Best 308 Load with Limitations

[John Hearne]

Trying to pickup a quality 308 duty load:

Rifles being used are 16" semi-auto 308's.
These are patrol rifles with low to no magnification optics so match ammo isn't needed.
Current agency policy requires at least 165 gr bullet.
Primary concern is ability to chew up auto body.


Looking really hard at but not limited to Federal offerings including: LE308T1, LE308T1, or LE308TT2

Best options?

[ACP230]

I would just start going through the major makers loads that fit the bill.
Rifles sometimes have preferences.

After the majors I'd check to see if Black Hills makes a load that might work.
I was impressed with their .308 loads when I tried them years ago.

If you weren't limited to 165 grain bullets I would suggest looking at Remington loads with the 150 grain PSP Core-Lokt bullets.
I have found them to work well in a variety of rifles.

[Chuck Haggard]

I'd tell you to go with the Fusion MSR, but that's a 150gr loading

[Cookie Monster]

Would this work?

http://asymammo.com/shop-ammo/308-1/168-barnes-tipped-tsx/

My bolt gun gets fed ASYM 175 grain.

Cookie Monster

[Dropkick]

I'd tell you to go with the Fusion MSR, but that's a 150gr loading

And another single data point of conjecture, also unrelated to what you're looking for... I liked the results of Federal Fusion .30-30 in 150 gr through the door panel, and the lack of shift in impact through either side of the windshield.

[DocGKR]

Too bad they specify a particular bullet weight, rather than bullet performance parameters.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4345-LE-308-Loads


Some of the characteristics of an ideal performing general purpose rifle projectile are described in commentary by SSA Buford Boone of the FBI BRF:

-- Penetration of 12 to 18 inches
-- No impact AOA induced variations
-- Blind to barriers
-- No deviation from shot line after impact
-- Minimal fragmentation
-- Consistent terminal performance from 0 – 300 meters
-- Sufficient accuracy to hit threat targets out to 600 meters

The current .308 rifle loads that best meet these requirements when fired from a 16" barrel semi-auto, include the Remington 150 gr Core-Lokt Ultra Bond JSP, followed by the Speer 150 gr Gold Dot JSP, and Swift 150 gr Scirocco bonded PT.

If stuck with an asinine requirement for 165 gr or higher bullet weight and no need for match precision, I would go with the LE308TT2 or LE308T1.

[John Hearne]

Too bad they specify a particular bullet weight, rather than bullet performance parameters.

If stuck with an asinine requirement for 165 gr or higher bullet weight and no need for match precision, I would go with the LE308TT2 or LE308T1.

Arbitrary is the best word for it. To make you scratch your head even more, our minimum bullet weight for 30'06 is 150 grains.

[DocGKR]

Can any logic be instituted into this bureaucratic ineptitude? I would be happy to help.

[bfoosh006]

Perhaps the Nosler 168gr BSB .308 load ? ( I have no idea of its performance from a 16" barrel though. )

[witchking777]

Don't forget the Hornady 165 gr GMX in their TAP line,excellent barrier round.

[Paul]

Not too long ago we shot up some city bus windshields, which are about twice as thick as car windshields, with various stuff and the bonded 308's were the only ones that worked with a damn. IIRC it was Speer 168's, Federal 150's and 165's (or maybe 168's), and Hornady 165's. Those just happen to be the ones that we had on hand and they all worked. Those were launched from a 20" bolt gun at 30 yards.

I think anything that can get through a bus windshield and not deflect too much is going to be good on the rest of a vehicle.

[LtDave]

How about the Speer 168 Gold Dot (24458)?

[John Hearne]

In classic .gov style, I got my purchase request in to snag the 165 grain offering while it was in-stock.

Our new policy manual just came out which takes effect 08/01 of this year. Of course, they dropped the minimum grain to 145 so had I waited, we could have gotten the best loads.

[SLG]

I'm personally very unimpressed with the real world performance of the 150 Ultra Core-lokt, so you may not have done so badly.

[Sixgun_Symphony]

I'm personally very unimpressed with the real world performance of the 150 Ultra Core-lokt, so you may not have done so badly.

Can you elaborate?

[SLG]

I've shot a couple of big game animals with it. Bullet broke apart and failed to adequately penetrate. 16" barrel, all shots under 200 yards. Unacceptable.

This really is a sample size that is too small to say much about. However, how many bullet failures do you want? There are enough other bullets that offer more of what I want, that messing with the 150 is just not worth it.

I've seen all the testing, and it looks great. I've shot it through windshields and it appears to have held together. Can't really say for sure. The rd is among the least accurate rds I've ever shot, so when you add it all up, no thanks. A Federal TTBBC seems to offer more of what I want for anti personnel use, and a Barnes TTSX has proven very effective on the 30 or so big game animals I've shot, or seen shot, with it.

[KevinB]

Try to stay away from anything with a Polymer tip -- seen WAY to many of the tips break off on loading and get stuck in places you don't want (barrel extension or trigger group being common)