Questions on Hunting Suppressed - .308

[FakeID]

Anyone with experience hunting with a suppressed .308 rifle? What ammo are you using?

I've been running 150gr Winchester super-x power point the past year through a bergara wilderness ridge 18" with more than enough scope to see. I had several boxes of the 150s and after 2 days at the range getting comfortable shooting different ammo I loaded up the 150s and took a high shoulder shot that dropped a mid-sized 3x2 sika in its tracks- No complaints there! However getting back on the range i now feel like the 150's weren't as consistent as the 168gr (cant remember which 168's off the top of my head but it was a federal factory hunting ammo). After re-reading the bergara manual it appears they sight in with 168gr, so im reconsidering what i will shoot. Ive been hunting under 200-250 yards, but have a stand and a box blind i can use where im able to see 5x that distance over a field. Not ready for 1000yd shots, but my goal before the season is to dial in so i can take the rifle into the woods and as close as 25yd, but also take it to the field and reach out to 300-350yds if one of the big boys take the far trail.

To complicate the matter this offseason ill be adding a dedicated suppressor to my hunting kit , so I plan to spend a couple more days at the range with a variety of ammo to re-sight anyways. So im hoping this community will share some experience, thoughts and recommendations for ammo grain weight, factory load quality, shooting suppressed/unsuppressed, etc. I have shot paper suppressed with other weapons but this is a first for hunting.

I am the only hunter in my family, still within my first decade of rifle hunting, and the guys i hunt with haven't changed their rifle or ammo in so long and/or they dont have much in the way of experienced input. So i will value each comment here greatly.

No matter what the final load is I hope to stock up on hunting ammo before the politics and climate change make it unaffordable or some kind of social sin to buy more than 5 bullets at a time. Where do yall get bulk hunting ammo? What rounds do you shoot in a .308 when hunting suppressed? Thanks to all in advance.

 

[kstone803]

I hand load for .308 but shoot suppressed most of the time. Number one thing to remember is your point of impact WILL change with and without the can. So sight in with both and remember the dope or only shoot with/without the can. If you're just hunting sika and whitetail they're not exceptionally hard to kill with a rifle so any name brand bullet will work. If you want tighter groups and better bullet construction I recommend you look at factory ammo loaded with Barnes TTSX, Nosler accubonds or Berger VLD bullets. You're gonna pay $2.50-$3 a round but it's the best around. As for buying in bulk I would say wherever you can find it nowadays. Those types of ammo aren't readily available everywhere, even online.

 

[outrider58]

I don't hunt with .308, but to build upon what kstone803 said; once you find a load that gives you exactly what you want, accuracy wise, always get your final zero with the can on and always hunt suppressed. Some cans suffer POI changes worse than others. I have a .30 cal can that on 3 different guns, has almost no POI shift with the can or not. Then I have a .22lr can that has terrible POI shift.

That's about all I got for ya. Good hunting!

 

[FakeID]

I hand load for .308 but shoot suppressed most of the time. Number one thing to remember is your point of impact WILL change with and without the can. So sight in with both and remember the dope or only shoot with/without the can. If you're just hunting sika and whitetail they're not exceptionally hard to kill with a rifle so any name brand bullet will work. If you want tighter groups and better bullet construction I recommend you look at factory ammo loaded with Barnes TTSX, Nosler accubonds or Berger VLD bullets. You're gonna pay $2.50-$3 a round but it's the best around. As for buying in bulk I would say wherever you can find it nowadays. Those types of ammo aren't readily available everywhere, even online.

Thanks for the input. I plan to keep the suppressor on the rifle to avoid the changing POI. Any thoughts on grain weight selection? I have yet to load any ammo myself so im looking at factory ammo for now.
Thank you for mentioning some items to look for. I dont shoot the hunting rifle all that much outside of sight in once a year and maybe pull the trigger if i catch a target buck or i have yet to tag a doe. So paying a little more for ammo wont hurt too bad. I also plan, but plans could change, to use this rifle for hog hunting every couple years or so when i get an invite.

 

[FakeID]

I don't hunt with .308, but to build upon what kstone803 said; once you find a load that gives you exactly what you want, accuracy wise, always get your final zero with the can on and always hunt suppressed. Some cans suffer POI changes worse than others. I have a .30 cal can that on 3 different guns, has almost no POI shift with the can or not. Then I have a .22lr can that has terrible POI shift.

That's about all I got for ya. Good hunting!

Thank you. Im curious... Which 300 can are you referring to? I have a Q Full Nelson in jail and looking at getting a second submitted soon. Ill have one dedicated on the hunting rifle and the other in the range bag to run on the fun guns.

 

[outrider58]

Thank you. Im curious... Which 300 can are you referring to? I have a Q Full Nelson in jail and looking at getting a second submitted soon. Ill have one dedicated on the hunting rifle and the other in the range bag to run on the fun guns.

It's a YHM 762 Phantom LTA

Unfortunately, they quit making them. They were damn good suppressors.

I would take a look at YHM's offerings and read the reviews. They make really nice cans at an affordable price.

 

[kstone803]

It's a YHM 762 Phantom LTA

Unfortunately, they quit making them. They were damn good suppressors.

I would take a look at YHM's offerings and read the reviews. They make really nice cans at an affordable price.

I second the YHM path for rifle cans. I have multiple and love them.

Fakeid,
As for my experience with POI shift it's multiple things to include the rifle, barrel, can, mounting system, etc. So just because outrider gets no shift on his guns doesn't mean you won't get shift on your gun with the same can. Just my experience.

Edit: I didn't respond to your bullet weight question. I'm partial to 168 bullets in .308 but that's also what closest matches my match .308 loads. Whatever you shoot won't feel the difference in 18 grains between 150-168 bullet. Find an accurate and stout bullet and stick with it.

 

[John from MD]

Thanks for the input. I plan to keep the suppressor on the rifle to avoid the changing POI. Any thoughts on grain weight selection? I have yet to load any ammo myself so im looking at factory ammo for now.
Thank you for mentioning some items to look for. I dont shoot the hunting rifle all that much outside of sight in once a year and maybe pull the trigger if i catch a target buck or i have yet to tag a doe. So paying a little more for ammo wont hurt too bad. I also plan, but plans could change, to use this rifle for hog hunting every couple years or so when i get an invite.

You might take a look at the Griffin Paladin 300. Very quite and well built.

 

[FakeID]

It's a YHM 762 Phantom LTA

Unfortunately, they quit making them. They were damn good suppressors.

I would take a look at YHM's offerings and read the reviews. They make really nice cans at an affordable price.

Thank you.. i have heard several recommendations in addition to yours for YHM and will certainly be giving them consideration for the 30cal can. their 22lr phantom has been on my list for awhile.

I second the YHM path for rifle cans. I have multiple and love them.

Fakeid,
As for my experience with POI shift it's multiple things to include the rifle, barrel, can, mounting system, etc. So just because outrider gets no shift on his guns doesn't mean you won't get shift on your gun with the same can. Just my experience.

Edit: I didn't respond to your bullet weight question. I'm partial to 168 bullets in .308 but that's also what closest matches my match .308 loads. Whatever you shoot won't feel the difference in 18 grains between 150-168 bullet. Find an accurate and stout bullet and stick with it.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Seems like i need to buy a variety of ammo and spend some time at the range to sort out what works best with my combination of things. That's a good problem to have and a fun one to solve.

You might take a look at the Griffin Paladin 300. Very quite and well built.

Thank you i will be considering this can as well. Bought the Q can only because i have a couple others and snagged a good deal. Looks like these can be direct thread which i think i would prefer for a dedicated can.

 

[John from MD]

Thank you.. i have heard several recommendations in addition to yours for YHM and will certainly be giving them consideration for the 30cal can. their 22lr phantom has been on my list for awhile.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Seems like i need to buy a variety of ammo and spend some time at the range to sort out what works best with my combination of things. That's a good problem to have and a fun one to solve.

Thank you i will be considering this can as well. Bought the Q can only because i have a couple others and snagged a good deal. Looks like these can be direct thread which i think i would prefer for a dedicated can.

Just make sure you use Rocksett as direct threads tend to back off. I use tapered mounts on all mine for that reason but I do take put them on and off.

 

[RRomig]

Anyone with experience hunting with a suppressed .308 rifle? What ammo are you using?

I've been running 150gr Winchester super-x power point the past year through a bergara wilderness ridge 18" with more than enough scope to see. I had several boxes of the 150s and after 2 days at the range getting comfortable shooting different ammo I loaded up the 150s and took a high shoulder shot that dropped a mid-sized 3x2 sika in its tracks- No complaints there! However getting back on the range i now feel like the 150's weren't as consistent as the 168gr (cant remember which 168's off the top of my head but it was a federal factory hunting ammo). After re-reading the bergara manual it appears they sight in with 168gr, so im reconsidering what i will shoot. Ive been hunting under 200-250 yards, but have a stand and a box blind i can use where im able to see 5x that distance over a field. Not ready for 1000yd shots, but my goal before the season is to dial in so i can take the rifle into the woods and as close as 25yd, but also take it to the field and reach out to 300-350yds if one of the big boys take the far trail.

To complicate the matter this offseason ill be adding a dedicated suppressor to my hunting kit , so I plan to spend a couple more days at the range with a variety of ammo to re-sight anyways. So im hoping this community will share some experience, thoughts and recommendations for ammo grain weight, factory load quality, shooting suppressed/unsuppressed, etc. I have shot paper suppressed with other weapons but this is a first for hunting.

I am the only hunter in my family, still within my first decade of rifle hunting, and the guys i hunt with haven't changed their rifle or ammo in so long and/or they dont have much in the way of experienced input. So i will value each comment here greatly.

No matter what the final load is I hope to stock up on hunting ammo before the politics and climate change make it unaffordable or some kind of social sin to buy more than 5 bullets at a time. Where do yall get bulk hunting ammo? What rounds do you shoot in a .308 when hunting suppressed? Thanks to all in advance.

Have you looked at the ballistics of a round like that for hunting 250 plus yards and found that appealing? If the plan is to be quiet a good can on a super sonic round doesn’t sound like gun fire to 99% of the people.

 

[FakeID]

Have you looked at the ballistics of a round like that for hunting 250 plus yards and found that appealing? If the plan is to be quiet a good can on a super sonic round doesn’t sound like gun fire to 99% of the people.

I have not done much in the way of ballistic research on suppressed .308. Ive previously shot an old 760 game master 30-06 and a .243 sub 200yards (mostly sub 100), so this is a step in a new direction. I won this rifle last year and got it in shape to shoot in the woods for rifle season. I had boxes of 150s so thats what i used and stuck to the woods where i knew im comfortable reaching out as far as i could see. But you've brought up a good point.. I should spend sometime looking at performance. Up till now i havent had a reason to think 150s or 168s wouldn't work out, and the mfg recommending 168 started the itch to feel out a change.. Do you recommend any particular resource for ballistic characteristics or particular factors i should study up on?

The point is to cut down on noise so i can sight in on the property and while shooting the lane in season. Im a guest on the property and would like to prevent any issues disturbing folks or drawing unwanted attention. My long term goal is to get a modern 30-06 and ultimately use one in the woods and the other on the lane.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

I have not done much in the way of ballistic research on suppressed .308. Ive previously shot an old 760 game master 30-06 and a .243 sub 200yards (mostly sub 100), so this is a step in a new direction. I won this rifle last year and got it in shape to shoot in the woods for rifle season. I had boxes of 150s so thats what i used and stuck to the woods where i knew im comfortable reaching out as far as i could see. But you've brought up a good point.. I should spend sometime looking at performance. Up till now i havent had a reason to think 150s or 168s wouldn't work out, and the mfg recommending 168 started the itch to feel out a change.. Do you recommend any particular resource for ballistic characteristics or particular factors i should study up on?

The point is to cut down on noise so i can sight in on the property and while shooting the lane in season. Im a guest on the property and would like to prevent any issues disturbing folks or drawing unwanted attention. My long term goal is to get a modern 30-06 and ultimately use one in the woods and the other on the lane.

If you haven't had the chance to compare a suppressed 308 vs. an unsuppressed 308, you may want to try it out.

I'm also going to throw out there the Yankee Hill Machine Resonator R2 is a good can for the money.

 

[Slackdaddy]

No matter what the final load is I hope to stock up on hunting ammo before the politics and climate change make it unaffordable or some kind of social sin to buy more than 5 bullets at a time. Where do yall get bulk hunting ammo? What rounds do you shoot in a .308 when hunting suppressed? Thanks to all in advance.

Before you go and buy a "Lifetime supply" of your "Forever ammo" (As I did in .22, Slugs, 44m),, remember MD is on the cusp of outlawing lead ammo for hunting.

 

[BurkeM]

Before you go and buy a "Lifetime supply" of your "Forever ammo" (As I did in .22, Slugs, 44m),, remember MD is on the cusp of outlawing lead ammo for hunting.

That bill hasn't gone anywhere.

 

[Slackdaddy]

That bill hasn't gone anywhere.

Not yet,, knowing them, they will wait till the last minute.