Have him get some Hornady TAP 168 ELD-M's.
They work great on tissue.
This was TAP with the 168 A-Max at 350 yards about 12 years ago.
14" 308 Winchester pistol.
I don’t have a problem with first focal plane reticles at 500 yards or at 1000 yards on steel or pd’s.
If, I’m doing 1000 yard bench rest or F class then I for sure will be using a reticle in the second focal plane, and the Turrets will probably be 1/8 minute of angle clicks.
Reticle...
MOA is great.
For hunting specifically, a regular plex reticle (SFP) with a good MOA Turret or a Ballistic turret will work great.
IF you want to use the reticle for shot correction or holdovers or hold offs, go with a reticle in the FFP/First Focal Plane.
If going with a FFP reticle, make sure...
"Friends don't let friends count clicks" 😇 :)
Counting clicks is not good-There are better ways
Either get a ballistic turret like I posted above for your scope...See if Kenton makes one for yours.
Get a MOA turret cap (If you can)...OR...Get a different scope
Posted all of that above to show what can be done with a short barreled fast twist center-fire specialty pistol....Do not let anyone's preconceived/false convictions keep you from trying whatever you want to try.
Critters at night thread with my 22 Creed...
https://forum.nosler.com/threads/texas-hunting-with-handguns.47960/
https://forum.nosler.com/threads/rock-chucks-again-next-week-in-the-mountains.47081/
Close brothers, 18" and sub 16" 22GT does great too...
Steel out to 1K, and I have killed a number of pd’s out to 500 yards or so with this rig as well, but no pics. Everything thing else besides rock chucks (from 150 to around to just under 500 yards), was from a standing position off of a tripod at night, using thermal.
My 16" 22 Creed runs 3154 fps.
I am thinking he has a 13" and not a 14" barrel, at the worst with a 80 grain, he should be around 3050 fps.
I don't know which bullet is best for his needs.
I am guessing the 62 is going to be better for varmints, but that is for him to decide.
The 80 grain works...