[ENGLANDER]

Hello from Scotland

Im looking for a bullet for my .308 that is suitable for our small deer species like Roe Deer (Like a Labrador with long legs).

I have had conflicting advice some have said sako 125 gn spitzer type others 180 gn round nose ?

My local gunshop has a batch of 110 gn round nose at a good price. I do not want to buy some thing unsuitable as expanding bullet heads have to be entered on to my licence and i must use them before i buy more as not to go over my quota.

Im looking for little meat loss as possible as carcasses will be going for commercial use.

Game dealer likes head/neck shot but i prefer heart/lung for humane reasons. Obviously head shot does not matter as to type of bullet.

For my own use meat damage is not important but like i say this is for commercial dealer.

Would welcome veiws regarding meat damage with .308 and different bullets and veocities ?

Reagrds Englander

 

[IDShooter]

Englander,
       As a general rule a lighter faster bullet will destroy more meat  than a heavy slower bullet in a given caliber. But bullet construction comes into play, too. Some of the 125gr 30 caliber bullet are very lightly constructed for varmits, some are not. I would absolutely stay away from those 110 round noses, they are not constructed for the task at hand.
       My best advice would be to use a standard deer weight bullet like a 150 or 165gr and lower your velocities some to reduce meat damage. One of these bullets started at about 2500 fps will kill readily but won't ruin much meat.
       That's what I would do!         IDShooter

 

[William Iorg]

The Speer 130gr flat nose works well in the .307 WCF at about 2500fps.
If you shoot close, less than 25 yards you will "bloody" some meat.
I have heard the 125gr Sierra FNHP woks well in the .30-30. I have found them accurate but have not shot a deer with one.
In my little part of Texas a number of people use light bullets when stand shooting.
For my use in the .307 I use Speer or Sierra JFN bullets (when I use jacketed bullets) and at 2300fps in the .307 they do not tear up much meat. I have had more "dropped in its tracks" one shot kills with the .307 than any other caliber. This is with heart/lung shots. They all drop flat when shot through the shoulder, but that ruins a lot of meat. I also shoot butter soft paper patch bullets in the .307 and they really expand!

 

[Chief RID]

If you are a tactical type shooter and want to put a deer down with the neck shot the 125 gr. Nosler is the ticket. I do not shoot well enough yet but I have a buddy that uses this combo now exclusively. He was not getting what he wanted from the lighter bullets in the 25.06 but when he went to the .308 things came together. If you are stand hunting with a good rest and are confident with the shot placement any of the ballistic tip bullets in 150 gr. or even larger shooting as flat as you can will put the animal down for keeps.