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Zee
Posts: 28,411 Senior Member
.30cal 125gr bullet experiences? Anyone?
Zee
Posts: 28,411 Senior Member
Working on a project that might actually cause me to start loading for the .308 Winchester. For this gun, I will be looking at the lower (125 +/-) and higher (208 +/-) bullet range.
The lighter bullets would be used in both reduced and full bore loads. Basically, light loads for the kids and zippy loads for me.
I think I remember Knitepoet and Teach having mentioned they use these lighter weight bullets and maybe some others on here.
Which ones have you used? I'm looking at the Hornady 125gr SST and the 125gr Nosler BT.
Cartridge you are running them in?
Powder your using?
Barrel length?
Accuracy?
Recoil in reduced or full bore loads? Could kids handle full bore with a brake or would you suggest the reduced loads?
Velocity range you are running them?
Terminal performance?
I can't believe I'm actually considering loading for the .308 Win, but if these lighter (and heavier) bullets work well enough, there could be reason enough.
I already run 85gr bullets in reduced loads for the kids in my .243 Medium and they shoot them fine. Actually, the loads are not "reduced". It is a starting load in the book. With a heavier contour 18" barrel and brake, my 6 and 8 year old (at the time) were shooting them just fine. Thinking the 125gr .30cal bullets in the .308 Win could be their next step.
Thanks much!!
The lighter bullets would be used in both reduced and full bore loads. Basically, light loads for the kids and zippy loads for me.
I think I remember Knitepoet and Teach having mentioned they use these lighter weight bullets and maybe some others on here.
Which ones have you used? I'm looking at the Hornady 125gr SST and the 125gr Nosler BT.
Cartridge you are running them in?
Powder your using?
Barrel length?
Accuracy?
Recoil in reduced or full bore loads? Could kids handle full bore with a brake or would you suggest the reduced loads?
Velocity range you are running them?
Terminal performance?
I can't believe I'm actually considering loading for the .308 Win, but if these lighter (and heavier) bullets work well enough, there could be reason enough.
I already run 85gr bullets in reduced loads for the kids in my .243 Medium and they shoot them fine. Actually, the loads are not "reduced". It is a starting load in the book. With a heavier contour 18" barrel and brake, my 6 and 8 year old (at the time) were shooting them just fine. Thinking the 125gr .30cal bullets in the .308 Win could be their next step.
Thanks much!!
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Replies
They have no boat tails and are not really long range bullets or have very good aerodynamic qualities / BC. Hornady and Sierra seem to the be choice of 7.62x39 reloaders.
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
:tooth:
Thanks!
Shut up, you!
You will be envious of this one. Especially with the 208gr loads. :devil:
No doubt, 208 gr and subsonic with suppression I recon... yes you suck!
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
This load works well on anything I have shot with it, deer, pig, song dogs ect.
This is the rifle...
AKA: Former Founding Member
I would venture to say these 125-130 grain bullets would perform fine out to 300 yards or so. I am a proponent of the right bullet for the job. 10 years ago if you'd told me you were going deer hunting with a .308 or even 30-06 with anything less than a 150 grain bullet, I'd said you were a good candidate for a shrink visit. You needed help with your thought process. However, today's bullets are all constructed more strong and superior than they were even just 20 short years ago. I've toyed with the idea of working up a 130 grain bullet load for my 30-06 myself, and I probably would have already done it except for being too lazy because I'm pretty happy with what I have. But if I had some kids that were still young I would do it because of the recoil factor. There's no doubt in my mind that a modern well constructed 130 grain bullet will kill deer and hogs readily.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Sounds like someone needs a .300 Blackout...
AKA: Former Founding Member
You might want to pick up a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Much of the load data presented is for low-velocity plunker ammo which your kids would have a ball with. Wouldn't take rocket science to extrapolate that into something usable for a light jacketed slug. Don't have the book handy at present, but it gets a lot of mileage out of the slower burning pistol powders like AA#9 and Alliant 2400 - both of which are also well at home in your .44. IMR4064 gets a fair amount of use for such things as well, so figure anything on the burn rate chart between those slow pistol powders and the medium rifle powders(i.e. 4895, 4064, and possibly Varget on the slow end) could be pressed into pop-load service. Short version - you shouldn't have to buy any special powders for the purpose.
The biggest care to exercise is with the pistol powders. You can't physically put enough 4064 into a .308 to cause a problem with a bullet that light, but you can quite easily fit a double charge of the pistol powders, which could get very ugly indeed. This merely requires paying attention. I lean toward seating bullets immediately after charging a case for this reason.
The Lyman book is also useful because it gives low velocity loads for HEAVY bullets as well. While the trajectory on them ain't great by nature, it does give you deer/pig lethal ammo that the little ones can shoot comfortably. Since you've got the 1-10" twist you've got the option of getting the bluntest, heaviest .308 pill you can find and coming up with something that lobs it out at about 1600fps.
What your kiddies might need is about three or four WOOD stocks for your new Savage that you can take a chop saw to at varying L.O.P.s. Maybe you even need to buy two more identical Savages.:tooth:
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
I'm going to have to change back to the 125's due to Berger discontinuing the 110 offering. Jerks.
I'm thinking you'll like the 125 rounds in your rig. There's not really a whole lot you're liable to do that you can't do with a 125.
Mike
N454casull
These loads are NOT for the Savage. They will be for a real rifle. One that is being purpose built.
Meh, I'll stick with .308 Winchester.
No, I never said that. I said you don't need one to handload. There are fun things to do and learn with one AFTER your loads are made.
I'll be using H4895 for the light bullets. Haven't decided what ill use for the "ppppffffttt" loads, yet.
That's the powder I'll be using. Whether I settle on reduced loads or regular charges. The kids shoot regular charges in the .243 now, though they are starting loads. I'd like to stay away from Hodgdons "reduced" loads unless they really need to.
But, there IS that option.
The barrel in question for these loads has a 1-9.35" twist. Should handle the 208gr A-Max just fine. I hope.
kill eastern NC deer as well as any other weight bullet, though I never shot over
125 yds at a deer with them.
The bullet does fragment big time.
Son used them on a speed goat, though I do not know at what range.
"The Un-Tactical"
That's promising news.
Being short range propositions (under 200 for the kids), I'd settle for MOA.
Jerry
Get thee to a 220 grain RN!!
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Which 125s did you see dismal performance out of?
With my projected barrel length, I estimate to be running them around 2,800 fps with full bore loads.
I'd rather not, but if I have to, I will.