My saiga in 308win w/22" barrel

[Unknown Poster 5]

With my bad back lately i'm taking my saiga in 308win with the 22" barrel bear hunting or lets say i want to set it up for bear hunting. The bolt action magnum just maybe too much on my body. I have the scopemount and scope picked out. My problem what bullet weights am i limited too?? Am i limited to the 165gr to 168gr bullets? Or can i go bigger? I know that certain military semi auto's are limited to lighter bullet weights over the heavier bullet weights due to the higher peak chamber pressure on the heavier bullets. I want to besafe with my saiga too.

thanks, unkn

Edited November 3, 2012 by Unknown Poster

[zagumennyyilya 51]

I am limited in actual on hands experience, but I read online about the versatility of the 308 cartridge, there was an individual that was testing the velocities of bullet sizes ranging from 150 grains to 220 grains and was trying to see what is the maximum bullet size that can still have decent velocity for use for hunting, he was also comparing the 308 to the 30-06 cartridge, what he came up with was that for the 308, 220 grains was pretty much the maximum for an effective hunting round. The 30-06 was able to accommodate up to 260 grains with no problems. The Chamber pressures were not an issue due to the fact that he loaded the bullets using known powder charges, from the reloading book, all the bullet size ranges did not exceed the specified saami spec pressures. And the saiga 308 underwent testing before being allowed for import. I would follow the reloading manual for the heavier bullet weights as they take the pressures into account.

[Unknown Poster 5]

There is something about the heavier bullets with the higher peak chamber pressure that can affect the cycle timing in any semi auto.

[zagumennyyilya 51]

As far a I know, when the bullet fires, the spike in pressure happens right after the primer fires, then its a steady rise in pressure to push the bullet forward, as the bullet is moving down the barrel, the pressure continues to push the bullet but the peak pressure has subsided, the bullet then passes the gas port and cycling of the action happens, on an ak, the more gas, the more violent the action cycles. So the heavier bullets will create more pressure and cycle the action harsher. But no matter how heavy the bullet is, factory ammo is regulated to a peak pressure, unless you load by yourself, and load more than is in the book, you won't exceed that pressure, if you load more than is regulated, you will blow up hour gun where the chamber is.

[IndyArms 10,186]

MY s-308 shoots lighter bullets BETTER than the heavier bullets...

 

130 and 150 gn TTSX bullets will group into an inch or so at 100 yards with group sizes getting bigger as the weight increases..

 

Weight issues will be negligible for pressure as long as published load data is followed. One other issue you may encounter is CASE OVERALL LENGTH... I have berger 210 grain bullets in .308. it is tough to load them to a proper length and get them to feed out of a magazine... so keep THAT in mind..

 

i would stick with a GOOD QUALITY hunting bullet... in a lighter weight... and a higher velocity giving you GOOD PENETRATION... such as a nosler partition, or the like... you will be FINE... shot distance, and shot placement is more important than bullet weight when you are talking the difference between 165 and 180 grains, or 200 grains... and are not trying to take a bear at over 100 yards or so...

 

Shoot what shoots WELL out of your saiga and you will be just fine...

 

 

[RED333 1,025]

I have not reloaded for my S.308 yet, I would go with what Indy is telling ya.

Mine shoots MIL surplus "brass" case great, 300 yrds inside a paper plate.

[Beowulf47 0]

The lighter ones shoot alittle better.

[Unknown Poster 5]

I'm looking for an over the counter accurate 308win ammo in either 165gr or 168gr pointed soft point. I want it for bear and deer hunting.

 

I just hurt my back really bad i hurt three lower discs i missed bear/deer season this year and may have to give up using my 338win mag bolt action for bear hunting. I'm also "GOD" when my kids are hunting i keep an eye on them incase they get into trouble with a bear. Its sad too i can put two rounds threw the same hole at 100yds.

 

 

There was a ballastics posting on the 8mm mauser round. With a semi auto the gun powder burn rate matters too for the cycling of the semi auto rifle. During the tests he posted the lighter bullet moves out of the brass case much faster when fired over the heavier weighted bullet. The heavier bullet moves much slower and it takes more powder to burn as the bullet moves. Lighter bullet gives a less peak chamber pressure over the heavier bullet with the higher peak pressure.

Edited November 7, 2012 by Unknown Poster

[paprotective 362]

168gr Federal OTM for M1A worked great in my Saiga 308 with 21" barrel.. Another is maybe Hornady with SP.. I know that Hornady ran pretty good in my S308 as well.

[Unknown Poster 5]

I have an M14s norinco but i'm not sure how it shoots yet. I like the all weather any condition saiga's. Plus there lighter to carry. My bear shot has been within 25yds. One more option i think about is getting a browing BAR in 338wm.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Unknown Poster

[IndyArms 10,186]

browing BAR in 338wm.

 

Isn't that a bit redundant???

 

A Browning "Browning Automatic Rifle" ????

 

 

 

[Unknown Poster 5]

Why do they call the browning semi auto rifle a "BAR". Its often refered to that. I was praying and hoping to see a saiga in 7,62x54r, in 7mm rem mag, in 300wm and in 338wm too but that will never happen.

[Sdustin 578]

I think your worried too much unless your in alaska, I'll bet your used to that huge powerful .338 mag, maybe it's been too powerful for what your killing. I think a 160 ish .308 will do the job just fine like others have said shoot what shoots best.