot him with the .308, do it, with what you have. Or use the 243, thats also an excellent choice.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: coldboremiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I often wonder why people want to go through all the work of finding, tuning or purchasing a different load for predators or varmints. As if their standard load, like a 175SMK wont kill a coyote.
If you want to shoot him with the .308, do it, with what you have. Or use the 243, thats also an excellent choice. </div></div>
for me its fun building, breaking in and working up new loads for a new rifle, but thats not why i do it... i want a round that doesn't ruin fur, if i can get roughly 50 bucks for a heavy, i would rather have that fur friendly round.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: skinney</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: coldboremiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I often wonder why people want to go through all the work of finding, tuning or purchasing a different load for predators or varmints. As if their standard load, like a 175SMK wont kill a coyote.
If you want to shoot him with the .308, do it, with what you have. Or use the 243, thats also an excellent choice. </div></div>
for me its fun building, breaking in and working up new loads for a new rifle, but thats not why i do it... i want a round that doesn't ruin fur, if i can get roughly 50 bucks for a heavy, i would rather have that fur friendly round. </div></div>

As we found out...the 105 Amax is fur friendly about 25% of the time. Hit a bone (or the face) and you'll be looking for parts to sew back together.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: c_bass16</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: skinney</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: coldboremiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I often wonder why people want to go through all the work of finding, tuning or purchasing a different load for predators or varmints. As if their standard load, like a 175SMK wont kill a coyote.
If you want to shoot him with the .308, do it, with what you have. Or use the 243, thats also an excellent choice. </div></div>
for me its fun building, breaking in and working up new loads for a new rifle, but thats not why i do it... i want a round that doesn't ruin fur, if i can get roughly 50 bucks for a heavy, i would rather have that fur friendly round. </div></div>

As we found out...the 105 Amax is fur friendly about 25% of the time. Hit a bone (or the face) and you'll be looking for parts to sew back together. </div></div>

You two [facepalm], I wish I had your problems
grin.gif
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

I want to try the lighter round for less fur damage primarily. I do use the 243 a lot and it works great, but can put one hell of a hole in them sometimes. That rifle I am not allowed to modify...Grandpa says so and its kind of an inheritance, M70 Featherweight. My favorite as well but it has the standard hunting barrel and factory action. This 308 will be set up for anything out to and potentially beyond 800m and yes, I am comfortable and able at that distance. Want to have a weapon that can take down an Elk no problem too, for whenever I get to go over and do that as well as plinking and shooting with my fellow snipers.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

You're not going to get any less fur damage from light weight .308 round, unless you slow it way down. See the advice mnshortdraw gave you, it's right on.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: HoundCount</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I want to try the lighter round for less fur damage primarily. I do use the 243 a lot and it works great, but can put one hell of a hole in them sometimes. That rifle I am not allowed to modify...Grandpa says so and its kind of an inheritance, M70 Featherweight. My favorite as well but it has the standard hunting barrel and factory action. This 308 will be set up for anything out to and potentially beyond 800m and yes, I am comfortable and able at that distance. Want to have a weapon that can take down an Elk no problem too, for whenever I get to go over and do that as well as plinking and shooting with my fellow snipers. </div></div>
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

AAaahhhhh ..... he's looking for a good excuse to buy another rifle. And he's using US to justify it to his wife ..... LOL


But honey, all the guys on the sniperhide say I need a xxx rifle to hunt predetors.

See how this works .... LOL
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Muttt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">AAaahhhhh ..... he's looking for a good excuse to buy another rifle. And he's using US to justify it to his wife ..... LOL


But honey, all the guys on the sniperhide say I need a xxx rifle to hunt predetors.

See how this works .... LOL </div></div>

in that case, the OP WINS!!!
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

The 125 nosler ballistic tips work ok out of a 20" ten twist.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

I dont think the weight of the bullet is as important as the type of bullet when you are trying to save fur. Varmint type bullets or any bullet that expands rapidly is going to be more destructive. V-max, A-max, Nos Balistic tips, Bergers etc, are very destructive. A harder bullet designed for Big-game would save the fur. Barnes TSX wont expand much on a yote. Takes a lot to get them to open all the way up.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mnshortdraw</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have used subsonic 308 loads for fox and they did fine, no pelt damage. 175SMK @ 1030fps, in and out 30 caliber hole. If you want to blow shit up far away, the 243 is going to be the ticket. </div></div>

How in the world did you get set up on a fox with enough time range it and and dial dope fast enough with out it moving 10ft? Or was it laying down or something? .308 subs have alot of drop
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

I have used a 180gr, soft point, .308 on a yote and couldn't find where the shot when in at, and barely where it came out at.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

Im going out this year with hornady 168 Zmax - laugh if you will but it shot lights out for me with a 20" 1:10 SPS-T. Grouped .65 moa at 100 flying 2550 out the muzzle. I think itll work. Will update you.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

Ive seen 125 noslers perform well out of a ten twist. That said, I just built a 243 ackley. Hopefully the 87 vmax will be the new varmint round.
 
Re: .308 and Predator Hunting

I dont care how fast you push a .308 125gn nosler BT... at 800m (875 yds) you are going to be playing hell with any wind... but this is waht my gun (24" 10 twist) does with them at 100yds (3 shots). Havent shot them at distance yet.



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