.308 Ammo Recommendations

[maansmit]

Just picked up my first .308 rifle and need to stock up on some ammo. Any recommendations on decent, general target shooting ammo that is budget friendly? I would rather avoid the steel cased Russian stuff. I spent enough on the rifle that I don't want to send crap ammo through it. I usually order most of my ammo from Freedom Munitions but wanted to see what others would recommend. Thanks.

 

[bocefus78]

Before I handloaded 308, I got very good groups from ppu Match 168gr bthp. It's not much more money than ball 147.

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...ster-match-hpbt-168-grain-20-rounds?a=1584479

 

[Expat]

I watch for sales. Sometimes you find the Win White Box for just over 50 cents a round. Some places had that Hirtenberg on sale a few months back. Every now and then you will run into mil surp stuff at a gun show at a decent price, stick with country of manufacturer in England, Germany or other 1st world countries.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

If you are going to reload, I recommend the white box PPU from Serbia or GGG from Lithuania. Lake City is usually ok (there was some crappy reject stuff around several years ago), but it costs a bit more and the primers are crimped which makes reloading more time consuming.

If you are NOT going to reload, good brass cased berdan primed surplus such as Hirtenberg is still widely available at gunshows and from online sources - it would be my #1 recommendation for easily available stuff.

Stay away from the Indian OFV if you find it since a lot of it isn't good (some early 70s is reportedly ok, but I personally don't shoot any of it).

TZ-80 Israeli is no good, they had a bad lot that year.

Pretty much anything else good to go, but that stuff just isn't around much anymore except second hand at gunshows, GunBroker, and classifieds. The best ones were RG (British), FNM (Portuguese), SMI (Italian) - grab those when you find them.

The Czech O 308 O headstamped ammo that came in light sea foam green boxes that just said "308 Winchester" on them is ok ammo, but is CORROSIVE - you will have to clean accordingly.

And a big +1 to what Expat said.

 

[sloughfoot]

Any 150 grain soft point hunting ammo. It will all be more accurate than most mil-surp ball ammo. Just buy the least expensive on the shelf. It will be fine. I like Remington, but there are plenty of quality ammo manufacturers. I buy a box of 20 every month. Pretty soon I will have 100 rounds. Or so.

 

[throttletony]

Id suggest finding two loads your gun likes - a top tier "competition/hunting" round that is dead-nuts accurate, and a plinker round that is "accurate enough" for paper, varmints, etc

My former. 243 shot like a cometely different gun when i fed it Hornady or Federal (both awesome), as compared to Remington core-lokt or win white box (both ok, but not amazing like the others)

 

[DoggyDaddy]

For awhile, Walmart was selling ZQ1 ammo (brass case, boxer primed) for 9.97 a box. I bought a lot of it and it's good ammo. It may still be available online, but I haven't seen it at Walmart for quite some time. It's made in Turkey and is good clean, decently accurate ball ammo.

 

[maansmit]

I watch for sales. Sometimes you find the Win White Box for just over 50 cents a round. Some places had that Hirtenberg on sale a few months back. Every now and then you will run into mil surp stuff at a gun show at a decent price, stick with country of manufacturer in England, Germany or other 1st world countries.

I found some of the German mil surp. Might have to order some.

 

[IndyTom]

ZQI is still avaliable-ish. When it is in-stock. I know targetsportsusa carries is at $.55 a round and the Guardian version for $.50 a round (have not used the Guardian branded one) with no shipping if it is in stock and you buy in bulk. The zqiammunition site...I've never seen .308 in stock on it, but it is also $.55 (or $.56 for smaller orders) before shipping. I imagine it just flies out the door or they're just screwing with us. I recently tried out the Perfecta ammo while I was testing magazines. It all went bang, but I can't speak to accuracy as I was more concerned with it actually being properly fed from the new mag.

 

[jrh84]

Palmetto State Armory had Federal Gold Medal Match 168 gr for $15.99/20 yesterday. Back up to $20/20 now.