Greatest .308 Ammo for Searching, Examined and Reviewed

The .308 Winchester stays an extremely well-liked cartridge in 2025 and selecting the perfect .308 ammo for looking might sound overwhelming. There are many nice choices. Over the previous a number of years, The Out of doors Life gun crew has been taking pictures and testing many various makes and sorts of .308 ammo whereas tackling gun assessments and rifle opinions. Although we will’t all the time get our palms on all the pieces, when you’re wanting to decide on the perfect .308 ammo for looking, 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 contemplate when purchasing for .308 looking ammo:

Sport and Bullet Building

As with all looking ammo, you wish to select a load and bullet that can go well with the sport you propose on looking. The .308 Win. is a particularly succesful (and considerably underrated) cartridge. It’s completely appropriate for big recreation like elk, moose, and even brown bears. In case you’re looking heavy recreation, choose a heavy, bonded, or monolithic bullet and maintain your shot distances underneath 300 yards. Most individuals are looking medium-sized recreation 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 Out of doors Life, we try to current you with the perfect, most helpful accuracy information doable. For a few years, we leaned on averages of five-shot teams for this. Although we nonetheless shoot five-shot teams and current that information — that’s what most of us are calibrated to interpret — we’ve discovered that it actually doesn’t provide you with an correct illustration of what to anticipate from a rifle. The pattern dimension is just too small. Group sizes range 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 Option to Zero Your Rifle, and that offers us constant, repeatable expectations for a rifle and ammo. We additionally current Imply Radius, which is the typical 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 looking rifles, however many of the information 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. Via this rifle, most ammunition will carry out higher than within the common looking rifle. Ammunition that was examined beforehand by quite a lot of looking rifles, however not the Zermatt, will present common five-shot group dimension information and be up to date because it’s examined extra extensively.

Price

Ammo is dear, and premium ammo is much more costly. In case you want top-end bullet building or are taking pictures at distances that require best-in-class accuracy, it’s value the additional value. Nonetheless, when you’re looking deer-sized recreation at distances underneath 200 yards or so, less-expensive ammo is often adequate.

Evaluations and Suggestions:

Greatest All-Round: Federal Fusion Tipped 180-grain

See It

Professionals

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

Cons

• Costlier than common Fusion

Award: Greatest All-Round .308 Searching Ammo

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: .68 inches

20-shot Group Measurement: .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
• Value 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 looking — and we’ve been very proud of the Fusion Tipped ammo in each caliber we’ve tried it in. It’s extra reasonably priced than a number of the premium masses and, in our expertise, has been extra correct. In .308, it’s provided in a 180-grain tipped bonded bullet with a superb B.C. Federal has the BC listed as decrease than that of the common 180-grain Fusion .308 bullet, however we consider that to be an error.

This .308 looking ammo is the best-shooting stuff that I’ve examined. The sub-inch 20-shot mixture group it produced will not be a standard factor. It’s straightforward to find out that that is a number of the greatest all-around .308 ammo for looking you can purchase at present. Along with its accuracy and affordability, bullet weight and efficiency ought to provide you with confidence on nearly any recreation animal North American recreation — and the remainder of the world.

Greatest .308 Ammo for Deer: Federal Fusion 180-grain Bonded Comfortable Level

See It

Professionals

• Dependable enlargement
• Nice accuracy
• Reasonably priced

Award: Greatest .308 Ammo for Deer

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: .98 inches

20-shot Group Measurement: 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
• Value per field: $37

A few of the most underrated .308 ammo for looking is Federal Fusion — and I take into account it to be a number of the greatest deer looking 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 develop quickly and constantly, however preserve mass for deep penetration. It’s not a part of their premium lineup, however throughout a whole lot of calibers, it’s an awesome worth and strong selection.

We’ve discovered Federal Fusion to be extra correct than a whole lot of premium ammo, and obtainable at very cheap costs. The soft-pointed model doesn’t have a powerful ballistic coefficient, however for deer hunters who will usually be taking pictures lower than 300 yards, it doesn’t get significantly better.

Greatest Copper .308 Ammo: Hornady Clothing store 165-grain CX

See It

Professionals

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

Cons

• Accuracy is poor in some rifles

Award: Greatest Copper .308 Ammo

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: .92 inches

20-Shot Group Measurement: 1.3 inches

Imply Radius: .39 inches

Key Options

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

Hornady’s Clothing store line is designed for exhausting hunts in inclement climate situations. It 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, aid grooves, and a ship tail. It’s preferrred for each medium and large-sized recreation out to about 300 yards. Past that, it drops beneath 2,000 ft 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 performed a pair years again, they proved to be a lot much less susceptible to deflection than lead-core bullets of comparable form. Their efficiency on recreation can also be wonderful. Accuracy can typically be a problem although. Luckily, a number of the rifles I examined actually favored this Clothing store load. In my Zermatt TL3 take a look at rifle, accuracy was the perfect of any factory-loaded copper bullets I attempted.

Extra .308 Searching Ammo Price Contemplating

Barnes Vor-Tx 168-grain TTSX

See It

Professionals

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

Cons

• Costly
• Availability varies

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: 1.95 inches

Key Options

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

Barnes has lengthy been an trade chief in monolithic copper bullets, and their TTSX is likely one of the greatest in the marketplace. Loaded of their manufacturing facility Vor-Tx .308 ammo, the 168-grain TTSX is a wonderful selection for almost any recreation. In-fact, a good friend of mine who lives on Kodiak makes use of it for all the pieces (together with brown bears).

The TTSX bullet is copper with a blue polymer ballistic tip that helps provoke enlargement. Sometimes, these bullets develop into an X-shape with virtually 100% weight retention and deep penetration. The TTSX actually has some challengers, nevertheless it’s the usual that each one different copper bullets are measured towards.

Some rifles may 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 awesome possibility for .308 deer ammo however can even sort out greater recreation.

Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt Tipped

See It

Professionals

• Good accuracy throughout the board
• Reliable enlargement and weight retention
• Shoots constantly in many various rifles
• Wonderful all-around looking bullet

Cons

• Costlier than authentic Core-Lokt

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: .97 inches

20-Shot Group Measurement: 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
• Value per field: $40

I first reviewed Remington’s Core-Lokt Tipped ammo a number of years in the past and wasn’t certain what to anticipate. This was, in any case, one among Huge Inexperienced’s first post-bankruptcy launches. I discovered that the green-tipped bullets shot properly in my .30/06 and carried out properly 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 outstanding 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 properly in virtually each rifle I’ve examined it in. One in every of my buddies even took a pleasant bull moose with it, with the bullet passing by on a broadside shot. This ammo is an efficient steadiness of affordability, precision, and effectiveness.

Nosler Whitetail Nation 165-grain Comfortable Level

See It

Professionals

• Reasonably priced
• Good deer ammo
• managed enlargement

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: 1.79 inches

20-Shot Group Measurement: 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
• Value per field: $35

Late in 2024, Nosler launched their Whitetail Nation line, ammo that’s designed to be extra reasonably priced for the typical deer hunter that’s utilizing it at shorter distances. The bullet in .308 is a 165-grain gentle level that’s primarily Nosler’s ballistic tip bullet with a lead tip. It has a boat-tailed 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 properly, 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 goal properly and is extra reasonably priced than most different .308 ammo for looking.

Federal Premium 175-grain Terminal Ascent

See It

Professionals

• Enlargement 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 Measurement: .86 inches

20-Shot Group Measurement: 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
• Value 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 aid grooves like these on monolithic copper bullets, and an extended boat tail. The nickel-plated instances feed and extract reliably, and the standard of elements is sweet.

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

In case you’re looking bigger recreation like elk, or is perhaps taking pictures past 300 yards, this load is a wonderful possibility (assuming your rifle likes it). A bullet with a superb B.C. like this provides you with a greater trajectory and buck the wind higher than different bullets. As a result of it is going to nonetheless develop 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

See It

Professionals

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

Cons

• Not exceptionally correct in any single rifle

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: 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
• Value per field: $40

Product Description

Hornady’s Superformance line remains to be on the cabinets in .308 ammo, and its largest promoting level is pace. The powder used delivers a pair hundred additional ft per second of velocity with out dramatic strain will increase in comparison with different industrial masses. Topped with a 150-grain SST at 3,000 ft per second, it’s an awesome possibility for medium-sized recreation. This load is an efficient selection for hunters preferring to sight in utilizing the most point-blank methodology fairly 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 won’t be as deep-penetrating as heavier bonded or monolithic bullets, however it will be preferrred for deer, black bears, and caribou. It could work simply fantastic on heavier animals comparable to elk and moose.

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

Federal Premium 180-grain Trophy Bonded Tip

See It

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 Measurement: 1.93 inches

Key Options

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

The Trophy Bonded Tip bullet is a troublesome however streamlined projectile that’s meant for heavy critters. The 180-grain .308 Win. load is a potent one, and applicable for almost any recreation in North America. It’s solely 80 ft 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. Aid grooves and a ship tail give the bullet a superb B.C., however its energy is in taking pictures powerful recreation 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 looking bigger recreation. Its energy isn’t long-range looking, however had been I taking a .308 after moose, elk, or grizzly bears, it is a nice load to make use of.

Learn Subsequent: .308 vs .30-06

Federal Premium 178-grain ELD-X

See It

Professionals

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

Common 5-Shot Group Measurement: 1.76 inches

20-Shot Group Measurement: 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
• Value per field: $46

Lately, Federal began loading Hornady’s well-liked ELD-X looking bullets in it’s premium line, and for good motive. The ELD-X is a great-shooting bullet that provides 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 looking bullet and preferrred for longer distances in .308 ammo. At .308 velocities this will likely be an awesome selection for almost any North American recreation.

This load was fairly disappointing in my Zermatt take a look at rifle, however appeared to do higher in different looking rifles. Outcomes will possible range for you, too. As you must 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 latest cartridges, however the .308 Winchester isn’t going wherever anytime quickly. It’s nonetheless a wonderful selection for many large recreation looking, and the .308 is able to taking any recreation in North America. We are going to proceed to check the perfect .308 ammo for looking that we will get our palms on, and offer you the perfect information and trustworthy suggestions that we will.