It's looking like Indianaight be allowing real rifle rounds next year for Deer season; .243 and bigger. I've got an FN .308 and my brother has a Winchester 670 in .30-'06. I would be loading for both of them. I would put max range at 2-250 yards. Based on ability, maybe more for me and probably less for my brother. Our IN deer aren't huge by any means, but not German shepherd sized like those down south. What kind of bullet suggestions would you guys have? I figure I'd be loading both rifles to approximately the same velocity. My .308 is a 'target' rifle for me, so I only shoot 168gr Match Kings and the occasional 125 for coyotes out of it. I'm thinking one of the many 150 gr bullets would be a good choice, but honestly it's something I've never thought was a possibility,
So I've not looked into it!

I am partial to Hornady as I am a cheap so-and-so. The 150gr weight is a good match for the .308 but I tend to go heavier for the '06, like 180's, for no real reason other than 'because I do'. About the only thing to avoid is a bullet intended for the .30-30 as they will tend to come apart at the .308/'06 velocities.

Take a look at the Hornady 165 gr BTSP. Or just about any major brand 150 gr soft tip. I like the 165 because it is one ragged hole accurate out of my P17 with the right powder, and accuracy is where it's at. Never have bought into the "hunting accurate" theory, ie: as long as you can keep three bullets in 10 inches at 100 yards you're good to go.

I have killed several deer with the basic Sierra 150 grain softpoint spitzer. Between 100-150 yards it will expand down to with 3/8" of the base and shed the jacket. The deer don't care and go DRT.

The Nosler 150 grain BT, started at 2900, is a deer smasher at 200+ yards. Shoots flat, hits hard. There may be a better bullet for grass-munchers in the 0-300 pound class, but I'll never know because this one is so good I stopped looking.

My only complaint with the Nosler is that it's a little pricey for a bulk load. I have just started fooling with Hornady's 150 grain BTSP Interlock and it has shot well in the couple of rifles I've tried it in. Haven't killed anything but time/money so far, but I have no doubt it will work for deer to 300 yards.

If your rifle is sighted in for and shoots 168gr well, I would probably go with a 165 gr Hornady or Speer SP. Some love the Nosler BT but they are pretty soft. I am not a huge fan, but have used them with success. The remington CL is a good bullet but Remington has about priced themself out of the component market in my opinion.

I have shot a pile of deer and hogs with several .30 calibers from .30-30 to a ..300 Win Mag. My rule of thumb is I will use a standard cup and core bullet up to about 2700- 2800 FPS above that I like it go with a premium bullet. Since I am just as apt to run into a large hog as a deer I normally use Partitions in my .308 or .30-06, I like complete penetration if I can get it. I buy most of my partitions from shootersproshop.com they have blems and overrun partitions for cheep. I just ordered another 500 150gr this weekend! And they have a decent supply right now. Some say they are too tough for deer, but I haven't seen it. A while back I was using a 180gr partition at a MV of 2500 out of my 18" M7. It smacked the deer and hog I shot hard, with complete penetration.

Another interesting premium bullet is the 130gr Barnes TSX at 3000+.

I have used a bunch of Hornady 150 grainers at 2800fps or so and never had a problem. Good expantion and accuracy. You are lucky to have a thirty caliber because the choices are mind boggling. That Barns 130gn at 3000 will take down large deer also.

to fail to kill a deer when properly placed. For deer, that seems to place the premium on accuracy and to obey the laws of the state in which you'll be hunting (i.e. prohibitions of FMJ bullets for hunting).

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Sincerely,

Hobie

With no trouble at all - killed one deer with a Texas heart shot. You will be fine with 150 or 165 grain bullets but I would avoid the heavier bullets that are really constructed for elk and moose or the lightweight varmint bullets. I have even gone to the Remington modified recoil load on 06 which are 125 or 130 grainers. Remington says to use them for under 200 yards though.

If it were me, I would go down to the local WalMart and buy a box each of whatever .308 and .30-06 they had on the shelf and be set for deer hunting for years to come.

While my Dillons are well used and I reload a fair amount, I do it because I shoot a lot and it saves some money...not so much lately due to the cost of components.....good fresh GI 5.56mm ball is now down to $350 per 1000 which is pretty close to the cost of reloading....

I look at reloading kinda like I look at washing dishes. Something that needs doing and I don't mind doing it, but not something that brings me any special joy.

My time is limited and I am more than a little willing to cut corners in order to be able to do the other things I really enjoy instead of standing at a reloading bench.

Still, back to your original question:

Deer are easy to kill and pretty much anything out of a .308 will be more than enough medicine for any white tail at any range that you can hit them right.

Byron

I use the 165 gr corelock in the 308 with great results. J.Michael

Hey Friend,,,,,,,,Like a lot of the others I have harvested lots of German Sheperds with the 308 and 30-06,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I love the 165 grainers.........I am trying the Sierra Gamekings 165grain open tips this year just for something different to try. but any standard projectile in that weight around 2600 to 2800 fps will please you I am sure.

I have a few boxes of Speer btsp and Sierra btsp in 165grain if anyone has some of the Game Kings in 165 HPBT would be interested in trade.

Happy Hunting
Gary

If I was in your place I would choose Speer/Hornady/Sierra/Nosler- whatever was available and reasonably priced. If you've shopped for bullets lately you might have noticed that 3/4 of the listings in catalogs are out of stock, so you may not have much ability to choose. But then in your situation I don't think you have to be picky.

performance with this in 308, 30-06 and 300 WBY.

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

using the 150 grain Federal factory load from Walmart. Bullet performance was perfect in all cases. At those velocities just about any reasonable hunting bullet should do the job well enough.

I've shot several over 200lbs here in the deep south. Most just north of John K's stomping grounds.
You do have to be selective, but they are here.
I've shot many does over 140lbs.

We do have plenty of spikes around 85-100 IF thays what you want to shoot. for them I use a 10mm.

flat base. 59 grains of H4350 has been a consistent half inch load in both .30-06's I have experience loading for and I haven't had one stay in a deer or pig yet. I'm so happy with it I don't even experiment with my .30-06...it works every time and I've shot a lot of deer and pigs with it.

....shot with the .30 cal 180 grain Nosler Partition that did not die in a forthright manner.

Honestly...I don't think you need any special fancy premium bullets for deer. Just about any of the Speer, Hornaday or Sierra bullets will work fine. Any weight from 150 to 180 will do the ticket.

After many years of shooting deer, I like the old 180 grain RN bullet like the original Remington Core-Lokt. These bullets have plenty of lead up front to get the expansion started. I also drop them down to about 2,500 - 2,600 fps. They shoot plenty flat at your range parameters.