Which Bullet.

[Harv6]

So, I'm getting ready to buy a 308 win and I'm trying to decide which bullet I should try first. I'll be chasing big PA black bear (to 200 yards) and PA whitetail (to 300) yards. The rifle I'm getting has an 18" barrel. QuickLoad tells me I can get a 150gr Partition to about 2800fps, and a 125 AccuBond to about 3000fps. At 300 yards the Partition has around 1500 ft/lb left, and the AB holds onto 1400 ft/lb. Which one would you prefer?

 

[LD375]

So, I'm getting ready to buy a 308 win and I'm trying to decide which bullet I should try first. I'll be chasing big PA black bear (to 200 yards) and PA whitetail (to 300) yards. The rifle I'm getting has an 18" barrel. QuickLoad tells me I can get a 150gr Partition to about 2800fps, and a 125 AccuBond to about 3000fps. At 300 yards the Partition has around 1500 ft/lb left, and the AB holds onto 1400 ft/lb. Which one would you prefer?

Both well work just fine, but I prefer the Partition in the .308, shoot both and see which one your rifle prefers, speed is good, but it's accuracy that puts down game

Good luck bud,
Lou

 

[sask boy]

Welcome to the forum Harv. I am sure that you are going to enjoy the people here. We have top shelf knowledge and experience plus we have loads of fun.
I personally would go with a Partition for the Black bear I would get a little mass behind it like a 180gr or 200gr bullet. For Whitetail I would stick with a AB if you are shooting out to 300 yards as they are a boattail and fly just a bit better than the Partition.
Remember this is just my opinion :wink:.
Again welcome to the forum, you never know in a short time we might be able to talk you into a 35 Whelen which is a thumper on both bear & deer plus a real favourite around here

Blessings,
Dan

 

[wildgene]

...honestly, I'd opt for the 165gr. AccuBond, it'll give up about 4" more drop than the 125gr., but make that up in windage out to 500yds., & still deliver 1500ftlbs w/ a MV of 2800fps, well w/i Nosler book loads. Drop on the 150gr. is going to be about the same, more windage/ less energy...

 

[Harv6]

welcome to the forum, you never know in a short time we might be able to talk you into a 35 Whelen which is a thumper on both bear & deer plus a real favourite around here

Thanks, I've been wanting to join for quite a while. You wouldn't have to push me too hard to get a 35 Whellen. It was on my short list when I was trying decide the last rifle I bought. And if I couldve found one in stainless Ida probably had one. Ended up with a 375 Ruger! Ive been reloading for a decade or so now, and I have a thing for cartridges that arent "vanilla"

 

[Harv6]

...honestly, I'd opt for the 165gr. AccuBond, it'll give up about 4" more drop than the 125gr., but make that up in windage out to 500yds., & still deliver 1500ftlbs w/ a MV of 2800fps, well w/i Nosler book loads. Drop on the 150gr. is going to be about the same, more windage/ less energy...

I do have a few 165 Partitions left. And being less aerodynamics wouldn't be a problem as I don't have a place to practice or hunt past 300 yards.

 

[Elkman]

I would shoot the one my rifle likes the best. Velocity is great, but not really a game breaker at 300 yards. I do have a preference for the Partition, after having used them for 50+ years.

 

[DrMike]

Either bullet will work well for the purpose you propose. I am old school, so I like mass. Hence, 165 grain is about right for the .308. However, either of the bullets you listed will work quite well. I do like the Partition in this instance a little better. Again, because I would want a tad more mass.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I would use the 165 Partition at about 2700 or maybe a little less in your barrel. It would penetrate and kill bears better.

 

[Vince]

I would shoot the one my rifle likes the best. Velocity is great, but not really a game breaker at 300 yards. I do have a preference for the Partition, after having used them for 50+ years.

I concur.
You will be best served by shooting what your rifle likes.
I've got one rifle that doesn't like the heavier bullets and another one that does.
If your rifles shoots the bullet you want to use well consider yourself blessed.

Vince

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[Guy Miner]

My son has shot a couple of bears in recent years, using an old 21" barreled .30-06, with 165 gr Partitions at about 2750 fps. Plenty of penetration, good performance on bear.

As I recall, when he used that same rifle on whitetail, he was using an older 165 gr bullet, the Nosler "Solid Base" which is no longer in production. It did well too.

We've only been loading the 165's to about .308 Win velocity from that old rifle with the short barrel so I'd think performance would be similar.

A note on the 125's - friend of mine used 125 Ballistic Tip bullet on her whitetail deer hunt from a .308 Win, and it dropped the buck instantly. Bullet was recovered, well-mushroomed, under the off-side hide. I'd prefer a little more penetration than that on a dual-purpose deer & bear rifle.

Regards, Guy

 

[Thebear_78]

I think either would work just fine. The 150 Partition is tried and true, really hard to go wrong with that bullet.

I also wouldn't think twice about shooting a black bear with the 125 AccuBond either. Black bears aren't really that tough on bullets and die pretty easily if hit well.

I'm loading a 130 TTSX in my sons 308 with a 17.25" barrel and clocking right at 3000fps. I'm betting this will do well on moose this fall and equally well on bears.

I think that AccuBond would be great for whitetails!


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[FOTIS]

165 gr ab or bt or pt

 

[Oldtrader3]

I am sticking with the Partition 165 gr in my .30-06. No guess work and DRT always.

 

[super-7]

I think the one 150 gr Etip would be interesting with the 18" barrel.
The 30-30 designed ETip may actually preform quite well at moderate velocites aswell would definitely be interesting to test.

 

[big rifle man]

I think a 165 grain Partition would fill the bill in all respects. The bullets you're mentioning are a little light for the intended purpose.

 

[FOTIS]

Food for thought!

Got out with a favorite rifle today, and tested a favorite load & bullet, the same combination I used to take a young whitetail buck a few months ago.

Used the 165 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip from my .308 Win, loaded in a Federal case, with 45 grains of Varget and a CCI 200 BR primer. Muzzle velocity was 2750 fps in 48 degree temps today. Accuracy of the load is terrific from the 24" Krieger on my Rem 700 Green Machine. The water jugs were 20 yards distant:

Expanded diameter is .67" and retained weight is 112 grains. The bullet was recovered from the 5th jug and looks like a real nice mushroom to me. No wonder this bullet does so well on deer sized game. It's hardly the "fragile" bullet some label the Ballistic Tip. The B-Tip exited the young whitetail buck last November with a 2" high, 4" long exit wound through the ribcage after penetrating the on-side shoulder and dropping him instantly. He had been standing, quartering towards me, at about 70 yards.

A favorite bullet of mine for both accuracy and effect on target.

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

I still like that bullet... A LOT! :mrgreen:

 

[efw]

I'd check out the 130 TTSX, 150 & 165 NABs, and the 165 & 168 NBTs and use whatever your rifle likes best.

The new NBTs perform right up there w/ the NAB & NPT. I REALLY love that 168 and most importantly my 06 does too!

 

[joelkdouglas]

If I had a 308 (I've always wondered why I don't), I would choose either 150 PTs or 150 ABs.