08-21-2023, 03:14 PM
Rodedawgg Wrote:Stinky Coyote...
Is 125 in 308 a high enough sd for elk? Sounds a lot nicer to shoot than the 150s or 180s. I wasn't aware of the relatively soft 120 in 7-08. I guess because the idea of 7-08 never excited me much...nothing grabbed my imagination. 7x57, you bet, but I have a feeling that's only a caliber I can play with after I get good at reloading. One day, hopefully sooner rather than later, I won't be dependent on off the shelf stuff, it'll just be an option available. I've always heard 308 was the most versatile for off the shelf ammo and 30-06 if you handload. Still, unless I score a Garand or a Winchester 94, not too interested in 30-06. Maybe if a WWI bolt rifle in that came into my possession...There's something about the grendel that did catch my brain, but I don't know what other than they're stupidly efficient. Which is interesting to me lol.
Yeah, the bullet weight matters a bunch. From my reloading manuals it looks like the amount of powder makes a huge difference too. That's why something like the 6ARC has less recoil than a 243Win at a given velocity. It uses about 25% less powder to get there because of the pressure. That stuff fascinates me.
I was kinda looking slowly at the 300 ham'r since it's meant to match the velocities and weights of a 30-30 but with the higher bc and sd bullets. I'm just not in a rush to go hit a 30 heavier than a 300blk at this moment, cause like you said, they do more hitting back than smaller calibers. But, in the AR as opposed to a lever gun or my Encore, it might not be that bad. If I could lay hands on some of the low-recoil (and expensive) 308 in the 150gr loaded down to about 2400fps, that'd be a good experiment. Future problems lol
Fess...
To be fair, I can't perform past 200 without smart munitions lol.
That's one of the things I like about the grendel...it seems to have more options for bullets that expand at lower rifle velocities than a lot of other cartridges. That's why I was double checking on the expansion of that pass through at 420yds. If it does that reliably, that's the kind of bullet/cartridge I want. Moderate velocity, holds that velocity well, and performs further out than I can.
Thanks!
no I wouldn't like the 308 125gr cup and core at 2600 for the sd issue for elk size game, it's more of a deer only sd, the 7-08 120 though starts to look better, and yes that's the beauty of the 6.5 Grendel and 123's, when you play with only 30 grains of powder you're at niche end of things so the formula chosen on bullet for game intended is more critical to get right, the Grendel 123 is max efficiency and great performer with enough of the right numbers to do elk size game at normal hunting distances, still at the niche end though and of course placement is always king but so much easier to place things with nice lighter recoiling guns etc.
I know OP wants to do this on the 6.8 spc due to caliber restrictions, reloading will be the best and only way imo. I've had one and wouldn't have another, I know there are guys on rokslide killing elk with .223 and 77gr tmk's to 400 but my lower limit for bullet weight is 120 gr so I wouldn't go that route myself. I would just buy something bigger and run reduced velocity loads if I wanted light recoiling performance. Good excuse to get another rifle, and bonus is you could step up anytime with full power loads and have a bigger hammer in the toolbox, not a bad thing?