308 Win FMJ or Soft Point?

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by Silversnake, Apr 19, 2012.


  1. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    When bad times happen, such as total collapse, would you prefer 150 grain FMJ or 150 grain soft points if you had to choose?

    SS
     
  2. TheEconomist

    TheEconomist Creighton Bluejay

    That depends on what you are hunting. The soft point is going to suppress expansion.
     
  3. limpingbear

    limpingbear future cancer survivor....

    If you are talking militarty FMJ's then i would use those for defense. Punches through walls and light armor and car bodies well and usually cycled through most actions without problem. Use the soft points for hunting and "soft" targets...
     
    Moatengator and oldawg like this.
  4. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    This should answer your question.

    I have both in my ammo supply for different reasons. Body armor with and without steel or ceramic plates, may stop soft point .308 Win/7.62x51 rounds. If you aim where the plates ain't, or if there ain't no plates FMJ pointed .308 probably will get the job done. Armor piercing rounds with the steel or tungsten core definately will get the job done and might even defeat plates. Soft points are good for lots of damage on soft targets, (deer and men without body armor). Also if I want to take out and aircraft or vehicle I would prefer in order; AP, Copper solids, FMJ, and if nothing else is available, soft points
    .
    Does that about cover it for you?
     
    slim, Moatengator, STANGF150 and 2 others like this.
  5. armysgt

    armysgt Guest

    7.62x51

    Posts #3 and #4...what they said!
     
  6. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    To Quote G.Gordon Liddy...
    Aim for the Head or Groin...
     
    VisuTrac likes this.
  7. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    Your comments echo what I was thinking as well. Before I load a couple thousand rounds, I wanted some other opinions. I'll probably do about 20i% SP and the rest FMJ.

    Thanks

    SS
     
  8. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    My load out is about 1/3 FMJ and 2/3 softpoint, as I suspect that the majority of my post SHTF targets will be not wearing hard plate body armor if any, and taking any hard target underfire is undesirable if excape and evasion is a possibility.
     
    oldawg likes this.
  9. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    What type and grain's of powder please ??
     
  10. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    When I was a kid deer were hunted and harvested legally with FMJ. :D Which means, I can hunt or fight with FMJ.

    Plus 7.62N can be rough on body armor.

    The head is too small and it bobs, turns and moves.
     
    jim2 likes this.
  11. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    I have loaded 165 gr in the past and now use 150 gr pointed boattails whether fmj or of a nosler balistic tip type. I use once fired military brass full length sized with .308 Win dies, case trimmed to spec. Ream the military crimp out of the primer pocket, but use nail polish after I seat the primer. I use 48.5 grains of Win. 748 ball powder, which is the factory load for 2850 fps .308 Win. with 150 gr pointed boattail by Winchester. The thing is, military brass has a thicker case wall than commercial brass thus a slightly smaller case powder capacity. This particular load is very close to being a compressed load. There is no powder movement in the case. I seat my bullets so my overall cartridge length is exactly factory spec. I get right at 3000 fps by chrono set 6 inches in front of muzzle. This is due to the higher pressure with the smaller case capacity. Primers flatten ever so slightly, but I have never blown or punctured a primer. You wouldn't notice the flattening unless you use a magnifying glass and compare and unfired with a fired case. I get sub moa with this load. I almost forgot, I also hit the sides of the back end of the bullet with a very light coat of nail polish just as I set the bullet and seat it. I have not had a misfire with any of my reloads, even with shooting some done as decribed above that were 30 plus years old.
    .
    One caution; I started my powder tests at 46.5 grains and worked up to the factory spec., 0.2 grains at a time with 20 round batches.
    .
    All of this is not an endorsement. Get a good loading manual. Read it 2 or 3 times before you start, and NEVER START AT A LISTED MAXIMUM LOADING !!!
    .
    I developed this load, or copied if you will, so I would have an identical shooting FMJ and Hunting load with no need to change the sights. I sight in dead on at 200 yards, and I am 6 inches low at 300 yds
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
  12. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    When I was in the Biz, I learned very quickly that each weapon has a "Sweet Spot" where it likes it's ammo to be. When I loaded for a specific weapon, to find that, I would go with a Loading, recommended by the Projectile OEM, and and start at 90% Powder, by weight. Then load 5 rounds and then increase the Powder Load by 2%, and load 5 More Rounds, till I was at 110%, for a total of 55 Rounds. Then the Shooter would shoot each Group, with 10 minutes between Groups, and pick the Best Group for the "Sweet Spot" It will become very obvious when you shoot it, which group is correct for that Projectile, in that weapon. Change the Projectile, or the Powder used, and you have to start over.

    I still have all the Data from that Biz, and when my New DMPS AR-10 with a 24" Barrel arrives, in a couple of months, I will be working up a Loading Spread, to find where it likes it's ammo to be for specific Projectiles. One for a FMJ, One for a Soft Point, One for a SPBT Match Projectile and One for a Barnes Partitioned Projectile. This will cover all the types of expected Projectiles, that I expect to need for this weapon.

    ..... YMMV....
     
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  13. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    Thanks Bruce, I forgot something. The load I spoke of above was developed for a bolt action Remington.
    .
    Most rifles do not shoot exactly to the same spot with a cold barrel, and with a warm barrel. The difference can be as much as 3 inches at 100 yards. I learned this from some olde benchrest rats. They also ran a solvent patch, followed by 2 dry patches after every shot. They only fired one shot every 15 minutes maximum, and left the bolt open or removed it completely between shots.
    .
    Since this was a load for a hunting rifle, I followed the same regimin. I sighted in for a cold barrel. My MBR an AR-10 is sighted in for a warm/hot barrel. Hey Bruce mine is a DPMS with the Stainless 24" HB also. It sure ain't a patrol rifle for an olde dog like me. Too damn heavy.
     
  14. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Thank's man,I had loaded some using H-4895 @42,43,44 Grain.. and using a 150gr. BTSP mfg.by Hornady...
    I'm keeping it in the frame of 42/43 grain's...
    Seem's the Savage like's it not to hot...Thank's again...Gator
     
  15. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Good note, Tac, except that your mileage must not vary. Your bold quote above cannot be overemphasized. It is a safety item that is on the MUST follow list. SM cannot and will not become liable for anyone following loading recipes, no matter where they may have come from. That said, I don't think a Monkey will lead anyone astray or set someone up for injury or worse.

    Gator, you might have a peek at The Handloader's Bench. You can get there from the link on the main forum page. Those guys KNOW handloading from conventional to the way out wildcats that should not be duplicated without a death wish.
     
  16. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    Noted and edited. Thanks
     
  17. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Understood man...I understand that MMMV...However just was wondering about his recipe..that's all...
    I've no need for a hot,hot load were i'm at...300yd's would be a long shoot at the lease...



     
  18. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    I wasn't trying to make a hot load either. I was shocked when I shot over a chrono and was right at 3000 fps. I only wanted a 2850 fps loading so as to duplicate the Winchester 150 grain factory load and be close to the 147 grain military FMJ load. Took awhile for someone who handloads to explain it to me. The load was so accurate I wasn't going to mess with it at that point.
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
  19. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Understood...We have diff. rifle's..What work's in one...May not be the best in another...
    However,I may soon take apart a military round and weigh it...Just for my own info...Tks.
     
  20. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    I'm using 45 grains of Varget with Hornady bullets. Should be close to 2800 fps. This is a relatively light load since these cartridges will be used in different makes and models of 308 Win rifles, including one old Savage that doesn't like hot loads.

    SS
     
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