[dustinoif3]

Found some nosler 180gr ballistic hunting bullets at cabelas yesterday and since you can't buy a 168gr amax anywhere in the world I thought I'd try these. I've talked with a few people that have told me yes they will stabalize and some that say no. Anyone have any experience in developing a load for this set up? Good or bad.

 

[Apex-Predator]

Funny that you should mention that, I am in the process right now of trying to work up some 180gr SGK, SST loads for my 1:12, just loaded them, need to get to the range in the next couple days. I am using 4350, 748, and BL-C(2) trying to find something with potential. 1:12s are supposed to be able to stabilize long 180s but this 308 has done the best so far with 150gr Speers.

 

[JonM]

some.

they dont work well out of a 308 because the case just doesnt hold enough powder to make that bullet weight efficient for hunting. its the weak spot of the 308.

once you hit 165-168grains thats pretty much it. this past december my wife DID shoot her first deer with her 308 using a 180grain nosler partition bullet but the yardage was 92yards and she is a superb shot. got him right in the heart.

the reason we usd that bullet was time constraints in working up a good hunting load for her gun. we had one range trip to get an accurate hunting load. the test cartridge for the 180 was most accurate.

for whitetail at less than 200yards it will work just fine. i wouldnt use it on something bigger than whitetail.

my scar17 is 1-12 twist 16inch barrel and i use hornady 150grain sst at roughly 2600fps. accuracy is very very good and drops deer deader than dead. just dont shoot em through any meat you want to eat. i use neck shots with this load and it literally snaps the neck and drops the deer with no chase at all.

 

[Biohazard2]

I shoot 178 Amax out of a 24" barrel using Lapua Brass w/44gr of Varget out to 1100 yrds.
Works very well for me.

 

[dustinoif3]

Funny that you should mention that, I am in the process right now of trying to work up some 180gr SGK, SST loads for my 1:12, just loaded them, need to get to the range in the next couple days. I am using 4350, 748, and BL-C(2) trying to find something with potential. 1:12s are supposed to be able to stabilize long 180s but this 308 has done the best so far with 150gr Speers.

I'm very interested in your findings. I'm wanting to push them with cfe 223 which is close to the blc2. It'll be a week before I can load and shoot.

 

[dustinoif3]

some.

they dont work well out of a 308 because the case just doesnt hold enough powder to make that bullet weight efficient for hunting. its the weak spot of the 308.

once you hit 165-168grains thats pretty much it. this past december my wife DID shoot her first deer with her 308 using a 180grain nosler partition bullet but the yardage was 92yards and she is a superb shot. got him right in the heart.

the reason we usd that bullet was time constraints in working up a good hunting load for her gun. we had one range trip to get an accurate hunting load. the test cartridge for the 180 was most accurate.

for whitetail at less than 200yards it will work just fine. i wouldnt use it on something bigger than whitetail.

my scar17 is 1-12 twist 16inch barrel and i use hornady 150grain sst at roughly 2600fps. accuracy is very very good and drops deer deader than dead. just dont shoot em through any meat you want to eat. i use neck shots with this load and it literally snaps the neck and drops the deer with no chase at all.

So Jon your telling me 1k is out of the question? Lol. This 180 will be a hunting bullet so if it holds to 300 I'd be happy. I have been looking around at people stretching out to 1k and they mention they are loading 175's around 2600fps to do it? As you mentioned though with case capacity and the 180's length is prolly why they shoot 175's I'm guessing.

I just hope my target doesn't look like this. Eeek.

 

[dustinoif3]

I shoot 178 Amax out of a 24" barrel using Lapua Brass w/44gr of Varget out to 1100 yrds.
Works very well for me.

Is it a 1-12 twist?

 

[Apex-Predator]

US Army Snipers use the 175gr SMK in their M24s or they did when I was in anyway. I like heavy for caliber bullets, my 6.5x55 loves 140gr SSTs and I can shoot them on the windiest of days with a .520BC, even at a modest 2700fps they are highly effective at range. I will be thrilled if I can get my 308 to duplicate that with it's similar BC 180gr bullets, no I will never need that much penetration on a deer but I like the extra punch, and there is very little difference in the impact speed between a good 150gr (aprox .430BC) and a 180gr (about .500BC) beyond 300yds

 

[Biohazard2]

Is it a 1-12 twist?

Mine is a Bartlein .299 tight, 1-11.25 twist

 

[dustinoif3]

Well it sounds like some load work up. Will post later with hopefully holes and not key holes