Finest .308 Ammo for Searching, Examined and Reviewed

The .308 Winchester stays an extremely common cartridge in 2025 and choosing one of the best .308 ammo for searching might sound overwhelming. There are many nice choices. Over the previous a number of years, The Outside Life gun crew has been capturing and testing many various makes and kinds of .308 ammo whereas tackling gun assessments and rifle critiques. Although we are able to’t at all times get our palms on the whole lot, in case you’re trying to decide on one of the best .308 ammo for searching — particularly the searching you do, use our expertise and this information that will help you.

Issues to Contemplate Earlier than Shopping for .308 Ammo for Searching

Listed here are some key issues to think about when purchasing for .308 searching ammo:

Sport and Bullet Development

As with all searching ammo, you wish to select a load and bullet that may swimsuit the sport you plan on searching. The .308 Win. is an especially succesful (and considerably underrated) cartridge. It’s completely appropriate for big sport like elk, moose, and even brown bears. When you’re searching heavy sport, choose a heavy, bonded, or monolithic bullet and hold your shot distances below 300 yards. Most individuals are searching medium-sized sport with the .308 and nearly any medium-weight increasing bullet will do. Fortunately there’s loads of good, reasonably priced .308 ammo for deer that may be discovered on retailer cabinets or delivered to the doorstep.

Accuracy

At Outside Life, we try to current you with one of the best, most helpful accuracy knowledge attainable. For a few years, we leaned on averages of five-shot teams for this. Although we nonetheless shoot five-shot teams and current that knowledge — that’s what most of us are calibrated to interpret — we have now discovered that it actually doesn’t offer you an correct illustration of what to anticipate from a rifle — the pattern dimension is simply too small. Group sizes fluctuate an excessive amount of to be definitive. We’ve began compiling our teams into 20-shot mixture teams utilizing the strategy described on this story, A Higher Strategy to Zero Your Rifle, and that provides us constant, repeatable expectations for a rifle and ammo. We additionally current Imply Radius, which is the common distance by which every shot misses the middle of the group. This metric takes each shot under consideration, not solely the worst two.

We’ve examined all of this ammo in quite a lot of searching rifles, however a lot of the knowledge you will notice is from a management rifle I constructed particularly for accuracy testing and analysis. It’s a Zermatt Arms TL3 brief motion with a competition-contour Proof Analysis metal barrel, in an MDT inventory. By means of this rifle, most ammunition will carry out higher than within the common searching rifle. Ammunition that was examined beforehand via quite a lot of searching rifles, however not the Zermatt, will present common five-shot group dimension knowledge and be up to date because it’s examined extra extensively.

Value

Ammo is pricey, and premium ammo is much more costly. When you want top-end bullet building or are capturing at distances that require best-in-class accuracy, it’s value the additional price. Nevertheless, in case you’re searching deer-sized sport at distances below 200 yards or so, less-expensive ammo is normally ample.

Critiques and Suggestions:

Federal Fusion Tipped 180-grain

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Professionals

• Glorious accuracy
• Nice terminal efficiency
• Good B.C.
• Nice worth

Cons

• Costlier than common Fusion

Award: Finest All-Round .308 Searching Ammo

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: .68 inches

20-shot Group Dimension: .93 inches

Imply Radius: .28 inches

Key Options

• 180-grain bonded ballistic-tip bullet
• Lead core, copper jacket
• G1 B.C.: .501
• Velocity: 2600 fps
• Worth per field: $53

Federal’s new Tipped Fusion lineup is one for any hunter to keep watch over. We’ve lengthy felt just like the common fusion line is extremely underrated — particularly for deer searching — and we have now been very proud of the Fusion Tipped ammo in each caliber we’ve tried it in. It’s extra reasonably priced than a few of the premium masses and, in our expertise, has been extra correct. In .308, it’s supplied in a 180-grain tipped bonded bullet with a very good B.C. Federal has the BC listed as decrease than that of the common 180-grain Fusion .308 bullet, however we imagine that to be an error.

This .308 searching ammo is the best-shooting stuff that I’ve examined, and a sub-inch 20-shot mixture group isn’t a typical factor. It’s simple to find out that that is a few of the greatest all-around .308 ammo for searching that you would be able to purchase immediately. Along with its accuracy and affordability, bullet weight and efficiency ought to offer you confidence on nearly any North American sport — and most sport animals on this planet.

Federal Fusion 180-grain Bonded Mushy Level

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Professionals

• Dependable enlargement
• Nice accuracy
• Reasonably priced

Award: Finest .308 Ammo for Deer

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: .98 inches

20-shot Group Dimension: 1.29 inches

Imply Radius: .39 inches

Key Options

• 180-grain Bonded soft-point bullet
• Lead core, copper jacket, skived tip
• G1 B.C.: .503
• Velocity: 2600 fps
• Worth per field: $37

Among the most underrated .308 ammo for searching is Federal Fusion — and it’s a few of the greatest deer searching ammo you should buy. On this providing, it has a 180-grain lead-tipped bullet that has a bonded jacket. Federal Fusion ammo is designed to broaden quickly and persistently, however keep mass for deep penetration. It’s not a part of their premium lineup, however throughout lots of calibers, it’s an ideal worth and stable selection.

We’ve discovered Federal Fusion to be extra correct than lots of premium ammo, and out there at very affordable costs. The soft-pointed model doesn’t have a slippery ballistic coefficient, however for deer hunters who will usually be capturing lower than 300 yards, it doesn’t get a lot better.

Hornady Clothes shop 165-grain CX

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Professionals

• Excessive weight-retention
• Nickel-plated instances for clean biking
• Sealed case mouth and primer for extra climate safety

Cons

• Accuracy is poor in rifles examined

Award: Finest Copper .308 Ammo

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: .92 inches

20-Shot Group Dimension: 1.3 inches

Imply Radius: .39 inches

Key Options

• Copper alloy building with polymer tip
• Reduction grooves in bullet
• Nickel-plated instances
• G1 B.C.: .440
• Velocity: 2610 fps
• Worth per field: $43

Hornady’s Clothes shop line is designed for laborious use in inclement climate circumstances, and makes use of their newest mono-metal bullet, the CX. Like Hornady’s earlier iteration—the GMX—the CX is a managed enlargement, excessive weight-retention copper bullet with a ballistic tip, reduction grooves, and a ship tail. It’s splendid for each medium and large-sized sport out to about 300 yards. Past that, it drops beneath 2,000 toes per second, and enlargement will diminish.

This ammo comes loaded in nickel-plated instances with each the case mouth and primer sealed to stop any cussed moisture from contaminating the powder. Along with corrosion safety, the nickel plating is a tougher floor that gives smoother loading and biking.

I’m a believer within the penetration effectiveness of mono-metal bullets just like the CX, and in a brush bullets take a look at I carried out a pair years again, they proved to be a lot much less liable to deflection than lead-core bullets of comparable form. Their efficiency on sport can also be wonderful. Accuracy can typically be a difficulty although, and a few of the rifles I examined actually cared for this Clothes shop load. In my Zermatt TL3 take a look at rifle, accuracy was one of the best of any factory-loaded copper bullets I attempted.

Barnes Vor-Tx 168-grain TTSX

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Professionals

• Constant enlargement
• Glorious weight retention and penetration
• Correct
• Lead-free

Cons

• Costly
• Availability varies

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: 1.95 inches

Key Options

• 168-grain TTSX boattail
• Double-diameter enlargement
• G1 B.C.: .470
• Velocity: 2700 fps
• Worth per field: $56

Barnes has lengthy been an business chief in monolithic copper bullets, and their TTSX is likely one of the greatest available on the market. Loaded of their manufacturing unit Vor-Tx .308 ammo, the 168-grain TTSX is a superb selection for almost any sport. In-fact, a pal of mine who lives on Kodiak makes use of it for the whole lot (together with brown bears).

The TTSX bullet is copper with a blue polymer ballistic tip that helps provoke enlargement. Usually, these bullets broaden into an X-shape with virtually one hundred pc weight retention and deep penetration. The TTSX definitely has some challengers, nevertheless it’s the usual that every one different copper bullets are measured in opposition to.

Some rifles might be finicky with copper bullets, however this .308 ammo is mostly correct total in quite a lot of rifles. Some prefer it, some simply shoot it OK, however none appear to shoot it poorly. It’s an ideal choice for .308 deer ammo however may deal with larger sport.

Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt Tipped

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Professionals

• Good accuracy throughout the board
• Reliable enlargement and weight retention
• Shoots persistently in many various rifles
• Glorious all-around searching bullet

Cons

• Costlier than authentic Core-Lokt

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: .97 inches

20-Shot Group Dimension: 1.55 inches

Imply Radius: .42 inches

Key Options

• 150-grain polymer-tipped bullet
• Jacket and core are mechanically fixed
• G1 B.C.: .415
• Velocity: 2840 fps
• Worth per field: $40

I first reviewed Remington’s Core-Lokt Tipped ammo a couple of years in the past and wasn’t positive what to anticipate. This was, in any case, one in all Large Inexperienced’s first post-bankruptcy launches. I discovered that the green-tipped bullets shot effectively in my .30/06 and carried out effectively on a caribou. How would the load do in .308 Win. although?

The bullet is a boat-tailed projectile with a core that’s held collectively by a rib on the jacket. It’s tipped with a green-polymer nostril and has a skinny jacket up entrance that promotes enlargement—very like the unique Core-Lokt. The 150-grain bullet doesn’t have a exceptional B.C., nevertheless it’s higher than its lead-tipped counterparts.

Accuracy of this .308 ammo was good in a number of rifles, however what was most spectacular was that it has shot fairly effectively in virtually each rifle I’ve examined it in. Considered one of my buddies even took a pleasant bull moose with it, with the bullet passing via on a broadside shot. This ammo is an efficient steadiness of affordability, precision, and effectiveness.

Nosler Whitetail Nation 165-grain Mushy Level

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Professionals

• Reasonably priced
• Good deer ammo
• managed enlargement

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: 1.79 inches

20-Shot Group Dimension: 2.47 inches

Imply Radius: .73 inches

Key Options

• 165-grain boat tailed gentle level
• Lead level to provoke enlargement
• G1 B.C.: .442
• Velocity: 2,800 fps
• Worth per field: $35

Late in 2024, Nosler launched their Whitetail Nation line, ammo that’s designed to be extra reasonably priced for the common deer hunter that’s utilizing it at shorter distances. The bullet in .308 is a 165-grain gentle level that’s basically Nosler’s ballistic tip bullet with a lead tip. It has a ship speak rear and a tapered jacket to regulate enlargement. It’s merely an reasonably priced good deer-killing bullet.

In my take a look at rifle, the .308 ammo didn’t shoot effectively, however I had a restricted amount and couldn’t take a look at in different weapons. the 6.5 Creedmoor masses I attempted within the Whitetail Nation shot rather well in one other Proof-barreled gun, with a powerful 20-shot group dimension of 1.08 inches, and 1.47-inches in a Browning X-Bolt. In the end, this ammo serves its objective effectively and is extra reasonably priced than most different .308 ammo for searching.

Federal Premium 175-grain Terminal Ascent

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Professionals

• Growth at low velocity
• Bonded core for good weight retention
• Good accuracy and excessive B.C.
• Nickel-plated brass

Cons

• Costly
• Accuracy isn’t constant throughout all rifles

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: .86 inches

20-Shot Group Dimension: 1.34 inches

Imply Radius: .4 inches

Key Options

• 175-grain bonded, Excessive-B.C. bullet
• Hole ballistic tip initiates low-velocity enlargement
• G1 B.C.: .520
• Velocity: 2600 fps
• Worth per field: $48

Federal Premium’s Terminal ascent bullet and cargo are designed to ship accuracy and terminal efficiency at lengthy or brief distances. This 175-grain bullet includes a bonded core and hole “slipstream” ballistic tip that helps provoke enlargement at decrease velocities. The bullet additionally has reduction grooves like these on monolithic copper bullets, and a protracted boat tail. The nickel-plated instances feed and extract reliably, and the standard of elements is nice.

I discovered the Terminal Ascent to yield considerably combined accuracy outcomes, relying on the rifle. Some rifles shot it effectively, others didn’t. Within the Christensen Ridgeline Titanium that I reviewed, this .308 ammo shot effectively, and I used to be in a position to reliably make first-round hits out to 600 yards. It additionally shot fairly effectively in my Zermatt TL3 take a look at rifle, however not in addition to another masses.

When you’re searching bigger sport like elk, or could be capturing past 300 yards, this load is a superb choice (assuming your rifle likes it). A bullet with a very good B.C. like this offers you a greater trajectory and buck the wind higher than different bullets. As a result of it would nonetheless broaden at decrease velocities, it has an edge over some copper and different bonded bullets—particularly within the comparatively gradual .308 Win.

Hornady Superformance 150-grain SST

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Professionals

• Excessive velocity
• Good enlargement and weight retention
• Low accuracy deviation

Cons

• Not exceptionally correct in any single rifle

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: 1.88 inches

Key Options

• 150-grain mechanically bonded ballistic tip
• Proprietary propellant delivers best-in-class velocity
• G1 B.C.: .447
• Velocity: 3000 fps
• Worth per field: $40

Product Description

Hornady’s Superformance line continues to be on the cabinets in .308 ammo, and its largest promoting level is pace. The powder used delivers a pair hundred further toes per second of velocity with out dramatic stress will increase in comparison with different industrial masses. Topped with a 150-grain SST at 3,000 toes per second, it’s an ideal choice for medium-sized sport and hunters preferring to sight in utilizing the most point-blank technique quite than turrets or holdover reticles.

The 150-grain SST bullet is a straightforward however efficient boat-tail-based, cup and core bullet, however the jacket is mechanically fixed to the core for weight retention. The polymer tip helps make it extra aerodynamic and initiates enlargement. It may not be as deep-penetrating as heavier bonded or monolithic bullets, however it could be splendid for deer, black bears, and caribou. It could work simply fantastic on heavier animals reminiscent of elk and moose.

Though accuracy in my testing wasn’t unhealthy, it wasn’t nice. There weren’t any rifles with which the load actually stood out. Nevertheless, the usual deviation of the group dimension was fairly small, so you possibly can moderately anticipate this ammo to shoot effectively in most rifles.

Federal Premium 180-grain Trophy Bonded Tip

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Professionals

• Dependable enlargement
• Excessive B.C.
• Heavy-duty bonding for weight retention
• Nickel-plating for clean loading and biking

Cons

• Mediocre accuracy in take a look at rifles

Common Group Dimension: 1.93 inches

Key Options

• Bonded core and jacket
• Skived jacket for dependable enlargement
• G1 B.C.: .500
• Velocity: 2620 fps
• Worth per field: $45

The Trophy Bonded Tip bullet is a troublesome however streamlined projectile that’s meant for heavy use. The 180-grain .308 Win. load is a potent one, and applicable for almost any sport in North America. It’s solely 80 toes per second slower than the .30/06 load with the identical bullet, and most animals would by no means know the distinction.

Along with the bonded jacket and core, the bullet has a polymer tip that aids with constant enlargement, as does the scored jacket. Reduction grooves and a ship tail give the bullet a very good B.C., however its power is in capturing powerful sport at nearer distances. The nickel-plated instances and bullets assist them load, chamber, and eject easily, and it makes use of Federal Gold Medal primers.

Accuracy of this .308 ammo was mediocre in my take a look at rifles, nevertheless it was comparatively constant. It’s noticeable that the nickel-plated instances load and cycle extra easily, and it’s wonderful ammo for searching bigger sport. Its power isn’t long-range searching, however had been I taking a .308 after moose, elk, or grizzly bears, it is a nice load to make use of.

Federal Premium 178-grain ELD-X

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Professionals

• Good enlargement and weight retention at .308 velocities
• Good B.C. for longer distance capturing
• Warmth-shield polymer ballistic tip

Common 5-Shot Group Dimension: 1.76 inches

20-Shot Group Dimension: 2.01 inches

Imply Radius: .62 inches

Key Options

• 178-grain ELD-X bullet
• Mechanically fixed core with heat-shield ballistic tip
• Managed enlargement at low velocities
• G1 B.C. .552
• Velocity: 2610 fps
• Worth per field: $46

Just lately, Federal began loading Hornady’s common ELD-X searching bullets in it’s premium line, and for good cause. The ELD-X is a great-shooting bullet that gives efficient efficiency throughout a variety of impression velocities. Up shut, you’ll see large enlargement and wound cavity, out farther, the ELD-X will retain most of its weight and penetrate deeply. It’s a wonderful all-around searching bullet and splendid for longer distances in .308 ammo. At .308 velocities this can be an ideal selection for almost any North American sport.

This load was fairly disappointing in my Zermatt take a look at rifle, however appeared to do higher in different searching rifles I shot samples in. Outcomes will doubtless fluctuate for you. As you need to with any ammo, take a look at a field of it earlier than shopping for in bulk.

FAQ’s

Remaining Ideas on .308 Searching Ammo

We frequently have a good time the deserves of recent cartridges, however the .308 Winchester isn’t going wherever anytime quickly. It’s nonetheless a wonderful selection for any hunter, and the .308 is able to taking any sport in North America. We’ll proceed to check one of the best .308 ammo for searching that we are able to get our palms on, and offer you one of the best knowledge and sincere suggestions that we are able to.