.308 Winchester ballistics chart

What .308 Winchester ballistics look like

The .308 Winchester (7.62x51 NATO) is the benchmark full-power rifle cartridge. It bridges the gap between intermediate cartridges like 5.56 NATO and magnum cartridges like .300 Win Mag — enough energy for any North American game animal, enough accuracy for 1,000-yard target shooting, and enough availability that you can find ammo at any sporting goods store in the country.

Quick takeaway: For hunting inside 400 yards, 150gr soft points are the standard. For precision shooting past 400 yards, 168gr or 175gr match loads are the move — they buck the wind better and retain energy at range. The 175gr Sierra MatchKing (M118LR) is the military's designated marksman load for a reason.

.308 ballistics by load type

All data below uses factory ammunition from a 24" test barrel (1:10 twist) unless noted. Real-world velocities vary by barrel length, lot, and temperature. Trajectory is zeroed at 200 yards.

150gr soft point (Federal Power-Shok / Remington Core-Lokt)

The standard deer hunting load. Light for caliber, fast, and widely available.

The 150gr is the most popular .308 hunting load in the United States. At 300 yards it still carries 1,716 ft-lbs — more than enough for whitetail, mule deer, and black bear. Hunting bullet BCs vary widely by design — flat-base soft points like the Power-Shok run around 0.313, while boat-tail designs (Hornady InterLock BTSP, Nosler Ballistic Tip) reach 0.415–0.435. Either way, 150gr hunting bullets shed velocity faster than heavier match loads at distance, but inside 400 yards the difference doesn't matter for hunting.

168gr HPBT match (Federal Gold Medal Match / Hornady Match)

The classic precision load. The 168gr Sierra MatchKing has been the standard for high-power rifle competition since the 1960s.

The 168gr SMK (G1 BC 0.462 above 2600 fps, dropping to 0.447 at mid-range velocities) is the workhorse match load but has a known limitation: at transonic speeds (roughly 1,100–1,300 fps), it becomes unstable. This means it's less predictable past 800–900 yards. For shooting beyond 800 yards, the 175gr is the better choice.

175gr HPBT match (Federal Gold Medal Match M118LR)

The military's long-range precision standard. Designed specifically to address the 168gr's transonic instability.

The 175gr SMK (G1 BC 0.505 above 2800 fps, 0.486 at typical operating velocities) retains velocity better at every distance. More importantly, it transitions through the transonic zone more cleanly — it stays accurate past 900 yards where the 168gr starts to yaw. This is why the U.S. military adopted the M118LR (175gr SMK) in the late 1990s, replacing the earlier M118 Special Ball (173gr FMJ) and M852 Match (168gr SMK) as its standard sniper/designated marksman round.

Inside 400 yards, all three loads drop within 1.3" of each other. The differences become meaningful at 600+ yards where the higher-BC match bullets start to pull ahead. At 1,000 yards, the 175gr drops 15" less than the 150gr.

Wind drift comparison

10 mph full-value crosswind, 24" barrel:

At 1,000 yards, the 175gr drifts nearly 20" less than the 150gr hunting load. Wind reading is the hardest skill in long-range shooting — choosing a bullet with better wind performance makes the margin for error larger.

Energy retention comparison

All three loads start with nearly identical muzzle energy (~2,630 ft-lbs). By 600 yards, the 175gr carries 18% more energy than the 150gr. For hunting, most experts consider 1,000 ft-lbs the minimum for elk-class game — the 175gr maintains that threshold past 600 yards.

Barrel length and velocity

.308 Winchester was designed for a 24" barrel but is commonly used in 16–22" hunting rifles and 20" tactical platforms.

.308 loses roughly 20–25 fps per inch of barrel below 24". The penalty from chopping to 16" is meaningful (170 fps / 6.5% velocity loss) but less dramatic than 5.56 NATO in a short barrel because .308's larger case and slower-burning powder tolerates shorter barrels better.

For hunting inside 300 yards, a 16–18" barrel is entirely adequate. For precision shooting past 600 yards, 20–24" is worth the extra length.

Hunting loads — what to use

.308 is one of the most versatile hunting cartridges. Match the bullet weight to the game:

Rule of thumb: Use the lightest bullet that will reliably reach vitals at your expected range. For whitetail in eastern woods (shots under 200 yards), 150gr is perfect. For elk in open country at 300+ yards, step up to 165–180gr for deeper penetration and better energy retention.

.308 vs other rifle calibers

.308 generates roughly double the energy of intermediate cartridges (5.56, 7.62x39, .300 BLK). It delivers nearly identical ballistics to .30-06 in a shorter action — the trade-off is a few percent less velocity. Against 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 hits harder at close range but loses the long-range comparison due to 6.5's superior BC.

Detailed comparisons:

• .308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor — The precision rifle debate
• .308 vs .30-06 — Classic caliber rivalry

Which .308 load to buy

• Range / target practice: Cheapest FMJ or match seconds you can find. 147gr or 150gr surplus is economical for volume shooting.
• Precision / competition: 168gr SMK (Federal Gold Medal Match) for distances under 800 yards. 175gr SMK (M118LR) for 800+ yards or F-class.
• Whitetail / deer-class: 150gr soft point (Federal Power-Shok, Remington Core-Lokt). Cheap, effective, available everywhere.
• Elk / large game: 165–180gr bonded or partition (Federal Trophy Bonded, Nosler Partition). Deep penetration matters here.

Related articles

• .308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor — Ballistics, cost, and use case comparison
• .308 vs .30-06 — Short action vs long action
• Best .308 for whitetail — Hunting load picks
• 5.56 ballistics chart — M193, M855, and 77gr OTM data
• .300 Blackout ballistics — Supersonic and subsonic data
• FMJ vs hollow point — Range vs hunting ammo
• What does grain mean? — Bullet weight explained

Related caliber pages

• .308 Winchester ammo prices — Current pricing across all retailers
• Cheapest .308 Winchester right now — Lowest observed prices
• .308 Winchester price history — 30-day pricing trends

Search .308 ammo →

Sources

• Federal Premium Ballistics Calculator — Velocity and trajectory data
• Hornady Ballistic Calculator — BC and wind drift reference
• Bryan Litz, Applied Ballistics for Long-Range Shooting — BC measurements and trajectory modeling
• SAAMI Cartridge Specifications — Pressure and dimension standards
• Sniper Central — History of M118 Ammunition — Military long-range load data and M118LR development history